Richard lost to Stanislaw Wawrinka 7-6 6-4 4-6 5-7 6-8. His next scheduled tournament is Halle, starting next week.
If there is ever joy to take from a defeat, than it was after this battle of single handed backhanders which lasted for more than four hours with exceptional tennis from both. Richard took the first set in a breaker after having saved numerous breakpoints. He went 4-0 up in the second set, when Wawrinka took a medical time-out with no consequences whatever. But Richard's rythm was a bit broken, he had to concede a rebreak. While he still managed to serve out the set, the fluidity was gone and Wawrinka took the third set.
The fourth set was pure geniuos from both players and made all commentators cheer "the best match in Roland Garros so far". Richard lost it 5-7 and had his thigh massaged thereafter. Despite tiredness creeping in, Richard fought like a lion, had breakpoints at 5 all, but could not convert. In the end it was Wawrinka who closed out the set and the match 8-6.
It was Richard's best match in Roland Garros ever, he fought and was aggressive, he worked the crowd. With this level of play, one does not have to fear for the rest of the season.
