Paris // French hopes of a first male singles champion at the French Open since Yannick Noah in 1983 are looking slim this year because of injuries and loss of form.
The so-called “golden generation” of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Gael Monfils, Richard Gasquet and Gilles Simon all have their worries and the gap between them and the top quartet has seldom been wider.
Simon is the French No 1, ranked 13th in the world, but he is struggling with a back injury that forced him to pull out of the Nice tournament this week.
Besides he has never gone far at Roland Garros, unlike Tsonga and Monfils, the two players ranked immediately behind him in the world.
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Tsonga, who turned 30 last month, is the last Frenchman to reach a grand slam tournament final, losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2008 Australian Open championship match. He also reached the semi-finals in Paris in 2013 and has some big wins under his belt on clay.
But all has not been well with Tsonga and the French public since the end of last year when a nagging wrist injury forced him to pull out of the Davis Cup final against Switzerland in Lille after losing the opening rubber against Stan Wawrinka.
He subsequently played in a series of lucrative exhibition matches in Asia, which drew a barrage of criticism and left him feeling bitter.
“Since (the Davis Cup) I have had the time to take a look at what people think of me – in the street when we pass each other,” he said. “On the whole I think they are proud of what I’ve achieved so far. I think it will be the same at Roland Garros.”
Monfils has also a semi-final appearance at the French Open in 2008 when he lost to Roger Federer and he made the last eight last year before losing in five sets to Andy Murray.
As ever, the 28-year-old Parisian is blowing hot and cold, crushing Federer in straight sets in the Davis Cup final on clay last November and beating him again at Monte Carlo in April en route to the semi-finals before missing Rome because of injury and flopping in Madrid. “Hopefully I can pass the first round (in Paris) and just improve my game day after day,” he said
As for Gasquet, a tournament win on clay in Portugal this month was promising, but his fragile physical state means he will struggle to hold out for two weeks of best-of-five set games.
The portents are that the long wait for a French male champion at Roland Garros looks likely to extend into a 33rd year.
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Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
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1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London
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3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London
4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
Top Hundred overseas picks
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
