Nine things we learned from 2015 French Open
PARIS – It will be a French Open remembered for many things, but perhaps mostly for the man who didn't win it: Rafael Nadal.
Stan Wawrinka instead walked away from Roland Garros a champion this year, as well as another "SW:" Serena Williams. Nadal failed to win here for only the second time in 11 years, while Wawrinka and Williams fought against forces equally stiff but vastly different to attain their respective titles.
Here are nine things to take from tennis' red clay major.
Serena survives: It was perhaps the most difficult Grand Slam win of Serena Williams' career, but the 33-year-old fought her way through five three-set matches and flu-like symptoms late in the tournament to emerge the women's victor, earning it fully with a see-saw battle in the final against little-known Lucie Safarova. The title is her 20th career Grand Slam, putting her within two of Steffi Graf's Open Era record as well as halfway to the calendar-year Slam in 2015, a feat she's not yet accomplished.
What a Stan-imal: Nadal aside, it was supposed to be the year of Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1 aiming to complete a career Grand Slam in Paris, riding a 22-match win streak as he arrived in the City of Light. But Wawrinka, 30, from Switzerland, didn't allow that to happen, first beating countryman Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, then putting on a stirring display of tennis in the final, a brilliant four-set win against Djokovic to earn his second career Slam.
Djokovic conquers Nadal, but can't win: That Djokovic stopped the Spaniard in the quarterfinals (his first win against Nadal in seven tries in Paris) wasn't the most shocking. it was that he couldn't win the tournament after doing so. Djokovic will go another year without a French Open title, having overcome the Nadal hurdle but being tripped up at the end by another foe. Now it must be asked: Will he ever win this tournament?
Federer felled – is he running out of time? Another major passes, another Roger Federer missed opportunity. Federer was simply outplayed by Wawrinka in three sets in the quarterfinals, but the 17-time major winner hasn't won a Slam since Wimbledon in 2012, and his chances are becoming fewer and – at 33 years old – farther between.
Women's contenders crash out: Williams earned her title, but her biggest rivals didn't make it any tougher for her. Defending champion Maria Sharapova was upset by Safarova in the fourth round in straight sets while Simona Halep (second round), Petra Kvitova (fourth round), Caroline Wozniacki (second round) and Genie Bouchard (first round) all failed to make the quarterfinals.
A double(s) dip for Mattek-Sands: Only one player walked away from Paris with two championship trophies -- American Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The Arizona native won the women's doubles trophy with Safarova and also teamed up with Mike Bryan (of the Bryan brothers) to win the mixed doubles crown. Mattek-Sands is the first player to win both doubles events at the French Open since 2001, and she and Safarova are halfway to the calendar year Grand Slam, having won the title in Melbourne in January.
RG's PR nightmares: It's a French Open that the French organizers would like to forget. Day One included perhaps the most disastrous moment of the tournament, when a selfie-seeking young fan ran onto Court Philippe Chatrier and put his arm around Roger Federer's shoulder as the star was leaving the court before security pulled the fan away. Then a large piece of metal siding blew off a stadium video board due to high winds early in week two, injuring three fans (minor injuries) in an episode that could have been much worse. This all happened as the tournament continues to fight with local governances on expansion plans for the already-cramped event.
Red, white and blue on the clay: Lastly, Americans can play on the red stuff. And not just Serena (and Mattek-Sands). Bob and Mike Bryan reached the men's doubles final as 18-year-old Tommy Paul won the boys' event, beating fellow American Taylor Harry Fritz. Jack Sock had a breakout Slam, losing to Nadal in the fourth round, and 16-year-old CiCi Bellis was a semifinalist in the girls' singles event. On a surface where Americans have been known to struggle, the 2015 effort was more than respectable.
Next? It's on to Wimbledon, starting June 29 in London.