Tennis-Djokovic meets Zverev in French Open quarters with unfinished business
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 2, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his fourth round match against Britain's Cameron Norrie REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
PARIS (Reuters) - The French Open quarter-finals continue on Wednesday with top seed Jannik Sinner in action, Novak Djokovic facing his first true test when he takes on Alexander Zverev and an all-American clash between Coco Gauff and Madison Keys.
TOP MEN'S MATCH: ALEXANDER ZVEREV V NOVAK DJOKOVIC
As Djokovic chases a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, 28-year-old third seed Zverev is still seeking his first major crown.
Zverev has had more success at the claycourt major than any of the others, with three semi-final appearances between 2021-2023, and he reached the final last year where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz after being one set away from the title.
The two have not met on clay since 2019 and Djokovic has unfinished business having retired injured last time they met in the Australian Open semi-final in January.
"He's 10 years younger, he calls himself a veteran of the game. What should I call myself, then?," Djokovic joked after booking his quarter-final place with his 100th victory at Roland Garros.
Djokovic holds an 8-5 win-loss record against Zverev, who said the Serbian -- the sixth seed this year -- would never be a dark horse.
"The guy won 24 Grand Slams. He's never going to be a black horse. He definitely knows how to play tennis," Zverev said.
"He definitely knows what it means to be on the big stage and to play big matches. There is no doubt about that."
TOP WOMEN'S MATCH: MADISON KEYS V COCO GAUFF
As Keys looks to stay unbeaten in Grand Slam matches this year, the Australian Open champion plays an American for the third consecutive round when she takes on Coco Gauff, a fellow major winner.
Both players have won one hardcourt Grand Slam each but Gauff has started adapting to clay and shown she can be a worthy contender for the title having reached the finals in Madrid and Rome last month.
"Coco is obviously pretty dominant on clay. I would say it's probably her best surface to play on. It's obviously a big challenge," Keys said.
"For me, it's going to be a lot about trying to balance going after things. But knowing with her ability to cover the court, you're going to have to win the point multiple times before it's actually over."
Gauff is looking to replicate her 2022 run to the final and the 21-year-old said she is now more mature.
"I'm less nervous going into matches, for sure, and knowing just the ups and downs of tennis and of a tennis match," she said.
"I still feel the years here, I feel like I get better with each match. I felt like that was something that I did in '22 and last year as well, and something I'm doing here right now."
PUNCHING ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT
Two unseeded players remain at Roland Garros where both have delighted crowds and punched above their weight -- Alexander Bublik and local hope Lois Boisson, who is ranked world number 361.
Bublik has won more claycourt matches than in his previous three years combined and the 27-year-old has earned a quarter-final match-up with top seed Jannik Sinner.
In the women's draw, Boisson will hope for more than just the sparse post-lunch crowd that watched her stun world number three Jessica Pegula on Monday, when the wildcard plays sixth seed Mirra Andreeva.
FRENCH OPEN ORDER OF PLAY ON WEDNESDAY (prefix number denotes seeding)
COURT PHILIPPE-CHATRIER (play begins at 0900 GMT)
7-Madison Keys (U.S.) v 2-Coco Gauff (U.S.)
6-Mirra Andreeva (Russia) v Lois Boisson (France)
1-Jannik Sinner (Italy) v Alexander Bublik (Kazakhstan)
3-Alexander Zverev (Germany) v 6-Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
33 minutes ago
- The Star
Paris Hilton buys US$63mil Beverly Park mansion from Chinese billionaire's family after losing Malibu home in wildfire
HANOI (Vietnam News/ANN): American socialite Paris Hilton has purchased a US$63 million Beverly Park estate from a firm controlled by Chinese billionaire Xu Hang's wife after losing her Malibu home in the Los Angeles wildfires. According to People magazine, Hilton's newly acquired property spans 30,500 square feet (2,834 square meters) and includes 12 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms. The estate also features high-end amenities such as a five-hole golf course, resort-style pool with waterslides, a sports court, skate park, wine cellar, movie theater, two-story library, and a grand entry with twin staircases. A guesthouse also sits on the grounds. The mansion was originally developed by American actor Mark Wahlberg and his wife around 2014. In Feb. 2023, the couple sold it for US$55 million—the highest residential sale in Southern California that year. Xu purchased the estate, and his wife's company relisted it in March 2024 with an asking price of US$68 million, according to real estate listings site Mansion Global. From Jan. 7 to 31, a series of destructive wildfires ravaged parts of the Los Angeles metro area and San Diego County, burning more than 37,000 acres, killing 30 people, and destroying over 16,000 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Hilton said on Instagram she discovered her Malibu home had been destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires while watching live television coverage on Jan. 9. "Heartbroken beyond words," she wrote. "Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience." She described the Malibu residence as the place where her son Phoenix took his first steps and where she and her husband, American author and venture capitalist Carter Reum, envisioned raising their daughter London and building lasting memories. Hilton also shared that Phoenix had expressed a desire to become a firefighter after witnessing the wildfires' devastation. At 45, Hilton is the great-granddaughter