French Open 2022: Five things that made it different from previous editions

Here's a list of top five things that have made the French Open 2022 worth watching and following. India's Rohan Bopanna has also made it to this list. Read and find out how and why?

The 2022 edition of the French Open has seen its highs and lows and is just a few matches away from its conclusion. But this edition saw a few firsts which brought the clay courts of Roland Garros in the limelight. While the use of lights early on at the Philippe Chatrier arena has continued to bother players, especially the 21 time Grand Slam winner Rafale Nadal, talents like Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud were also discovered.

Coco Gauff: The youngest female French Open finalist in the last 20 years

The US’ teenage Tennis prodigy finally came off age as she reached her first Grand Slam final. When Coco Gauff defeated Italy's Martina Trevisan 6-3, 6-1 in the semi-final of the French Open she was just 18-years-old and has now become the youngest Grand Slam finalist since Russian Maria Sharapova who won the title at 17 years of age in Wimbledon 2004. 

As for the French Open, Florida born Gauff is the youngest to make the final since Belgian Kim Clijsters in 2001. 

Alcaraz and Rudd: The two new finds of the tournament

French Open 2022 also gave the Tennis world two new and very fresh faces in Men’s Tennis as Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Norway’s Casper Rudd. Alcaraz, who was touted to make it to the semi-final and play against his countryman and idol Rafael Nadal, was defeated in the quarter-finals by Germany’s Alexander Zverev who had to eventually retire out of the competition in the semi-final against Nadal after pulling a hamstring very badly. 

On the other hand, Rudd, who made it to the quarter-final of a Grand Slam only once before coming into this French Open, surprised all by making it to the final where he will be facing his idol Rafale Nadal, in whose academy the 23-year-old Norweigian had trained as a child. In fact, Rudd has become the first man from Norway to make it to the final of any Grand Slam event in history. 

First quarter-final exit for Novak Djokovic in the last 14 Grand Slams

This year’s French Open also marked the first time that 20 time Grand Slam winner Serbian Novak Djokovic had to bow out in the quarter-final of a grand slam in the last 14 Grand Slams that he has played. The World Number 1 and number one seed in the competition as well, Djokovic was defeated by his long time rival Spaniard Rafael Nadal 2-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-7 in the quarter-final. 

Before this, the last time that the Serb lost in a quarter-final was in the 2018 French Open where he was defeated by Italian Marco Cecchinato 3-6, 6-7, 6-1, 6-7 in a very exciting four-set rubber. Since that loss in the quarter-final, Djokovic never lost in a quarter-final at any Grand Slam event till the French Open 2022. 

Rohan Bopanna: Oldest Indian to make the semi-final of a Grand Slam

India’s Rohan Bopanna created history when he reached the Men’s doubles semi-final alongside his Dutch partner Matwe Middelkoop. Bopanna became the oldest Indian to reach a Grand Slam semi-final as he was 42 years and two months of age when he achieved this feat to break Leander Paes’ record of reaching the Grand Slam Final at 41 years of age when he reached the Wimbledon 2014 Semi-Final. 

Bopanna’s partner Middelkoop is also 38-years-old. The two, however, lost in the semi-final even after winning the first set. Till now, Bopanna has not won even a single Grand Slam title in men’s doubles. He has to his name a Grand Slam title where he won alongside Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski in French Open 2017. 

Marin Cilic: Becomes fifth active player to make all grand slam finals 

Croatian Marin Cilic, who reached his first semifinal at Roland Garros on Wednesday, June 01, 2022, joined the esteemed group of Men’s Tennis players that includes Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray on the list of active players to have reached the Semi-Final of all four Grand Slams. 

Cilic, 33, dug deep to seal a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(10-2) victory over Seventh seed Russian Andrey Rublev. Thanks to this win, Cilic reached the last-four stage at the clay-court Grand Slam for the first time in his 17 years long career. So far, Cilic has one Grand Slam title (2014 US Open) and 19 ATP tour titles to his name.