It is May and in Paris it is raining this must mean the gates to Roland Garros have opened. The second Grand Slam of the year, the culmination of the European Clay Court swing. We are into the second round of qualifying and we have an exciting all Romanian Derby; Miriam Bulgaru and Patricia Tig, they are supposed to play today but their match was one of many pushed back to the next day. Both won their opening matches impressively in straight sets but other than that there is little to go on in trying to guess this one! Neither player has chalked up a great number of matches this year; Miriam’s form has been a little up and down where as Patricia Tig has scored a few big wins on WTA tour events but like Miri has had a few periods of inactivity this season. The head to head is 1-0 to Tig yet that was 2014! Miri would have been about 15 years old 😮! All this uncertainty does make this match up very exciting. I have written a lot about Miri on this website so let’s focus a little on Patricia Tig in the build up shall we?

Now 30 years old and a devoted mother, Patricia has found a new leash of life on tour. She dominated the ITF last year winning six titles and countless other finals she also is a brilliant doubles player. She is back at Roland Garros qualifying on merit after a phenomenal rise in the rankings last season. This year she has posted some early highlights with a tour level win at Bogota against a much higher ranked opponent. Patricia is the most consistent Romanian player in terms of match wins in the last couple of years. Yes a lot of her business was done at ITF level but wins in any tier breed confidence and increase endurance and fitness. When Tig got to the semi finals of the WTA 125 in Bucharest last September her level was outstanding, and that was because of her rich form! I am a massive Miri fan as everyone knows but be in no doubt, Patricia Tig is dangerous – so how is it going to go?

So as I said earlier, there is very little to go on in both recent form and head to head. Also, I am heavily invested in Miri, I know her game very well, I know all her stats and numbers I have my own ideas of how she could affectively make it difficult for Tig but I am bias and I would never jeopardise her chances or betray her so I will keep the finer details to myself. What do I think will happen? I think it’s going to be a great match, a contrast of styles, defence versus attack, we are going to see glorious shot making and lung busting rallies. Who will win? I’m obviously going to say Miriam but I can see this going to three sets and she needs her seatbelt on all the way through, her confidence and game management was excellent yesterday it has to be again tomorrow because the tiger has sharp claws and will strike at any opportunity. It’s going to be a great match 🙂 see you tomorrow!

The sun is out and so are the players 🙂 they are just starting the warm up.

2-1 Final preparations are being made. Miri won the toss and wants a look at Tig’s serve. Hold to love, Miri trying to be aggressive but perhaps pressing a little early she gets a good look at a second at 30-0 but a net cord bounce lands awkwardly and puts her off her rhythm. The second serve will be a key battleground for both players. Miri also holds to love, good start by both. Super pressure from Miri, she opens up a Tig service game with two excellent Bulgaru Backhand Blasters for 0-30 and a Tig unforced gives her three break points! Tig saves another one with a wide serve which Miri overcooks and then Tig cooly whips a forehand inside in which licks the line, then she successfully serves and volleys to deuce! Tig is enjoying the wide one on the ad side but on game point Miri wrestles her way into an extended rally and powers a forehand fireball to take it back to deuce and then another forehand winner gives her another break point! She seals it with the famous Miri drop shot. An excellent start from the younger Romanian!

We don’t want to see this so early Tig has called for the trainer, looks like a foot issue, let’s hope she’s okay, it’s been a wonderful opening three games.

Its a medical time out, the Little Champ is staying active and practicing some serves.

We are back!

3-2 Miri wins a super long point at 30-0 the French TV people are not sharing the number of strokes but it was a lot. She is so disciplined in the rallies, movement, timing and rhythm all 100 per cent, it’s the best tennis she has played all year. She again holds to love. 15-15 on Tig’s serve Miri tries an ambition drop shot and misses but it was worth a go, I think we are going to see her trying her favourite shot a few times in this match, especially if Patricia has a bad foot. Tig is pushed to 30-30 but powers through to get an important service hold on the board. Her forehand winner into the open court on game point was a beast! There’s plenty of power in her upper body, foot or no foot.

