Steve Virgona completes career Grand Slam with dominant French Open victory
Claire Fahey completes 47th Open title, eighth calendar year Grand Slam
Steve Virgona has become the eighth male player and eleventh overall in history to complete a Career Grand Slam, following a dominant singles victory over Nick Howell at the French Open in Paris on Saturday. He joins Chris Ronaldson, Lachlan Deuchar, Robert Fahey, Penny Lumley Julian Snow, Chris Bray, Tim Chisholm, Charlotte Cornwallis, Claire Fahey and Camden Riviere in the elusive club. Meanwhile, Claire Fahey has completed her eighth career Calendar Year Grand Slam with a double-bagel victory over Jess Garside, winning an Open without dropping a game for the third time in her career.
As soon as the match began, it was clear that the week-old balls were playing significantly slower than they had done up to that point in the week. Also from the start, Virgona was clinical in his execution, finding the perfect length with his railroad that drew Howell into the uncertainty of whether to cut volley or whether to leave it to the back wall and try and force. But as the balls were slowing up off the back wall, all he could do was nudge it back into the corner, where Virgona was ready to pounce. Virgona’s excellent defensive play and ability to control the length of his shots gave him the advantage in the rallies. Across the first set, neither player struck the dedans once, a situation that favoured Virgona given Howell’s normal penchant for striking the largest opening. Howell converted just the single game in the set with Virgona looking strong.
The second set played out much like the first, with Virgona leading from the start. Howell was trying to vary his play, looking for galleries more often and finally reading the pace of the ball better. But Virgona was equal to the task, playing a high court position and running down anything Howell had to throw at him. His play was largely flawless, with Howell unable to get the ball past him. Again, Howell won just the two games across the set.
Virgona did not slow down going into the third set, despite Howell grabbing the first game of the set. He was starting to have plenty of success with slow, floated shots at the dedans whenever Howell was out of position. In the 5/2 game, two points away from the match, Virgona returned serve on his backhand before sidestepping to the middle of the court, but his left foot gave out and he fell back first onto the floor. His right hand broke his fall, spraining his wrist in the process, but the left-handed champion brushed it off knowing there was a match to be won.
Virgona saw his first championship point later in the same game, but Howell hit an excellent cut volley to beat a last gallery chase. Howell continued to fight, finally getting some decent shots away at the dedans to save the game. In the following game, Virgona struck two balls — one a tambour volley — onto opposite sides of the dedans before floating a ball down the line to bring up two further championship points. His next shot hit the dedans bandeau and bounced out to a chase of the door, which Howell won with another force. Howell pushed the next ball into the last gallery, forcing another change of ends. Facing his third championship point, Virgona tickled the next ball down the line before it nicked on the back wall. Virgona let out an almighty roar as he threw his head back to the heavens, before dropping to his left knee with his head in his hands as all of the emotions came to the fore. Howell rounded the net and completed a left-handed handshake and hug to the newly crowned Career Grand Slam Champion.
“I’ve been trying to win this event for quite a while,” said Virgona after the match, “I think my first French Open was in 1997. The last three months I’ve been thinking about this moment. Every day, every decision has come to this, so it’s nice that those sacrifices have all been worth it.” Virgona also complimented his opponent: “Nick’s grown into one of the best players in the world. It’s been awesome to see his progress and see how well he’s playing and where he’s risen to the top.”
After the presentations, the women’s singles final took to the court, with Claire Fahey playing first-time finalist Jess Garside. As she had done in so many finals before, Fahey dominated from start to finish. She hit an impeccable length, volleying and placing the ball to bounce twice before the back wall time after time. Garside tried digging them out with her two-handed half-volleys, but with limited success. Fahey was never in danger of dropping a game, winning through the entire draw without dropping a game for just the third time in her career. Her victory was her 47th Open title, and secured a calendar year grand slam with one tournament still to play, as the British is being run twice in 2025.
Fahey gave an emotional dedication of her victory to her first coach at Prested Hall, Ivan Ronaldson — who passed away in August — as she fell short of words.
Both pairs of singles finalists will now team up for their respective doubles finals, to take place on Sunday afternoon.
Match results:
2:00 PM: Nick Howell (1) lost to Steve Virgona (2) 1/6 2/6 3/6
5:00 PM: Claire Fahey (1) def Jess Garside (2) 6/0 6/0
Order of play for Sunday (all times CEST):
12:30 PM: Claire Fahey & Jess Garside vs Katherine Carney & Lydia Compton-Burnett
2:30 PM: Nick Howell & Steve Virgona (1) vs Robert Shenkman & Leon Smart (2)