Rafael Nadal vs Novak Djokovic French Open 2013 Highlights (Semifinals)
By Becky Elliott, AccuWeather Meteorologist
May 23, 2016; 1:20 PM ET
The 2016 French Open, the second tournament in the series of four that comprise the Grand Slam, kicked off at Roland Garros stadium this week.
Play started with cloudy and soggy conditions on Sunday, forcing play to stop.
Rain continued to fall on Monday, forcing additional delays after only 10 of 32 scheduled matches were completed on Sunday.
The French Open is the only tournament in the Grand Slam system that plays on a clay court, and various weather conditions can have a huge impact. Any amount of rain or moisture can drastically change how the court plays.
Spectators with umbrellas leave the courts as rain interrupted first round matches of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Sunday, May 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
"If the court is damp and cool, the court plays slower. Tennis b***s get heavier and the overall conditions slow down," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
They will still play if it"s raining, as long as it"s light rain, Rayno added.
One of the major players in this tournament is Rafael Nadal, who is vying to be the first player to reach double digits in their French Open titles. Nadal is known to be one of the best clay court tennis players.
Spectators wait for matches to start for the French Open Tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Monday, May 23, 2016 in Paris. Showers over Paris on Monday have forced the organizers to delay the start of play. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
Drier weather is expected on Tuesday. Temperatures will slightly increase to 17 C (63 F), but the sun will make a return, helping to make it feel warmer during the afternoon.
A high of 17 C corresponds to 63 F, while winds of 10-20 km/h equates to 6-12 mph.
Additional dry weather is expected on Wednesday with a high temperature around 19 C (66 F).
The threat for rainfall will return on Thursday and continue into the weekend as daily showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast along with higher temperatures. High temperatures will range from 21-23 C (70-73 F).
RELATED: Interactive France weather radarCheck MinuteCast for your locationForecast temperature maps
French Open players will have to wait until at least 2018 before weather will no longer have an impact on the clay court, as renovation plans for Roland Garros remain in limbo.
"Its urgent to build a roof by respect for our audience," French Open tournament Director Guy Forget said at a press conference on Monday.
Spain"s Rafael Nadal returns in the quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament against Serbia"s Novak Djokovic at the Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France, Wednesday, June 3, 2015. (AP Photo/David Vincent)
Content contributed by AccuWeather Meteorologist Eric Leister
Novak Djokovic Tennis French Open :"I am on a mission..."
8.54am EDT08:54
A glimpse into the inconsistency of Grigor Dimitrov: he took the first set 6-2 against Victor Troicki and hes dropped the second 6-3. Will he ever fulfil his potential? Meanwhile Leonardo Mayer has closed out the second set 6-3 against Jeremy Chardy to level it up on Court 1.
Updatedat 8.55am EDT
Share
8.53am EDT08:53
Crisis over for Garbine Muguruza? Not quite. She broke for a 2-0 lead in the second set, but Anna Karolina Schmiedlova has broken straight back.
Share
8.50am EDT08:50
Theyre all level on Philippe-Chatrier, Wawrinka wrapping up the second set to the tune of 6-1. Youd have to fancy him now. Stans stirred.
Share
8.48am EDT08:48
Milos Raonic is cruising against Janko Tipsarevic, winning the second set to lead 6-2, 6-3. No drama there. Meanwhile Wawrinka has woken up; he breaks again in the second set to lead 5-1 against Rosol, whos in dire need of a second win now.
Share
8.46am EDT08:46
Quite the turnaround on Court 17, where Christina McHale took the first set on a tie-break against Myrtille Georges, whos responded by winning the second 6-0. Oof.
Share
8.44am EDT08:44
Jeremy Chardy and Grigor Dimitrov both took the opening set against Leonardo Mayer and Victor Troicki respectively. But the second set isnt going to plan for either man; Mayer leads 4-1, while Troicki is up a break at 4-3.
Share
8.40am EDT08:40
A mammoth fourth game in the second set, full of missed opportunities from both men, ends with Wawrinka breaking for a 3-1 lead over Rosol. Is he finding his feet at last? Allez, he yelps, really belting it out and prolonging the cry. It feels like a pivotal moment.
