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Iga Swiatek Marks Birthday With Comfortable At At French Open, Jannik Sinner Advances

Danijones5 months ago04 mins

Reigning champion Iga Swiatek celebrated her 23rd birthday by brushing aside Marie Bouzkova to reach the French Open last 16 on Friday. Swiatek had to save a match point to avoid an upset defeat by fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a second-round thriller, but she was never in trouble during a 6-4, 6-2 win over Czech Bouzkova. The world number one is a red-hot favourite to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a third straight year and become only the fourth woman to win four Roland Garros titles in the Open era. She was much closer to her best form on Friday, hitting 34 winners and making only 19 unforced errors. Swiatek will play Russia’s Anastasia Potapova in the next round on Sunday. The Polish star’s win-loss record at the tournament stands at 32-2 and she has never failed to reach the second week. Earlier on Friday, Jannik Sinner continued his serene progress at the French Open with a straight-sets victory over Russian Pavel Kotov in the third round. The Australian Open champion, who will usurp Novak Djokovic as world number one if he reaches the final at Roland Garros, struck 36 winners and saved the only break point he faced in a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win. Sinner will next take on either home hope Corentin Moutet or Austrian Sebastian Ofner for a place in the quarter-finals. The Italian, who has only lost two matches so far this year, is yet to drop a set in the tournament. Coco Gauff also eased into the second week for a fourth straight year. Gauff held off a late fightback from Australian Open semi-finalist Dayana Yastremska to win 6-2, 6-4 in the first match of the day on Court Philippe Chatrier. The reigning US Open champion has an excellent record at Roland Garros, having previously reached two quarter-finals and the 2022 final which she lost to Swiatek. The 20-year-old failed to serve out the match when leading 5-2 in the second set, but saved three break points in the 10th game before getting over the line. Topics mentioned in this article Iga Swiatek Jannik Sinner Coco Gauff French Open 2024 Tennis

No More ‘Crazy’ Rivalries As Best Friends Aryna Sabalenka, Paula Badosa Meet At French Open

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

The dark “intense, crazy” days when the likes of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova bitterly and publicly aired their grievances are long gone, says Aryna Sabalenka. To illustrate her point, world number two Sabalenka will happily take on best friend Paula Badosa for a place in the last 32 of the French Open on Saturday. It will be the pair’s seventh meeting but first at a Grand Slam. “It’s always tough to play your best friend on tour,” said Australian Open champion Sabalenka. “But we know how to separate court and life. So it’s always a great battle. I always enjoy playing against her.” She added: “I would say that right now the top 10 players are all good with each other, and there are no big fights outside of the court. “It’s not like we are best friends, but it’s not something crazy, like intense.” Ten years or so ago, such warmth was rare. Back in 2013, Williams hit out at a top five player she described as “boring”. “She’s not going to be invited to the cool parties. And, hey, if she wants to be with the guy with a black heart, go for it.” Williams didn’t name Sharapova but the Russian, as well as most other observers, viewed it as a reference to her relationship with Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov. Sharapova hit back at Williams and her relationship with her French coach Patrick Mouratoglou. Elsewhere, the American once arrived at a press conference wearing a shirt that said “Are you looking at my titles?” That was a reference to being ranked number two after winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon while Dinara Safina was at number one despite never claiming a major. At the 2012 Australian Open, meanwhile, Polish player Agnieszka Radwanska criticised Sharapova’s infamous grunting on court. “Isn’t she back in Poland already?” came the icy retort from Sharapova after Radwanska’s exit. There will be no similar trash talking ahead of Sabalenka’s clash with Badosa. “She has a big personality, she’s a good girl, always bringing good energy, even on court,” said Spanish star Badosa. “I think it’s going to be fun. Of course sharing the court with her after all these results she’s doing and all this is a pleasure for me.” Should Badosa lose for a fifth successive time against Sabalenka, she’ll find support from boyfriend and world number nine Stefanos Tsitsipas, a former runner-up at the French Open. “I’m really grateful to have someone like him by my side. Also in the next few days, we’re going to play mixed doubles, so also sharing the court with him, I think it makes it even more special.” (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article Aryna Sabalenka Paula Badosa Gibert French Open 2024 Tennis

