With Roland Garros, the Champions League final, and Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference finals all happening on Saturday, the term “Super Saturday” does not quite describe the vibes here in Paris.
At the tennis, French teen sensation Moise Kouame has made Court Suzanne Lenglen his home after a five-set epic in Round 2, and he fell just short of extending his magical run as he went down 3-1 to Chilean Alejandro Tabilo.
Meanwhile, on Court Philippe Chatrier, Kouame’s compatriot Diane Parry survived a third-set tiebreak to shock sixth-seeded Amanda Anisimova and advance to the round of 16.
Roland Garros stadium is a stone’s throw from the Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain’s home ground, and I lost count of how many people I spotted wearing PSG jerseys on my way to the tennis this morning.
Paris is now in the grip of huge celebrations as PSG claimed a second consecutive Champions League crown by beating Arsenal, which explains why the designer stores on Avenue Montaigne were putting up protective barriers on their displays when I was taking a stroll there yesterday.
But PSG jerseys are not the only common sight around the city.
Any time I’ve been outside the media centre, I could spot at least two or three people wearing Victor Wembanyama San Antonio Spurs jerseys.
People of all ages are rocking that #1 jersey as the 22-year-old Frenchman hopes to lead the Spurs to the NBA Finals with victory over defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night (Sunday 2 a.m. Paris time).
Many tennis players at Roland Garros have said that the first thing they check in the morning are highlights of whatever outrageous thing Wemby did the night before in the playoffs.
What do you mean he had a 40-20 Game 1 with two overtimes to beat OKC? Wemby did what now? Did you see that block? How about that insane logo three on the buzzer?
Yes, these are all sentiments commonly shared among us here at the tennis, which, mind you, has had its fair share of eyebrow-raising moments.
“I have a lot of thoughts,” Ben Shelton told me when I asked him about Wemby.
“I think he’s a ridiculous basketball player. I think he’s probably the best player in the world right now, in my opinion.
“I mean, the guy is 7ft 6in pulling up from the logo. He’s doing some of the most ridiculous stuff I’ve ever seen in my life. I think that they’re going to win, to be honest. I’m cheering for him. I’d love to see the Spurs get a title this year.
“I think that they have a certain edge to their team that I like; like I enjoy watching them. We were talking about it this morning. They’re probably the most fun team to watch that’s still in.”
Of the wild things Wemby has pulled off so far, there seems to be a consensus on the one moment that has stood above the rest … for now.
“In that one game where it was, like, game on the line and the guy pulls up from 40 feet, like, he’s (Steph) Curry from the exact spot that Curry hit a shot game on the line in the conference final. Like I said, he’s 7ft 6in,” Shelton said.
Frances Tiafoe told the Tennis Channel that he has been channelling his inner Wemby when it comes to his mentality and approach during this French Open. While everyone came into the tournament naming Jannik Sinner as the heavy favourite in Paris, Tiafoe made sure he was not going to put the Italian on a pedestal on the eve of a slam.
“Obviously he’s doing monumental things, but I think we’ve got to believe that you can do the ultimate task and beat him,” Tiafoe said in Paris.
“I mean, everyone’s capable, especially the top guys. Guys are capable, but I think the biggest thing is trying to get him out of his high horse mentally.
“I think we’re all kind of putting him on a different stratosphere, which he is, but you kind of create a little bit of an illusion to get you to get over the line.”
As we know, Sinner exited the tournament under bizarre circumstances in the second round.
“The biggest thing that I implement in my everyday sport is definitely mentality. I mean, you see what Wemby has been saying. That stuff gets me juiced up. He’s like, ‘I don’t think Shai should have won the MVP; I think I am the MVP’,” Tiafoe told the Tennis Channel.
“Like, in his house during the whole thing, he’s sitting down; he’s not even giving his respects or talking to him after the game, like that’s the energy I love because that’s what it’s all about.”
When I asked him about Wemby a few days ago, Tiafoe said the obvious – the guy is indeed “an alien.”
“I think it’d be great to see him get through,” Tiafoe said.
“Not saying this because I’m here in Paris. But I think obviously OKC is building a dynasty and it would be great to see if Wemby can get through. It’s been unbelievable what he’s been doing. I mean Game 1, you know 41 points, 20-something rebounds. Last night 33 points, he’s completely an alien what he’s able to do.
“I mean the half-court shot he shot last night was insane as well. So big fan of his. I mean, I love, love the way he plays and I love how hard he plays and how he takes no prisoners as well. It’s a pretty cool mentality.”
Tiafoe certainly leaned into that mentality when he outlasted Hubert Hurkacz in a four-hour 43-minute second round in sweltering conditions on Court 14 on Thursday.
It’s your turn now, Wemby!