Share
8.30am EDT08:30
Im back, armed with leek and potato soup, ready to tell you that Garbine Muguruza is a set down against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, whos won the opener 6-3 against the fourth seed. Interesting. Very interesting. Meanwhile Sabine Lisicki is sinking fast, a set and a break down against Veronica Cepede Royg, while Americas Sloane Stephens has just won the first set 6-4 against Margarita Gasparyan and Jeremy Chardy is a set up against Leonardo Mayer.
Updatedat 8.44am EDT
Share
8.16am EDT08:16
Looking to serve out the opening set, Rosol coolly rattles into a 30-0 lead. But back comes Wawrinka, ominously winning the next two points. Hes not moving too sharply, though, and Rosol winds up a big forehand, wrongfooting the Swiss to earn his first set point. He takes the risky move of approaching the net, with the ball bouncing up invitingly on the Wawrinka backhand the ball fizzes past Rosol but when he turns to look over his shoulder, hes delighted and relieved to see it flash past the baseline! The first set is Rosols, 6-4, and Wawrinka is in a spot of bother. Meanwhile Grigor Dimitrov is looking impressive on Court 3, winning the first set 6-2 against an underwhelming Victor Troicki.
Share
8.10am EDT08:10
Wawrinka holds. Hes hanging in there. But Lukas Rosol will serve for the first set at 5-4.
Share
8.07am EDT08:07
Its so often the case: Milos Raonics dominance on serve means that he only requires one break to take the set. He wins the opener 6-3 against Janko Tipsarevic and the No8 seed will be anticipating an easy ride from here.
Share
8.05am EDT08:05
Victor Troicki breaks back against Grigor Dimitrov. And then loses his serve to love. Ah. That wasnt the plan for the 22nd seed. Dimitrov leads 4-2 on Court 3. I wonder if the rain delay is affecting certain players.
Share
8.02am EDT08:02
On Court 1, Jeremy Chardy, the 30th seed, leads by a break against Leonardo Mayer. Thought youd like to know. On Suzanne-Lenglen, meanwhile, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova has broken early on against the 4th seed, Garbine Muguruza. Could we be in for a day of shocks?
Share
8.00am EDT08:00
And Rosol holds for a 4-2 lead. Wawrinka is all over the place at the moment.
Share
7.58am EDT07:58
Come on! chirps Wawrinka, looking to rouse himself out of his torpor, and he responds by carving out a break point with some thunderous hitting. Rosol saves it with a superb forehand winner down the line, though, and its deuce.
Share
7.55am EDT07:55
Sabine Lisicki doesnt really like the red stuff. The former Wimbledon finalist is already struggling on Court 15, a break down against Paraguays Veronica Cepede Royg.
Share
7.53am EDT07:53
Pure brilliance from Rosol seals the first break! The underdog keeps his cool to attack a Wawrinka second serve and then catches his Swiss adversary out of position with a deft drop shot for a 3-2 lead in the first set. Is an upset on the cards? Wawrinka is out of sorts so far. Its early days, mind you.
Share
7.51am EDT07:51
Milos Raonic is in charge on Court 2. The robotic Canadian breaks for a 3-1 lead over Janko Tipsarevic. On Philippe-Chatrier, Lukas Rosol is pushing for a breakthrough. Wawrinka is looking sluggish. He staved off a break point in the first game and hes struggling on serve in the fifth game. Its deuce and Rosol has seen one break point come and go...
Share
7.44am EDT07:44
Elsewhere Grigor Dimitrov is playing 22nd seed Victor Troicki on Court 3. Dimitrov, who was closing in on a top 10 place two years ago, isnt even seeded this time. But the 25-year-old Bulgarian has made a promising start today, an early break setting up a 2-0 lead in the first set.
Share
7.41am EDT07:41
An intriguing contest on Court 2, where the rising Milos Raonic is taking on Janko Tipsarevic, whose career was put on hold by a foot injury that could have led to retirement. I say foot injury - he had to have a benign tumour removed. Tipsarevic has been a top 10 player in the past and its been a long road back for the Serbian. h**l probably just be delighted to be playing a grand slam. Its unlikely h**l be sharp enough to cope with Raonic today. But what a story it would be if he does beat the Canadian.
Share
7.37am EDT07:37
Play has begun on the show courts and the outside courts. Wawrinka, remember, warmed up for this event by beating Marin Cilic in the final of the Geneva Open. But his results have been a little patchy this year. He was beaten by Juan Monaco in Rome and by Nick Kyrgios in Madrid. Still, hes off to a decent start here, saving a break point to win the first game on Philippe-Chatrier.