Novak Djokovic Untroubled At French Open As Fans Hit By Alcohol Ban

Danijones5 months ago06 mins

Novak Djokovic reached the French Open last 32 for the 19th successive year on Thursday as Roland Garros organisers banned alcohol from the stands in an effort to counter growing complaints from players over disrespectful, rowdy fans. Defending champion Djokovic cracked 43 winners past Spain’s 63rd-ranked Roberto Carballes Baena to canter to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 win. The three-time champion, seeking a record 25th Grand Slam title, goes on to face either Gael Monfils of France or Italian 30th seed Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic holds a 19-0 winning record against Monfils and has defeated Musetti four times in five meetings. However, the Italian gave the Serb a major scare at the French Open in 2021 when he won the first two sets before having to retire injured in the decider. “It was a difficult match against Roberto. He hit a lot of very good and precise shots,” said Djokovic. “The last game of the first set I played really well and started to play at a higher level. At the end of the match I was then playing very well.” Also easing through to the third round on another rain-hit day in the French capital were women’s title contenders Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. However, the behaviour of fans at the tournament, which was brought into focus by Belgium’s David Goffin’s claim that he had chewing gum spat at him, prompted a series of measures to clampdown on loutish behaviour. “Alcohol has been allowed in the stadiums until now but that’s over,” tournament director Amelie Mauresmo told reporters. However, alcohol including beer from mobile vendors, will still be sold around the grounds. Mauresmo said fans will be ejected if they throw something at a player and that “umpires have tighter, even more precise instructions on keeping the crowd under control”. Fourth seed Alexander Zverev, who effectively ended Rafael Nadal’s French Open career in the first round, defeated Goffin 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-2. Zverev arrived in Paris on the back of winning the Rome Open title and is the only player to reach the semi-finals at the last three French Open tournaments. On Friday, a Berlin court will hear an appeal by Zverev against a fine for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He received a 450,000-euro ($487,000) fine in October but appealed the ruling earlier this year, leading to a full trial. The 27-year-old is not required to attend the proceedings and insisted on the eve of the tournament that he “believes in the German system”. On Thursday, he refused to further discuss the case. “I have said everything before the tournament,” he said. After only nine singles matches were played after a Wednesday washout, 55 second round ties were scheduled on Thursday. Amongst early winners were world number two Sabalenka who fired 27 winners past Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima to win 6-2, 6-2. ‘Blanket and tea’ The two-time Australian Open champion, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023, has made at least the last four at her past six Grand Slams and is expected to be Iga Swiatek’s chief rival in the Pole’s quest for a fourth French Open title. Sabalenka will take on close friend Paula Badosa of Spain for a place in the last 16. “It’s not the best weather. I feel like going back to the hotel. Getting a blanket and hot tea, and Netflix,” said the Belarusian who had the benefit of playing under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier. Fourth-seeded Rybakina, the only woman to defeat Swiatek on clay this year, was similarly untroubled. She eased past Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-4. Former world number one Daniil Medvedev moved into the last 32 after his opponent Miomir Kecmanovic retired with injury while trailing the fifth seed 6-1, 5-0. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz Survives Scare At French Open

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Carlos Alcaraz in action during French Open© AFP World number three Carlos Alcaraz survived a huge scare at the hands of 176th-ranked Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong to reach the third round after a four-set triumph on Wednesday. Wimbledon champion Alcaraz, who made the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, scrambled to a 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 second round victory over a player taking part in only his second Grand Slam main draw. The 21-year-old Spaniard was broken five times and hit 47 unforced errors before De Jong, playing his fifth match at the tournament, eventually wilted under the roof of Court Phillipe Chatrier. “Every player can cause you trouble,” said Alcaraz. “You have to be focussed in every round, have to play at your best, it doesn’t matter what the ranking is. Jesper has the work and level to break into the top 100.” Alcaraz goes on to face either American 27th seed Sebastian Korda or South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo for a place in the last 16. Despite being broken in the second game of the opening set, Alcaraz broke three times himself to grab the advantage. The battling Dutchman then saved eight break points over the course of the second set before the Spaniard found the killer blow. However, Alcaraz, who arrived at the tournament under an injury cloud after sitting out the Rome Open with a right arm problem, went off the boil in the third set. He committed 15 unforced errors to the Dutchman’s five as the qualifier cut the deficit. Alcaraz then twice had to come back from breaks early in the fourth set before running away with the last four games to triumph. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

