tennis

I went to Roland Garros for the first time, while I was in Paris. We got cheap tickets on the internet that allowed us to go to any of the courts except the main three.
This turned out to leave us spoiled for choice, and we saw two really exciting matches and several others that were worth watching, but didn't have the same emotional charge.
The place itself is really beautiful- lots of plants, flowers, landscaping etc. There is not a speck of garbage in sight, it is immaculately clean, and there is superb organization.
This is the one French event I've been to where everyone automatically waits in an orderly line- no fragmenting or expanding here!

The day was cloudy, cold and it rained a bit- not enough to affect the games but enough to be unpleasant. We go GREAT seats at every game we watched, often in the front row. Games which involved French players were more crowded, but there really are not any bad vantage points- the courts are gorgeously designed, and the red clay is visually stunning.
here they are watering it in the early am:

I ended up not taking many pictures because I wanted to watch the games- which were riveting.
the first was Alexa Glatch from the USA vs Lourdes Dominguez Lino from Spain. I have a picture of each here, but they really don't convey the drama and angst of the game.
This was a real battle, with one about to loose then rallying, the other about to loose then rallying etc. It was actually quite emotionally wrenching to watch, and I wasn't sure who I wanted to win.
Lourdes Dominguez Lino, a tiny, incredibly strong and fierce woman won. Glatch, who is gigantic, was taken out in tears. I would have cried too- she really worked hard and the stress alone would do me in at the end....

The second really great match was between two men( I found that I really preferred singles- doubles looks fun to play but I thought it was less fun to watch) -Juan Martin Del Potro from Argentina , and Igor Andreev from Russia. The game had been going on for about 2 hours when we got there. The place was packed with Russian and Argentine supporters - surprisingly, because this was a really really exciting match, so people left and we were able to make it to the front row. You can hear, see, smell, almost touch everything. The game finished at an astonishing(to me at any rate) 4 hours 58 minutes long. This with two players who literally threw themselves into every ball as if it were there first swing of the day. There were quick breaks for bananas and water, but the level of constant energy and alertness required for this was overwhelming. I wanted them both to win- they both deserved it, but I was really rooting for Andreev, who lost in the end. He swung with such force and abandon each time, and he would slide with such expertise across the clay. Anyone willing to dive and hurl themselves like that deserves to win....
I did not see the screeching young lady, whose noise-making caused such an uproar they are going to ban grunting. I heard and saw her on the news and am actually glad to have missed that one. enough is enough...
I really want to go again next year- this was so thrilling, in a way that the televised version can only hint at ( though they do a nice job, and it's good to have commentary).

see http://www.rolandgarros.com/en_FR/index.html
for more info...