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“*** Is FFT Thinking”: Tennis Community Rage Over Carla Suarez Navarro’s Unfortunate Situation at French Open 2021
Roland-Garros 2021 hosted one of the most awe-inspiring comebacks of all time. After getting diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last year, battling through it, and being cancer-free earlier this year, Carla Suarez Navarro made a heart-wrenching return on the tennis court.
The 32-year-old Spaniard made her comeback at the French Open 2021, one of the sport’s biggest stages. Despite the long break, she put on a show that lead to many wet eyes. Sadly, it also ended her time at the Roland-Garros.
Remarkably, Carla faced the 2017 US Open champion, Sloane Stephens, in the first round. She dragged the match to a three-setter and even served for the win, before losing 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-4. Even though she lost, tennis players took to Twitter to congratulate her stunning performance and come back.
Nothing but respect.
Former finalist @SloaneStephens bounces back with a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 win over Carla Suarez Navarro in the Spaniard’s final #RolandGarros. pic.twitter.com/0zxXtJzGLy
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 1, 2021
Tennis players congratulate Carla Suarez Navarro on her come back match
Unquestionably, Carla deserved every bit of applause, and the tennis community gave her just that. The WTA family, including opponent Sloane Stephens, two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep, former doubles World No. 1 Sania Mirza, and many others praised her performance.
To begin with, the 28-year-old American Stephens tweeted about Carla’s return to the WTA family. Moreover, she described how thoroughly she enjoyed being her opponent on the Parisian clay.
“Carla I’m so happy to have shared court with you and see you healthy with us in Paris!! You’re an inspiration, and we’re all just so glad to have you back on tour again. Welcome home,” Stephens wrote.
Carla I’m so happy to have shared court with you and see you healthy with us in Paris!! You’re an inspiration and we’re all just so glad to have you back on tour again. Welcome home pic.twitter.com/s3IxPNJ9rr
— sloanestephens (@SloaneStephens) June 1, 2021
Unfortunately, Romanian World No. 3 Simona Halep could not participate this year due to a tear in her calf. However, she caught up on the Roland-Garros matches on television and witnessed Carla inspiring the rest of the world. She wrote, “So happy to see you back on court.”
— LorenaPopa (@popalorena) June 1, 2021
Furthermore, the Indian doubles champion Sania Mirza posted a heartfelt message on Twitter. Inarguably, she was also captivated by Carla’s valiant performance.
“How amazing to see you back Carla Suarez Navarro,” Mirza wrote. “Not just healthy but playing incredible tennis.”
Navarro’s down-to-earth nature makes her comeback even more beautiful, and Olympics reporter Nick Marvel still cherishes a small encounter with her from many years ago that is proof of this.
CSN planning/hoping to play summer, through #Tokyo2020 and USO
— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) June 1, 2021
Watch this story: SHOCKING: Bianca Andreescu, Dominic Thiem, Andrey Rublev and Others’ First-Round Exits at French Open 2021
Keys, Millman, and others praise Navarro with kind words
Carla is confident about her journey ahead in the 2021 tennis season, and her performance must have told her the same. Moreover, even former players showed their support, and some even despised the fact that there were no fans during Carla’s match.
Accordingly, Australian legend Rennae Stubbs made some hard comments on the match having no audience. However, she did enjoy the classic Carla backhand back on the WTA tour.
“There is no prettier backhand in the game than Carla Suarez Navarro!!! Boy have I missed that beauty!! Also, *** is FFT thinking of putting this match on last WITH NO FANS!!! This match and Carla deserved to have people cheering this amazing story and player on! Once again no clue,” Stubbs tweeted.
There is no prettier backhand in the game then @CarlaSuarezNava !!! Boy have i missed that beauty !! Also wtf is FFT thinking putting this match on last WITH NO FANS!!! This match and Carla deserved to have people cheering this amazing story and player on! Once again no clue
— Rennae Stubbs OLY (@rennaestubbs) June 1, 2021
Even young compatriot Paula Badosa got chills watching the Spaniard rocking the tennis ball again. She said, “Without words … You have made us enjoy Carlita again. Thank you for giving so much to this sport. Tennis will miss you very much! What an inspiration.”
(Quotes are translated from Spanish to English via Google Translate)
Sin palabras… Nos has hecho volver a disfrutar Carlita. Gracias por dar tanto a este deporte. El tenis te echará mucho de menos! @CarlaSuarezNava
Que inspiración… pic.twitter.com/jglO5DLCZB— Paula Badosa (@paulabadosa) June 1, 2021
Many others, including American Madison Keys, Australian John Millman, Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky, compatriot Lara Arruabarrena, Australian Ellen Perez, and journalist Lara Arruabarrena, joined the list.
So good to see you back Carla! https://t.co/o7sy44ssLe
— Madison Keys (@Madison_Keys) June 1, 2021
I’m not crying, you’re crying.
The #RolandGarros career of Carla Suarez Navarro is over. She announced a few weeks ago that she was in remission from cancer, and has just performed valiantly and brilliantly, but gone down in 3 sets to Sloane Stephens.
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) June 1, 2021
I hope for her final match she plays they atleast get it right @usopen
— Ellen Perez (@EllenPerez95) June 1, 2021
CARLA SUAREZ NAVARRO
— Lara Arruabarrena (@laraarrua) June 1, 2021
No matter what that score says, Carla Suarez Navarro is a winner. It was so good to see her back on the court after all she’s been through.
— Jill Martin (@ByJillMartin) June 1, 2021
Incredible seeing @CarlaSuarezNava playing at Roland Garros. Warrior.
— John Millman (@johnhmillman) June 1, 2021
To see your backhand back in action @CarlaSuarezNava is real privilege . Missed watching that beautiful swing https://t.co/ORBkUFjkzM
— Sergiy Stakhovsky (@Stako_tennis) June 1, 2021
Clearly, it was a moment of pride and amazement to see Carla fight on the court again. Hopefully, she will receive a warm reception the next time she leaves a tennis court.
*last Roland Garros match
— WTA Tea (@WTATea) June 1, 2021
Carla has to leave without an audience clapping her… pic.twitter.com/iQ8IxPwYB4
— Del (@Stroppa_Del) June 1, 2021
Roland Garros putting Carla Suarez Navarro’s last ever match on at a time when fans could not attend – and then not doing a ceremony on court after – is just the latest blunder in what has been a tournament full of them. #RG21 #RolandGarros
— Andrew Brydges (@ambrydges) June 1, 2021
Carla Suarez Navarro left the #RolandGarros stage after the Paris curfew, in front of no fans & little fanfare. But the @TennisPodcast team won’t forget her battle with Sloane Stephens only a few months after final chemotherapy treatment.
Listen – https://t.co/57xjxlmxbK
— Telegraph Women’s Sport (@WomensSport) June 2, 2021
Truly, Carla is a champion on and off the court and the preceding tournaments will make sure to celebrate that. What are your thoughts on the Spaniard leaving Roland-Garros for the last time without fans?
The post “*** Is FFT Thinking”: Tennis Community Rage Over Carla Suarez Navarro’s Unfortunate Situation at French Open 2021 appeared first on EssentiallySports.