Iga Swiatek Saves Match Point To Beat Naomi Osaka At French Open

Danijones5 months ago01 mins

Defending champion Iga Swiatek saved a match point to outlast Naomi Osaka.© AFP Defending champion Iga Swiatek saved a match point to outlast fellow four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 7-5 in a breathtaking second-round clash at the French Open on Wednesday. World number one Swiatek trailed 5-2 in the final set but the Pole won the last five games of the match to keep her bid for a third successive Roland Garros title on track. She is attempting to become only the fourth woman in the Open era to lift four Roland Garros titles and just the second — after Serena Williams — to complete the clay-court treble of Madrid, Rome and French Opens in the same season. More to follow… Topics mentioned in this article

Carlos Alcaraz Survives Scare At French Open

Danijones5 months ago03 mins

Carlos Alcaraz survived a huge scare at the hands of 176th-ranked Jesper de Jong.© AFP World number three Carlos Alcaraz survived a huge scare at the hands of 176th-ranked Dutch qualifier Jesper de Jong to reach the third round after a four-set triumph on Wednesday. Wimbledon champion Alcaraz, who made the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, scrambled to a 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 second round victory over a player taking part in only his second Grand Slam main draw. The 21-year-old Spaniard was broken five times and hit 47 unforced errors before De Jong, playing his fifth match at the tournament, eventually wilted under the roof of Court Phillipe Chatrier. “Every player can cause you trouble,” said Alcaraz. “You have to be focussed in every round, have to play at your best, it doesn’t matter what the ranking is. Jesper has the work and level to break into the top 100.” Alcaraz goes on to face either American 27th seed Sebastian Korda or South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo for a place in the last 16. Despite being broken in the second game of the opening set, Alcaraz broke three times himself to grab the advantage. The battling Dutchman then saved eight break points over the course of the second set before the Spaniard found the killer blow. However, Alcaraz, who arrived at the tournament under an injury cloud after sitting out the Rome Open with a right arm problem, went off the boil in the third set. He committed 15 unforced errors to the Dutchman’s five as the qualifier cut the deficit. Alcaraz then twice had to come back from breaks early in the fourth set before running away with the last four games to triumph. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article Carlos Alcaraz Sebastian Korda French Open 2024 Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka Eases At Rain-swept French Open, Alize Cornet’s Career Ends

Danijones5 months ago07 mins

Aryna Sabalenka eased into the French Open second round at a rainswept Roland Garros on Tuesday as Novak Djokovic prepared to begin his title defence, confident his Grand Slam pedigree will help turn around his lacklustre season. Australian Open champion Sabalenka, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023, over-powered Russian teenager Erika Andreeva 6-1, 6-2 in just 68 minutes under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier. World number two Sabalenka fired 27 winners past the 100th-ranked Andreeva and broke serve five times in a dominant display. “I’m trying to do well on clay, it is tough conditions here but I enjoy playing here and I’m just trying to bring my best tennis every time — whatever the surface,” said Sabalenka. The Belarusian has made at least the last four at her past six Grand Slams and is expected to be Iga Swiatek’s toughest rival in the Pole’s bid for a fourth French Open title. Heavy rain caused play on the outside, uncovered courts to be delayed by five hours and by 6 pm local time only nine of the scheduled 40 matches had been completed. World number one Djokovic, seeking a fourth Roland Garros title and record-extending 25th major, is enduring his worst run since 2018. Djokovic, 37, has not won a title in 2024 and has yet to make a final with semi-final spots at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters his best performances. He also suffered the indignity of being accidentally hit on the head by a metal water bottle in Rome which caused nausea and dizziness. In Geneva last week, where he was knocked out by Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic, Djokovic said he had been suffering from a stomach problem. “They are rather bumps on the road,” said Djokovic, who watched his long-time rival and 14-time champion Rafael Nadal bow out of the tournament against Alexander Zverev on Monday. When asked to elaborate further on his difficulties so far this season, Djokovic opted for discretion. “Various things have been happening in the last couple of months, but I don’t want to get into it. I don’t want to open Pandora’s Box.” On Tuesday, Djokovic will take on French wildcard Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the world number 142 who hasn’t won a match on the main tour this year. Two-time runner-up Casper Ruud, who won clay-court titles in Barcelona and Geneva in the build-up to Roland Garros, cruised to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves. “It’s great to be back here at Roland Garros,” he said. “Hopefully I can make it another good year here.” Ruud was beaten in straight sets by Novak Djokovic in last year’s final following a one-sided loss to Rafael Nadal in the 2022 showpiece. He also lost the 2022 US Open final to Carlos Alcaraz. Frenchwoman Alize Cornet’s career ended with a straight-sets defeat by Zheng Qinwen in her record-extending 69th consecutive Grand Slam appearance. Cornet was no match for China’s Australian Open runner-up Zheng, losing 6-2, 6-1. She made her debut at Roland Garros as a 15-year-old in 2005 and has not missed a Grand Slam tournament since the 2006 US Open. ‘Cried watching Rafa’ Cornet reached a career-high ranking of 11th in 2009 and enjoyed a surprise run to the 2022 Australian Open quarter-finals. “I already cried yesterday watching Rafa,” said a tearful Cornet after seeing Nadal lose what was likely his last match at the French Open on Monday. Over on Court Suzanne Lenglen, former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina powered into the second round with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Belgian Greet Minnen. Kazakh world number four Rybakina is the only player to defeat Swiatek on clay this season, in the Stuttgart semi-finals in April. Also due on court in the men’s singles is Argentine qualifier Roman Andres Burruchaga who has sporting success in the blood. His father Jorge famously scored the winning goal for Diego Maradona’s Argentina in the 1986 World Cup final against West Germany. Ranked at 144, the 22-year-old is making his Grand Slam debut and takes on Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff. Topics mentioned in this article

