Here's guessing French Open security guards will not allow a selfie-seeker – or anyone else, for that matter – to get anywhere near Roger Federer following his second-round match on Wednesday.
Not after what transpired at the end of his victory in the first round. A teenager managed to make it out of the stands and stroll across the court to get to Federer, using a cellphone to try to snap photos.
It will be interesting to see whether there are any extra measures implemented at Court Suzanne Lenglen for Federer’s match again Marcel Granollers, given the 17-time grand slam champion’s criticism of security at Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday.
“We need to make sure that it’s safe out there and people don’t just wander on the court like a free pass,” Federer said.
Tournament director Gilbert Ysern’s stance that day was there was no need to make any changes to protect players, but he did say: “For sure, we will reinforce the message again that clearly nobody is allowed to get on court in any case, at any time, for any reason.”
The contest itself between the second-seeded Federer and the 57th-ranked Granollers hardly seems all that intriguing: Not only has Granollers never been past the fourth round in 30 previous major tournaments, but he’s also 0-3 against Federer.
Here’s a look at what else is happening at the French Open today:
Monfils takes the stage
Tennis’ foremost showman, 13th-seeded Gael Monfils of France, plays on his country’s biggest stage, Court Philippe Chatrier, against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina. Last year, Monfils wowed the crowd at Roland Garros the day before the tournament started by breakdancing on centre court during an exhibition match. His running, leaping, diving shots are the stuff of legend around these parts – and there’s plenty to see on YouTube.
Czechs, mates
Fourth-seeded Tomas Berdych, the Wimbledon runner-up in 2010, takes on his Davis Cup teammate for the Czech Republic, Radek Stepanek, who at 36 is the oldest man in the draw. They helped their country win the Davis Cup in 2012 and 2013.
Sharapova’s cold
After her first-round match, Maria Sharapova dispensed with the customary post-match, on-court interview and headed straight to the locker room, drawing whistles and boos from spectators. She explained that she didn’t have much of a voice because of a cold that had her coughing throughout her win that day. On Wednesday, the defending champion faces another Russian, Vitalia Diatchenko, who is ranked 91st, 89 places below Sharapova.
Double dipping
The top-seeded men’s and women’s doubles teams are in action: American twins Bob and Mike Bryan, owners of a record 16 grand slam titles, face Raven Klaasen and Yen-hsun Lu, while Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza are up against Julia Gorges and Barbora Krejcikova.
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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
Confirmed bouts (more to be added)
Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez
Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.
COMPANY PROFILE
Company: Eco Way
Started: December 2023
Founder: Ivan Kroshnyi
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Electric vehicles
Investors: Bootstrapped with undisclosed funding. Looking to raise funds from outside
WE NO LONGER PREFER MOUNTAINS
Director: Inas Halabi
Starring: Nijmeh Hamdan, Kamal Kayouf, Sheikh Najib Alou
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
UNSC Elections 2022-23
Seats open:
- Two for Africa Group
- One for Asia-Pacific Group (traditionally Arab state or Tunisia)
- One for Latin America and Caribbean Group
- One for Eastern Europe Group
Countries so far running:
Company Profile
Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
The years Ramadan fell in May
TWISTERS
Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung
Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos
Rating:+2.5/5
Listen to Extra Time
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
