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5 things to look for Wednesday at the French Open

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer

PARIS (AP) — Five things to look for Wednesday at the French Open:

MURRAY AND ‘LA MONF’: Here’s a sign of how much the locals are looking forward to seeing the last Frenchman in the tournament, Gael Monfils, take on Wimbledon champion Andy Murray of Britain in the quarterfinals — that match was scheduled for Court Philippe Chatrier, the main stadium at Roland Garros, while the rematch of the 2013 final between Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer was pushed over to Court Suzanne Lenglen. The No. 7-seeded Murray and No. 23 Monfils are both trying to get to the French Open semifinals for the second time, and expect a loud partisan crowd to give full-throated backing to the man known as ‘La Monf.’

GO TO YOUTUBE: Monfils is a true showman and entertainer, sometimes to the detriment of his success at tennis. But there’s no question that he will make you take notice, whether he’s in a break-dancing contest with another French player, Laurent Lokoli, right there on center court the day before the tournament began (check that out on YouTube) … or diving sideways through the air, parallel to the ground, to reach a shot (that one’s on YouTube, too). “He loves playing in front of a big crowd,” Murray said. “He’s a great athlete. Maybe the best we have had in tennis.”

THE REMATCH: The No. 1-seeded Nadal is 63-1 — yes, 63-1! — for his French Open career heading into his all-Spanish quarterfinal against No. 5 Ferrer. Nadal is also 21-6 against Ferrer, including a straight-set victory in last year’s final at Roland Garros. But both men are well aware of this: In their most recent match, April 18 on red clay at the Monte Carlo Masters, Ferrer beat Nadal in straight sets. Asked whether he would derive confidence from that result, Ferrer replied: “No, no, I don’t think so,” noting that match was best-of-three-sets and on Wednesday, they’ll be playing best-of-five.

EVERY FIVE YEARS: Maria Sharapova isn’t the only past French Open champion still around in the women’s draw. Svetlana Kuznetsova won the tournament in 2009, and her other Grand Slam title came at the U.S. Open in 2004. So every five years, Kuznetsova wins a major trophy. And, yes, it has occurred to her that it’s been five years since her most recent triumph. “Everybody,” Kuznetsova said, “talks about it.” The 27th-seeded Kuznetsova faces No. 4 Simona Halep in the quarterfinals.

TRYING FOR FIRST MAJOR SEMI: Germany’s Andrea Petkovic is 0-3 in Grand Slam quarterfinals heading into her match against Italy’s Sara Errani, who is trying to reach the semis at Roland Garros for the third year in a row, including a runner-up finish in 2012. Their post-victory news conferences Monday after the fourth round could hardly have been more different: Petkovic waxed on about her favorite writers, name-checking folks such as Sartre and Camus, while Errani read a statement criticizing Italian media members, saying things she’s said “have been manipulated, distorted or changed.”

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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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