Return and farewell

Carla Suárez experienced a happy return yesterday that was also a sad farewell. He was playing again 15 months after his last match (against Kvitova in Doha) and after overcoming cancer (Hodgkin’s lymphoma) that was diagnosed in August 2020. The Canary Islands much better than expected, although she lost to American Sloane Stephens (3-6, 7-6 (4) and 6-4), a true champion of the US Open 2017 and a finalist in Paris in 2018.

The result was the least, but he would have deserved a warm farewell with an audience in his last game at Roland Garros, a tournament that he will not play again after 12 participations, because he has decided to withdraw this year. The organization scheduled their match in the last turn of the Simonne Mathieu and at the beginning of the second set they evicted the spectators due to the 9:00 p.m. curfew, imposed by the authorities in Paris. Carla lasted almost two and a half hours on the court with strength and chances of victory, because she was 30-0 with 5-4 and served in the second set. It drew some applause from the coaches, the French Grand Slam staff and some journalists who were allowed to stay in the stadium. Nothing compared to what would have been the ovation of a crowded crowd.

Be that as it may, Suárez said goodbye with pride, armed with that backhand to a hand that was sorely missed on the women’s circuit. And he did not win because Stephens, physically improved, defended himself like a cat and put many balls in the lines. The Canarian did everything she could, but it was difficult for her to hold out until the end, she lost steam and a player shot took advantage of the gaps to attack and come out alive miraculously. Carla’s return does not end here, she will compete where she can with the illusion of culminating her career at the Tokyo Olympics. If you put your body in tone, tennis will not be.

Results, table and calendar.