The Baseline Top 10: On-court moments at the French Open

It’s time to bid au revoir to Roland Garros, as this year’s French Open has come to a close.

What a tournament it was: full of unexpected results, welcome returns and destinies fulfilled.

Here’s a look at 10 on-court accomplishments that made the event a memorable one.

1

A Major Winner at Last

Simona Halep entered Roland Garros at the top of the game with one title she was eager to shed: best player to never win a Slam. That label can finally be left in the rearview mirror as she emerged victorious from a three-set battle with Sloane Stephens in the final.

2

Elevent Titles—and Counting?

Rafael Nadal defended his title with a straight-sets win over Dominic Thiem for his eleventh major in Paris, more than a decade after his win there. It’ll be hard to pick against the Spaniard for at least the next couple of years, it seems.

3

Sloane Stephens’ strong run

The American had reached the quarterfinals or better at the other three Slams in her career, but had been stopped at the fourth-round stage in Paris. She broke through, showing determination and dominance at times to advance to her second career Grand Slam final.

4

Almost Thiem’s Time

Thiem has established himself as one of the game’s best on the dirt. While Nadal subdued him in straight sets in the final, it still registered as a breakthrough performance for the Austrian, who was faced with a daunting draw.

5

Serena’s Superheroic Return

Taking the court at a major once again for the first time in more than a year, Serena Williams made a solid run to the round of 16 in singles and doubles. She was forced to withdraw from her match against Maria Sharapova due to a pectoral injury, but if she heals up properly, she could resume her customary place as a threat for the title at any tournament.

6

Alexander Zverev’s Milestone

Throughout his young career, Alexander Zverev struggled at the Grand Slams. He overcame that hurdle with a run to the quarterfinals, having survived three five-setters in a row along the way.

7

Surprise Semifinalists

Heading into the tournament, you would’ve been hard-pressed to find Madison Keys and Marco Cecchinato among anyone’s picks for a semifinal berth. Both players defied the odds—Cecchinato had never won a match at a Slam, Keys would’ve considered clay her worst surface—to reach the final four.

8

An Encouraging Sign for Novak Djokovic?

The 2016 French Open champion reached the quarterfinals by showing signs of his vintage form. Losing to Cecchinato was a disappointment, but reaching the second week of a Slam is something to build upon for the rest of the year.

9

Vive Le France!

Long one of the best teams competing on the ATP World Tour, Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert finally won the French Open. It’s the third career Grand Slam title for the French duo, who stopped second seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic in the final.

10

Czech Mates Come Through

Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova, who won the 2013 girls’ doubles title, won the senior event with a straight-sets triumph over Eri Hozumi and Makoto Ninomaya. It’s the first title together as pros for the No. 6 seeds as they halted the run of their opponents from Japan who had beaten four seeded teams in a row.

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