of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton. She rose to tabloid fame in the late 1990s as a fixture of New York's social scene, began modeling in 2000, and was dubbed "New York's leading It Girl" in 2001. Her career has spanned reality TV, documentaries, music, books, podcasts, and acting, with credits including the films "House of Wax" and "Repo! The Genetic Opera." She married Reum in 2021. The couple's two children were born via surrogacy. Xu, 63, is co-founder of Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics, a leading Chinese medical equipment supplier, according to Forbes. He is also the owner of Parkland Group, a major real estate developer best known for the One Shenzhen Bay skyscraper complex. Forbes estimated his net worth at US$7.8 billion as of June 22, ranking him the 34th-richest person in China. Wahlberg, 54, is known for roles in films such as "Planet of the Apes," "The Departed," "The Italian Job," "Ted," and the "Transformers" series. - Vietnam News/ANN
Focus Malaysia
34 minutes ago
- Focus Malaysia
America conquers with bombs, Malaysia conquers American hearts with Nasi Lemak
WHILE America is out trying to conquer the world with guns and bombs, Malaysia is already conquering American hearts with its iconic Nasi Lemak. No blood and tears, just pure deliciousness. According to a recent video that has been going viral, a street vendor could be seen enjoying patronage and praises from a good number of American customers. And the meal? Nasi Lemak. He remarked that some even came back for a second helping. The brief video did not provide any details about the venue, but it is safe to say that the people enjoyed a hearty meal that we Malaysians can identify with. Nasi Lemak mendunia di Amerika. Rupanya dorang memang suka makam sambal pedas agaknya 😂 — kamaghul deghaman (@kamaghul) June 20, 2025 However, Malaysian netizens who viewed the video were rather sceptical, with some pointing out that the customers were mostly asians. Then there was netizen @GmJCrypt who claimed the dish belonged to Indonesia, not Malaysia. 'Later, many more Singaporeans will claim the Nasi Lemak as their own,' said @BottomSepi. Away from the culture war, @PrsonStufJunrio added that it was unsurprising that Americans would love Nasi Lemak since they had a taste for hot stuff from Mexico. A sharp-eyed @CosmicCabbages immediately identified the person in the video as Kumar Family who has a Youtube channel. Apparently, he married an American. But should we stop at Nasi Lemak? Apparently not, with @cygaraga recommending Malaysians to introduce QR payment and parking sensors to America soon. It appears however, that this was not the first time Nasi Lemak was introduced in America. While exploring a farmer's market in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2024, TikToker Aiman came across a stall selling what appeared to be nasi lemak. Initially thrilled to find a taste of Malaysia so far from home, his excitement quickly faded when he discovered the dish was not halal—it included pork floss as one of the toppings. Despite the disappointment, Aiman struck up a conversation with the vendor and uncovered the fascinating backstory behind the stall. The chef, Andrew Presslar, shared that he first encountered Malaysian cuisine while working in New York. There, he collaborated with chef Zach Lazio, who ran a Malaysian restaurant. It was through this experience that he was introduced to nasi lemak. Presslar explained that the rich and complex flavours of Malaysian food captivated him, and he soon became 'obsessed' with its unique taste profile, describing it as 'second to none.' Inspired by his time in New York and eager to bring those flavours to a new audience, he launched his own version of the dish in Hawaii—though not without his own local twist. While the non-halal adaptation may not cater to all Malaysians, Presslar's story highlights how Malaysian cuisine continues to influence and inspire chefs across the globe. —June 6, 2025 Main image: @kamaghul
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Rugby-Chiefs can win Super Rugby Pacific title in future, says departing coach McMillan
(Reuters) -Departing Waikato Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan said the team could claim a future Super Rugby Pacific title despite losing in the final for the third season in a row with Saturday's 16-12 defeat by the Canterbury Crusaders. McMillan, who has been in charge for all three final losses, is leaving to take over as head coach of Irish side Munster but retains confidence in the players to one day deliver success. "The consistency of our performances have been something to really relish," McMillan said. "I love these men and I know how hard they work and I'm confident that in the near future, they'll get across the line. "The wheels are going to keep ticking over and we've got bloody good people in the organisation and, who knows, maybe a change of head coach might be what's needed to get the job done." The loss in the final in Christchurch was the second in three seasons to the Crusaders for McMillan and his team, who were defeated in the 2024 edition by the Auckland Blues. Saturday's defeat was by the narrowest margin of the three, with only four points separating the teams at the end of a tense encounter, in which Rivez Reihana kicked 11 points for the Crusaders. "Everyone knows we have been to the final dance a number of times and not got the job done, but I'm at peace," McMillan said. "The disappointment will linger, but we can't change anything. It's done now. "The reflection will be about remembering all the good stuff that happened. But I know that we are a tight group who feel the disappointment, who have ridden the highs. "We will bounce back. The sun will rise in the morning, I think, here tomorrow, and life will continue. "People probably don't realise how tough it is to just get to a final, and even tougher when you've been to a number and you haven't quite got the job done." (Reporting by Michael Church; Editing by William Mallard)
