Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

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Thursday 1 June 2017
French Open match. Up and down. Just event in Lyon. “And today,

Continued from Page 17 to get through it was some- I lost at the French Open.
thing that I know I’ll be very It’s the paradox of tennis.”
And even when he was proud of.” Ah, so philosophical.
docked a point by the At the other end of the No call for such reflection
chair umpire for what an court, Coric mangled his from those who advanced,
incredulous Johnson con- racket by rearing back including defending cham-
sidered an innocuous extra and smashing it one, two, pion Novak Djokovic and
hit of the ball deep in the three, four times, then af- nine-time champion Rafa-
fourth set. And yet again ter a pause, once more for el Nadal among the men,
when Coric twice was a good measure. and defending champion
single point from forcing a Coric said afterward he Garbine Muguruza, for-
fifth set. knew about the personal mer No. 1s Venus Williams
Only when, on his fifth difficulty his foe was deal- (whose pregnant sister Ser-
chance to end things, ing with. ena was in the stands) and
Johnson delivered a clean “Super tough, definitely,” Steve Johnson of the U.S. plays a shot against Croatia’s Borna Caroline Wozniacki among
forehand winner to seal the 40th-ranked Croatian Coric during their second round match of the French Open ten- the women. There were a
the victory, did he let go, said. “And all the credit to nis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France. couple of surprises: No. 6
dropping onto to his knees him, that he was able to Wednesday, May 31, 2017. Dominika Cibulkova was
near the baseline, his chest go through this period and Associated Press beaten 6-4, 6-3 by 114th-
heaving, his eyes filling with also to play this good.” the 27-year-old Johnson, man Jo-Wilfried Tsonga left ranked Ons Jabeur of Tuni-
tears. After they shook hands, who won two NCAA singles meekly, eliminated 7-5, 6-4, sia, while 18-year-old Cali-
“I have no idea what hap- Johnson leaned his head titles and four team titles at 6-7 (6), 6-4 by 91st-ranked fornian CiCi Bellis defeated
pened after I hit the fore- on his arm atop the net, Southern California. “I may Renzo Olivo of Argen- No. 18 Kiki Bertens of the
hand. I just kind of col- sobbing. Steve Johnson Sr. not be the best tennis play- tina after only one game Netherlands 6-3, 7-6 (5).
lapsed and, emotionally, passed away three weeks er. But there’s not going to Wednesday in a match Two-time major cham-
it got the best of me,” said ago. “I know it’s going to be a day where I’m just go- suspended a night earlier pion Petra Kvitova, who
Johnson, who faces No. 6 be emotional for quite ing to let you win. I’m going because of darkness. It was needed surgery on her left
Dominic Thiem next. “The some time. Who knows to try and give it my best.” 2008 Australian Open run- hand after a knife attack
other days, I was able to how long it’ll take? I just There were other winners ner-up Tsonga’s first loss in at her home in December,
kind of get to the locker know he’s with me. He and losers, of course, on the first round in Paris since bowed out in the second
room and kind of com- raised me to be a compet- Day 4 of the French Open, his debut 12 years ago. match of her comeback, a
pose myself a little bit. itor and a fighter to the last but nothing quite so poi- “Last week, I won my first- 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5) loss to Ameri-
Today was just such an point. And that’s what I try gnant. ever clay tournament,” can qualifier Bethanie Mat-
emotional match. A long to do with my tennis,” said The 12th-seeded French- Tsonga said, referring to an tek-Sands.q