Fans Left in the Dark Both in Person and on TV, but Federer at Least Delivers Another French Open Win

By Ricky Dimon

Roger Federer was playing behind closed doors for the first time when he took the court against Dominik Koepfer on Saturday at the French Open. That’s right; just like with the previous night-session matches this week, there were zero fans in attendance because of the 9:00 pm curfew in France.

Although counting up the fans watching on television would result in a non-zero number, it was also a lot less than it should have been. In the United States, Federer vs. Koepfer could not be found on Tennis Channel because TC always relinquishes its tournament rights to NBC on weekends. But it also couldn’t be watched on NBC because that channel was covering the Belmont Stakes so the tennis match was handed over to NBA’s Peacock TV affiliate.

Well, few people know what Peacock TV is. And even fewer have it.

So when Federer found himself tied at one set apiece and trailing by a break in the third while also clearly running low on energy, it looked he would be playing what could be his final French Open match with no fans bidding him farewell in person and a lot less than there should have been watching remotely.

A crisis was developing on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

Well, crisis averted.

Finding motivation from within without any atmosphere to fuel his comeback, Federer dug himself out of his mid-match scare and battled back to beat Koepfer 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 7-5 after three hours and 35 minutes.

Trailing 4-2 in the third set after seeing momentum evaporate by losing the second, the 39-year-old raised his level to break back for 4-4. Even though Federer was obviously feeling some physical effects of his longest match since the 2020 Australian Open, he came up clutch in the pressure-packed moments and played a near-flawless third-set tiebreaker. The Swiss also rose to the occasion late in the fourth, breaking at 5-5 and then serving out the proceedings in routine fashion one game later.

How else did he do it, beyond simply showcasing brilliant tennis?

“(I was) thinking of all the people watching on TV,” said Federer, clearly unaware of America’s Peacock debacle. “I was really picturing a lot of people on a Saturday night checking in on the game and watching some tennis. So in many ways, I was also playing for them and trying to let that inspire me.

“My fighting spirit got me over the line, as well,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion added. “I tried really hard. You’ve got to love what you do. I do.”
More people would have loved to see it. But at least they will–presumably–be able to when Federer plays his next match against Matteo Berrettini on Monday.

That, thank goodness, will be on Tennis Channel. And if Roland Garros tournament organizers come to their senses (which they have rarely done so far this fortnight), they will schedule it for a time when fans can…you know…actually attend.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @Dimonator.

Editors Note • Tennis players are some of the finest athletes in the world. Night tennis sessions are dumb. And late night tennis is even dumber. The French tennis organizers have made some awful schedules the RG 2021 ••• awful. The great French player Jo Wilfred Tsonga played on an empty night court. Carla Suarez Navarro coming back from a recent cancer fight. Same thing. Night match. No energy in stadium.  No fans. Then today scheduling Roger Federer 2 months shy of 40 and pretty sure his last French open. But put him out there at night in an empty stadium. Really Dumbass ! And the last insult. Almost no ability for any American tennis fans to even watch a point. So sad. We want to see every ball Roger hits. The magic of Federer. It was last minute that we were all caught off guard. No RF and it was sad. And not well planned. Pathetic is the word that comes to mind (LJ)