Share
7.32am EDT07:32
Tok! Tok! Tok! Under grey skies, theyre knocking up.
Share
7.25am EDT07:25
The following matches have been cancelled because of the inclement weather today:
Share
7.21am EDT07:21
Here come the players! Lukas Rosol I dont need to tell you about his biggest achievement to date, do I? is on Philippe-Chatrier and hes followed by Stan Wawrinka, the defending champion. There arent many people in the stands yet, so the players are only greeted by a smattering of applause. But maybe the fans are disappointed that Wawrinka isnt wearing his pyjama shorts this year.
Share
7.16am EDT07:16
Tournament director Guy Forget has been chatting to the press. Its urgent to build a roof by respect for our audience, he says, before revealing that red tape is getting in the way of all that. Ah.
Share
7.13am EDT07:13
The covers are off. The ball kids are getting ready. Its almost time.
Share
7.11am EDT07:11
Dustin Brown is clearly the greatest showboater on the tour. an utter genius when hes on form, check this out from yesterday, says Pete Jones.
Thats rather spectacular.
Share
7.02am EDT07:02
Slowly, slowly, wonderfully, the covers are coming off. We might have some tennis soon! If so, it will be followed by more rain.
Share
6.59am EDT06:59
It appears that theres some movement at last. Keep scrubbing!
Share
6.49am EDT06:49
This is absolutely magnificent. Carlos Berloq loses it after losing the second point of the match.
Share
6.39am EDT06:39
Kevin Mitchell isnt optimistic about the chances of play starting any time soon.
Share
6.22am EDT06:22
The latest weather update indicates that there will be no play before 12pm BST (1pm in Paris). Il pleut. Il pleut beaucoup! Gah.
Share
6.20am EDT06:20
As a fan from the US, has tennis become more popular in the UK due to Murrays success? says Olga. That does not seem to be the case in the US. ESPN is reducing its coverage of tennis, NBCs coverage is embarrassing. In terms of favourites, Djokovic has to be the favourite, but Murray has a real chance. I would place Stan and Rafa at the next level. Sleepers could be Nishikori, Thiem, and Kyrgios. The weather looks bad most of the day. Why are there no lights at least in Paris? I would love to see Rafa win La Decima, but sadly dont see it. Andys win would be great too.
Im not sure if tennis has become more popular because of Murray. After all, who can forget the thrill of watching Tim Henman lose in the semi-finals of Wimbledon year after year, before watching Tim Henman lose in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon year after year, then the second round, and finally the first round? Admittedly, though, the emergence of Murray has allowed us to discover things like the Australian Open and the French Open and the US Open and the Davis Cup and the Olympics and Masters events, tournaments that most Brits who werent alive in the 1930s had never heard of before, say, 2005.
Share
6.11am EDT06:11
In the spirit of open journalism, can anyone recommend a summer coat for me?
Share
5.59am EDT05:59
Nick Kyrgios. He loves a tweener. Heres one from the little scamps victory yesterday.
Updatedat 5.59am EDT
Share
5.37am EDT05:37
The Guardians tennis correspondent, Kevin Kev Mitchell, is living it up in Paris at the moment. Thats not news. But this is: his preview of todays rain-soaked action. In a disappointing development, Wawrinka yesterday resisted the temptation to start a war of words with Djokovic, instead saying that the world No1 is the favourite to win this title. Djokovic is due to face Rafael Nadal in the semis, having crunched the nine-time champion in the quarters last year. Would you give a revived Nadal any hope against the best player in the world this year?
Related: Novak Djokovic is favourite for my French Open title, says Stan Wawrinka
Share
5.27am EDT05:27
While we wait, lets relive the greatest weather forecast of all time.
Share
4.10am EDT04:10
Look, I could begin by trumpeting Andy Murrays chances of winning his first French Open. The world No2 was victorious against Novak Djokovic in Rome last week and begins his campaign against the veteran Czech, Radek Stepanek. We could move on to defending champ, Stan Wawrinka, who will be taking on Lukas Rosol. Heather Watson returns a break down in the third set of her match against Nicole Gibbs, whos serving at 2-1. We could have matches involving Kei Nishikori, Garbine Muguruza, Kyle Edmund, Agniezska Radwanska, Milos Raonic, Simona Halep, Roberta Vinci, Grigor Dimitrov and Sara Errani to look forward to. But its raining, the covers are on at Roland Garros, Eurosport are showing a repeat of last years mens final and play isnt due to start until 11.30am BST at the earliest. Bah!
