French Open - The three biggest surprise finalists
We should actually be entering the decisive phase of the French Open 2020 these days. Due to the known circumstances, we have to make do with historical review. Like with three men whose entry into the endgame was a great sensation. And who didn't get the title after all.
by Jens Huiber
last edit: Jun 02, 2020, 11:41 am
1986 - Mikael Pernfors lost to Ivan Lendl 3: 6, 2: 6, 4: 6
No one was surprised at the time that there was a Swede in the final in Roland Garros in the mid-1980s. Mats Wilander was ultimately successful in 1982 and 1985, and between 1978 and 1981 Björn Borg won the title four times en suite at the Bois de Boulogne. Both Wilander and Borg used the good, old method of “putting the ball into the field once more than the opponent” without any great demands to make profit strikes. Mikael Pernfors did it a little differently, especially with the forehand.
And so, after an effortless opening win against Olivier Delaitre in round two, the unsettled Pernfors defeated his fellow countryman Stefan Edberg in fifth place, afterwards breaded double specialist Robert Seguso and had only minor problems with Martin Jaite in the second round. In the round of eight, Boris Becker was number three of the tournament, Pernfors won in four sets as well as in the semi-final against Henri Leconte. In the final against Ivan Lendl, however, there was nothing to get.
2003 - Martin Verkerk lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero 1-6, 3-6, 2-6
Let's not kid ourselves: Actually the end of Martin Verkerk's run at the French Open 2003 was announced for round two. Roger Federer was supposed to wait there when number five started the tournament. The Swiss, however, lost surprisingly without a song against Luis Horna, who in turn lost to Verkerk in five rounds. After that there were no easy opponents for the Dutch left-hander. But also no stopping.
Neither Vince Spadea (number 29) nor Rainer Schüttler (number 11) could stop Verkerk, nor did Carlos Moya (number 3) in the quarterfinals. Against the Spaniard, Verkerk had to extend the fifth set, but there was no sign of fatigue: In the semi-final, Guillermo Coria did not even win the set against the surprise man. Whose magic had been exhausted before meeting Juan Carlos Ferrero.
2005 - Mariano Puerta lost to Rafael Nadal 7: 6 (6), 3: 6, 1: 6, 5: 7
The draw had initially not meant well with Mariano Puerta: Right at the start, Ivan Ljubicic was number 13 of the tournament. After the surprising success of the Argentine, the draw suddenly meant very well with him, because two qualifiers followed: first Kristof Vlieg from Belgium and then a young man named Stan Wawrinka. Jose Ascasuso in the round of 16 can also be described as a pleasant task, followed by two marathons for Puerta.
First against compatriot Guillermo Canas, then in the semifinals against Nikolay Davydenko. Both matches were decided in the fifth set, no wonder that Puerta's strength waned. In the final against Rafael Nadal it was enough to win a set and make a short comeback in the fourth set, but in the end it came together what has belonged together like no other connection in tennis: Nadal and the Coupe des Mousquetaires.