[DeilMikina]

Let's not forget that Roddick wears Lacoste. I'm sure that helps.

They loved him before that.

[tarmpriopay]

They loved him before that.

So now they love him even more wearing French clothing..

[TypeTeasiaDer]

I also think Roddick has a sense of humor that translates well to French sensibility?

[DeilMikina]

So now they love him even more wearing French clothing..

So true.

[DeilMikina]

I also think Roddick has a sense of humor that translates well to French sensibility?

Perhaps. Roddick is very popular in Europe and Asia. Young people especially love him.

[Menierofe]

Perhaps. Roddick is very popular in Europe and Asia. Young people especially love him.

I'd say Roddick is the quintessential American guy. Muscular, good looking (though not my type), jockish, and a tad arrogant. I can see foreigners who love all things USA falling for him.

[DeilMikina]

I'd say Roddick is the quintessential American guy. Muscular, good looking (though not my type), jockish, and a tad arrogant. I can see foreigners who love all things USA falling for him.

And he's smart as a whip, too.

[RicyReetred]

Also, there is another aspect of this French thing. The French are big fans of finesse tennis. That is why they like Federer. If you watch the French players with the exception Monfis (I can't spell his name), they play like swashbucklers with smooth strokes and panache.

The French fans hate brute force players (thus the reason Nadal is not appreciated). I don't think they like Sharapova's game either. That is another layer to the whole thing as well.

I think this statement applies to the women more than men. The French loved Evert and Graf and certainly preferred Henin over her contemporaries, including Serena. It also explains their love for Mauresmo despite her disastrous results there. The French simply do not appreciate brute force when it comes to the women, and the likes of Navritilova, Serena and Sharapova will never be French favorites.

When it comes to the men, they enjoy the showman quality in a player more than anything else. I think that explains their love for the likes of Noah, Roddick, Tsonga.

I'm not sure they love Rafa any less than Fed. There might be more sympathy for Fed since he's turned into Rafa's whipping boy at the French.

[Penisvergroesserung]

The French are also, well French. Little bit Napolean, little bit Sarkozy, both monstrous egos.

[GogaMegaPiska]

I keep telling myself to stay out of conversations about the Williams sisters but here I go.

Serena is probably my favorite women's player. I appreciate her strength and determination and I cheer for her.

However, she's brash, she isn't particularly witty, she's never the underdog and as many have mentioned, she never gives her opponent any credit. Additionally, she's usually so much more powerful than her opponent that it looks like a David and Goliath situation. This combination obviously doesn't play well with the RG crowd.

There is racism and chauvinism all over the world. In my opinion, this is not worse in Paris than in the U.S. I just think her style doesn't play very well to that crowd