PARIS (AP) The Latest on the French Open (all times local):
___
6:30 p.m.
Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic has closed out a comfortable 6-0, 6-2 win against Vitalia Diatchenko, getting back to the warmth of the locker room just as rain picked up again at the French Open and forced the cancellation of all remaining matches Sunday.
The runner-up to Serena Williams last year at Roland Garros made light work of the Russian ranked 210 spots below her.
Safarova didn"t let a mid-match rain delay of nearly three hours throw off her rhythm. The 11th seed closed out the first-round match as umpires on other courts were pulling players off court again for more rain.
Organizers announced that because players were sliding on the tramlines, it was too risky for them to continue and that play wouldn"t resume before Monday morning.
___
5:50 p.m.
Heavy showers have stopped and play has resumed under still overcast skies at the French Open.
The rain delay of nearly three hours has forced the postponement of matches that were scheduled for later Sunday, the tournament"s opening day.
But fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan is back on Court Philippe Chatrier, resuming his match against Simone Bolelli of Italy, with a 6-1, 5-4 lead.
Other matches that were interrupted mid-flow are also resuming. But all other matches on Sunday"s schedule that had yet to start are postponed.
___
3:50 p.m.
With an eye on the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Serena and Venus Williams are entered in women"s doubles at the French Open their first Grand Slam tournament as a team since 2014.
In the doubles draw for Roland Garros, announced Sunday, the sisters will open against Jelena Ostapenko and Yulia Putintseva.
The Williams-Williams pairing has not appeared in a bracket at a major since the U.S. Open two years ago. They hadn"t played together anywhere since then until this month at the Italian Open, where they lost their first match.
The American siblings already have won three gold medals in doubles, at the 2000, 2008 and 2012 Summer Games. They also own 13 Grand Slam titles as a pair, most recently at Wimbledon in 2012.
___
3:10 p.m.
Play is being delayed on all courts at the French Open because of rain.
Among the matches in progress, fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan leads Simone Bolelli of Italy 6-1, 5-4 on Court Philippe Chatrier, and No. 23 Jack Sock of the United States leads Robin Haase of the Netherlands 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 2-1.
___
1:55 p.m.
Nick Kyrgios was warned by a French Open chair umpire for shouting at a ballkid to retrieve a towel, leading to a prolonged and angry monologue by the 21-year-old Australian.
Otherwise, the 17th-seeded Kyrgios did just fine in his first-round match Sunday.
Kyrgios wound up with a 7-6, (6), 7-6 (6), 6-4 victory over Marco Cecchinato, a 23-year-old Italian ranked 124th who has lost all four Grand Slam matches in his career.
In the first-set tiebreaker, umpire Carlos Ramos gave Kyrgios a code violation warning over the way the player called for a towel between points. That prompted a string of curse-filled arguments from Kyrgios.
___
1:40 p.m
Petra Kvitova is through to the second round of the French Open after battling more than 2 hours on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Danka Kovinic came close to creating the first upset of this year"s tournament but failed to build on her momentum when she served for the match in the deciding set.
She broke for a 5-4 lead after Kvitova hit three double faults but the two-time Wimbledon champion won the next three games to seal the match. The 10th-seeded Kvitova won 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
___
12:50 a.m.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is having trouble on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The 10th-seeded Czech looked in control after breaking Danka Kovinic twice to win the first set 6-2 but dropped the second 6-4.
Kovinic has never gone beyond the second round at any Grand Slam tournament while Kvitova"s best result at the French Open is a semifinalist spot back in 2012.
Earlier, 24th-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova became the first player to advance to the second round with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Sara Sorribes Tormo.
___
11:35 a.m.
Despite rain much of the morning, the French Open has started.
The forecast calls for showers on Sunday, but a break in the weather allowed two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova onto Court Philippe Chatrier to face 59th-ranked Danka Kovinic of Montenegro in a first-round match.
Other players scheduled to play on Day 1 of the clay-court tournament include 2014 U.S. Open runner-up Kei Nishikori, eighth-seeded Milos Raonic, and 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza.
The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that begins on a Sunday.
About six months after the deadly attacks in Paris, heightened security at Roland Garros was noticeable, including extra bag checks and patdowns that led to longer-than-usual waits at the entrance gates.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