4-3 There is a little pressure on the Miri serve now, few loose errors to 0-30 then a second serve is thumped back, in a heartbeat Miri is broken to love against the run of play and it’s all square again. Tig starts her service game strongly, smashes a forehand winner inside in and yells out ‘Hai!’ to let Miri know she’s at the dance! Miri to her credit is still showing very postive body language and focus, she can sense the goal posts are being moved slightly but she’s fighting hard for each point and not letting the demons in! Her persistence gets her to deuce again. A lovely display of attacking forehands and she is deploying the drop shot beautifully now and getting the crowd involved in her magic. She breaks again and she deserved it too. Tig was really raising her level but Miri stayed calm and got the control back!

5-4 Another excellent hold to love by Miri, sealed with a second serve Ace no less. What a phenomenonal response after the wobble in her last service game! Tig gets to 40-0 and Miri pushes her to 15. Miri throws everything into the next point but Tig takes it and screams ‘Hai!’ at the top of her lungs asking the Little Champ if she has another strong service hold in her?

6-4 Tig asks a few questions at 30-30 but Bull Shark Bulgaru is not giving this up and chalks off an excellent set of tennis.

6-4 0-1 Tig quickly down to 0-30 and looking deflated but intercepts a Bulgaru Backhand pass down the line with a stunning volley winner which clips the far baseline to give her new hope. She gets to 30-30 but the Miri drop shot does her again and it’s break point. The break point is saved as Miri’s shot down the line narrowly misses. Tig hangs on in and gets that crucial early hold. Miri is furious, that game was definitely for the taking, she has to reset now!

6-4 1-2 Another edgy service game arrives for Miri and she is quickly down to 0-40! A strong point gets her to 15, she gets a little luck with the net cord on the next one and with a Tig error we are at deuce. A really over ambitious drop shot attempt from Miri goes well long, but at least she did it on game point not break point! It’s beautiful forehands all round! A Tig bullet down the line takes us to deuce again but a Miri cross court winner gives her another game point and she holds. That was an excellent game to escape from! Tig let’s Miri know she’s fed up with the drop shots by producing her own lovely drop shot winner from the baseline. But the Bull Shark is hungry and presses for more break points! A Tig forehand winner saves the first. and an excellent second serve at 30-40 wide on the line follows, Miri gets it back but Tig hammers into the open court. Deuce again and Tig comes through!

6-4 2-3 Miri’s next service game starts strongly but as a forehand just goes long at the baseline she is in trouble again at 30-30 a backhand error follows and gives Tig break point. Miri’s first serve is abandoning her but gets a freebie from Tig who goes well long with her return we go into deuce and she still cannot find the first serve but a decent second serve gives Miri game point and then the first serve arrives in the nick of time for the hold. She’s struggling much more on a serve in the second set, she needs a break like a rabbit needs lettuce! A rare double fault from Tig opens the door for 15-30 but she levels the game with a series of banging forehands and moves forward as she attacks. Considering the previous double fault she hits a very brave second serve which catches the line and a Miri error gives her respite. We are soon at deuce however as Tig looks vulnerable again, Miri has to take these chances. She tries the drop shot again but Tig is too close and gets it easily, Miri then lobs but goes long. Tig survives another service game. Both players are dodging bullets in this set, if one of them can just get control of it they will take it!

6-4 3-4 At 30-0 it’s Miri’s turn for a rare double fault and she didn’t like it! But as in the match so far she has dealt with adversity so well, holds to 15, an excellent service game after the previous shaky ones earlier in the set. She needs to strike now and she knows it! Tig really starting to get a read on the Miri drop shots now and foils her again, some excellent tennis from Patricia now and a ‘Hai!’ every point she knows how important this game is! She holds to love and we go on!

6-4 4-5 Tig is reading a book every change over, I wonder if it’s my novel? 🤔 Miri again doing brilliantly in the rallies, Patricia is throwing the kitchen sink at her but the Little Champ is defending incredibly she gets to 40-0 the tennis from both is exceptional at the moment, Miri misses a volley at the net to let Tig in, she pressures her to 30 but an absolute scorcher of a cross court forehand winner takes the Little Champ to 4-4, this is exciting now!!!! Another strong hold from the Tigress, and she’s a game away from taking this the distance. It’s really enjoyable now, if I was neutral I would love a third set but I’m not! Come on Miri!!!

