French Open, Second Round: Gael Monfils Shuts The Club Down

See this? Gael Monfils and Fabio Fognini were playing tennis outside when it looked like this.

Rain delays bumped match after match back in Day 4 of French Open action, and by the time play was halted on Philippe Chatrier, it was close to 10 p.m. It's unclear how things would have gone for France's favored son had they been allowed to continue -- Monfils may have been able to see all right, but he was walking unsteadily and had given up a two-set lead to Fognini. In HD it looked like an episode of True Blood, with all the grunting and shadowy flurries of activity.

It may not have been the best judgment call to even allow them to go on as long as they did, but a home crowd surely played a part in the decision. No matter. Whatever the motivation, the longer Monfils stays in a tournament, especially this tournament, the more entertaining it's going to be. Play will presumably pick back up again tomorrow with the gentlemen tied 5-all in the fifth set.