Two-Time Runner-Up Casper Ruud Dreams Of French Open Title

Danijones5 months ago05 mins

Casper Ruud said he would love to think 2024 is finally his year at the French Open, but added that Novak Djokovic remained his favourite to win the tournament, which starts on Sunday. Twice a runner-up in Paris, Ruud heads to Roland-Garros on a high after winning the Geneva Open title for a third time — but said Djokovic, the world number one and defending champion, remained top of the pecking order, despite a shaky season so far. Norwegian Ruud, the world number seven, beat 44th-ranked Czech Tomas Machac 7-5, 6-3 in Saturday’s final to add to the Geneva trophies he won in 2021 and 2022. Machac knocked out Djokovic in the Geneva semi-finals, with the 37-year-old Serb struggling to find his usual impeccable rhythm. Ruud, 25, has lost in the last two French Open finals — including last year to Djokovic. Asked if he thought this year could be the moment to go one better, Ruud said: “I would love to, and I would love to think that way, but I’m not really expecting that this year is the year I’m going to win it. “It’s so open these days and of course to me, even though Novak has had maybe a tougher year than usual, I would still consider him the favourite. He’s arriving there with 24 Grand Slams in the bag.” Rival contenders Besides Rafael Nadal, who has won a record 14 French Open titles, Ruud said “many have been talking about” Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz for the title — while Alexander Zverev won in Rome and Stefanos Tsitsipas in Monte Carlo on the clay this year. Ruud, who won Barcelona on the clay, will face Brazilian qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves in the first round at Roland-Garros. Ruud said he was targeting getting through the opening rounds, and taking it from there. “The goal, like any other Slam, is to reach the second week and from there, typically I’ve seen that things open up a little bit,” he said. “Maybe you play someone who’s tired. If you’re physically ready for the second week of a Slam, a lot of good things might happen.” Play ‘real matches’ The 28-man Geneva tournament serves as a warm-up before the French Open, the second of the year’s four Grand Slams. Ruud certainly got some practice in for the rigours of five-set Grand Slam matches. Rain delays meant he played two matches in one day on Saturday, first beating Italy’s in-form Flavio Cobolli 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) in a roller coaster semi-final before going on to defeat Machac. “I wanted to build up some momentum for Paris and I think I’ve been able to do that and hopefully I can bring it on to Paris,” Ruud said. “Physically it’s good preparation, and you look at all the other players in Paris, what do they do in training? They play matches. So why don’t you come here and play a real match instead of just practice matches? “It’s been a great week in terms of winning and also building up the form and the physical aspects for Paris.” (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article