6-4 4-6 A net cord at 15-15 lands the wrong side to put Miri in danger for 15-30 but she levels with a backhand bullet cross court. Yet Tig fires a backhand down the line winner to set up set point. Again the net cord plays a role, it bounces but this time surprises Miri as the ball which looks certain to be going out lands in she quickly responds but Tig thumps back a winner. And we do have a third set to enjoy!

6-4 4-6 1-0 Miri left the court after set two, hopefully she’s being kind to herself she played well in that set! Looks like the bathroom mirror chat did its job Miri breaks to love in set three! Tig is looking a little tired and deflated again but Miri has to remember she is still dangerous!

6-4 4-6 2-1 Very long rally to start Miri’s next service game to show that Tig is still invested, Miri wins that point as a very close strike on Tig’s baseline catches her out. Tig’s defence is relentless and she pushes Miri to 15-30 by drawing an error from a long exchange. A Bulgaru blaster backhand down the line winner takes us to 30-30 a fan shouts ‘Bravo!’ and he’s right! Tig tries the own medicine again with a drop shot but Miri is on to it like a wasp on an ice cream and smashes a cross court passing winner past a helpless Tig at the net! Another double fault from Tig puts her at peril for 0-30. Miri would a love an early double blow here but the Tigress continues to show strong defence and gets to 30-30! The Bull Shark stays with her on the next point they cross side to side multiple times but another perfect drop shot from Miri, and it’s break point again!!! She gets a second serve tries the drop shot again and this one does miss! Deuce! A Tig error goes long giving the Little Champ another break point this game is big! Miri’s lob shot goes long and here we are at deuce again. A forehand winner which clips the net on the way gives Tig game point. She doesn’t care though and screams ‘Hai’ she seals the game and that was a pivotal escape, it’s not over yet!

Tig turns it on on the next game she outplays Miri in the first point and continues to press her to 0-40. And at 0-40 a Miri drop shot winner! Why not? Then an Ace wide! Then the best point of the match both players pushing each other all over the court, ending with a clean lob winner from the Little Champ. Another super long point covering the entire court ending with a Tig forehand winner back to deuce again. But the net cord again betrays Miri and it’s break point! She cannot save this one and to be fair Tig was everywhere, big serve, forehand, drop shot, she got to everything and caught Miri with a deadly volley and we are back on serve. Despite an early rocket of a forehand from Miri Tig holds to 15 and takes the lead for the first time in the set!

6-4 4-6 3-4 If i am pretending to be neutral for a second both players are putting so much into this one, it is a fabulous match, it could go either way but Tig definitely has the momentum now. Again such strong defence from Miri takes her to 30-15 a real development area in her game. Good net coverage and a volley winner takes her to game point and she blasts a cross court forehand winner for 3-3! What a match we have here! It’s another comfortable hold for Tig however and we go on!

6-4 4-6 4-5 So deep in the set now I’m living every point and getting nervous but I shall do my best to report, another competive game, Miri is at 30-30 and a second serve is powered back as Miri goes into the net, it’s break point Tig and another long rally which Miri eventually sends the ball long and Tig is serving for the match! The net cord again sends another of Miri’s shots long, she’s getting no luck from those but she plays an excellent point next getting to a Tig drop shot and tucking the return into the corner. An unforced error from Tig follows 15-30 I can barely watch! Another goes long, two break back points – come on Little Champ!!!! And a Bulgaru Blaster backhand up the line and we are still in this!!!!

6-4 4-6 6-5 Still work to do, Miriam serving to stay in! Amazing forehand winner down the line for 30-15 bang on the line, a Tig error follows, two game points! Cross court winner from Tig, she’s still there but lands one into the net and the Little Champ is safely at 5-5! Another beautiful forehand winner finds the far corner of the ad court. For 15-15 then another forehand winner cross court for 15-30, but Tig gets to 30-30 then a Miri drop shot, Tig gets to it but Miri is still at the net and passes her!!! Break point!!!! Then Forehand after Forehand, Tig breaks down and crashes into the net! Miri will serve for the match!!!

6-4 4-6 7-5 Confidently up to 30-0 pumping forehand winners into the corners. Two points away. She goes long as Tig creeps into the game. An error from Tig, match points! Another ball from Tig goes long it’s close but it’s out and Miriam wins. A magnificent match from both and what character from the Little Champ she was incredible.