Sinner, Draper and Zverev move ahead with ease
PA Media/DPA
Paris
Jannik Sinner is clearly making up for lost time at this year's French Open.
The world number one, who only returned from a three-month doping ban three weeks ago, raced into the fourth round in just 94 minutes.
Sinner won the first 11 games against Czech Jiri Lehecka on his way to a commanding 6-0, 6-1, 6-2 victory.
'This morning I said to my team I'm feeling well and physically ready,' said the Italian.
'We had to go hard in the beginning because the beginning in grand slams is very important for confidence. I warmed up well, I felt very good so after 20-25 minutes I was feeling brave.
'My team gave me the right tactics, I tried to play them in the match so it's a combination of also being happy on court - it's very important.
'After today I don't think there's much I can improve but every opponent is different.' Sinner will meet Russian 17th seed Andrey Rublev on Monday.
Meanwhile, Frenchman Arthur Fils has revealed he won a five-set match on Thursday despite having a stress fracture in his back.
The 20-year-old 14th seed, who beat Jaume Munar in a marathon match lasting four and a half hours, has been forced to withdraw from the tournament.
He said: 'I had some issue with the back for a long time, and during the match against Munar it got worse.
'Then I did some examinations. They were not good at all. I've got some stress fracture.' Fils was unsure whether he will be fit enough in time to compete at Wimbledon.
Draper beats teenager Fonseca
Jack Draper extended his stay in Paris into the second week after sweeping aside Brazilian teenager João Fonseca to reach the fourth round.
The British number one out-thought and outmuscled his 18-year-old opponent, thudding 32 winners in a commanding 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory in just an hour and 46 minutes.
'I played good, the first set was really key,' he said. 'I got on top of him and used my forehand really well.
'Mentally it was a good performance from me today. I'm happy to be in the second week here and hopefully there's more to come.' Fonseca is a precocious talent who brings a huge, noisy contingent of supporters from his homeland wherever he goes.
There were fans in the famous yellow football shirts dotted all around Court Suzanne-Lenglen and they were making themselves heard throughout the early stages.
But Draper, who dealt with a partisan crowd when he beat 38-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils on Thursday night, dampened the South American enthusiasm as he raced away with the first set in just half-an-hour.
Draper dominated the second, although he did have to save a break point with an ace as he served for it, before a Fonseca error sealed the deal.
A relentless Draper kept the pressure on in the third, breaking in the first game after a punishing rally to take a decisive lead. The fifth seed's victory was sealed when a demoralized Fonseca could only plant a return apologetically into the net.
Zverev hails show court
Alexander Zverev was pleased to be back on Court Philippe-Chatrier despite some bad memories as he eased into the French Open last 16.
The German world number three beat Italian clay court specialist Flavio Cobolli 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 on Saturday to reach the fourth round at the second grand slam of the tennis season for the eighth time in a row.
Zverev has made at least the semi-finals in each of the last four years, and in 2024 lost the final to Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in five sets.
Three years ago, he suffered a serious ankle injury on the court in the semi-final against Rafael Nadal.
'This court is special for me. I had my best, but also the bitterest moment of my career here,' Zverev, who has yet to win a grand slam, said courtside after his first match on the main Paris court this year.
Zverev converted his fourth match point against Cobolli after 2 hours 30 minutes. The Italian had recently taken the title in Zverev's home city of Hamburg.
'It was tough for me for a long time today. The second set was decisive, after that the match went my way,' added Zverev.
The German will now face Tallon Griekspoor on Monday, having beaten the Dutchman in three hard-fought sets en route to Munich glory in April.
Zverev is the clear favourite against Griekspoor, but his future opponents on the Roland Garros red dust are likely to get much tougher.
In the quarter-finals, he could face off against record grand slam champion Novak Djokovic from Serbia. World number one Jannik Sinner possibly awaits in the semi-finals.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Czech star Kvitova to retire after US Open
PAMedia/DPA London Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has announced she intends to retire after the US Open later this year. The 35-year-old Czech returned to the tour in February following the birth of son Petr last summer and will play at Wimbledon for a final time after being given a wild card. Kvitova was a surprise winner of a maiden Grand Slam title at the All England Club in 2011, defeating Maria Sharapova in the final. The powerful left-hander's game proved perfect for grass courts and she added a second Wimbledon crown in 2014, while she also made the Australian Open final in 2019 and reached a career high of second in the rankings. She achieved both feats despite a shocking stabbing by an intruder at her home in late 2016 in which she suffered damage to tendons and nerves in her left hand, threatening her career. Writing on social media, Kvitova said: 'Growing up in my hometown of Fulnek and hitting the first tennis balls with my father on the local courts, I never imagined becoming a professional tennis player, being able to travel the world, and playing in the most beautiful stadiums around the world. 'I've been privileged to reach incredible heights over the past 19 years since becoming a professional tennis player. From winning my two Wimbledon Championships, bringing home six Billie Jean King Cup trophies for the Czech Republic, reaching the world #2 ranking and so much more. 'I have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined and I am so grateful to everything that tennis has given me all these years. It has taught me countless lessons, not only on the court or in the gym, but also in life. 'I would never be whom I am today without this beautiful sport, and everything it has given me both on and off the court. 'As with all phases in life, there comes a day that it is time for a new chapter, and that time for me has come now. I therefore wanted to share with you that 2025 is my last season on tour as a professional. 'I am excited and very much looking forward to soak in the beauty of playing The Championships, Wimbledon one more time, a place that holds the most cherished memories in my career for me. 'And while I am not entirely sure yet what my hardcourt swing in the US will look like, I am intending to finish my active playing career at the US Open in New York later this summer. 'While no such decision is ever easy to make, for me this is a happy moment! I will leave the sport with the biggest smile on my face - the same smile you've seen from me on and off court throughout my whole career.' Kvitova has found wins very hard to come by since returning to the match court in Texas following more than a year away. It took her five tournaments to register her first victory, which came against Irina-Camelia Begu on clay in Rome, but that so far remains her only win.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Real held by Inzaghi's Al Hilal in CWC opener
PA Media/dpa London Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso and Al Hilal counterpart Simone Inzaghi had to make do with a share of the spoils as they launched the latest phase of their careers with a 1-1 Club World Cup draw. On a night when new Real head coach Alonso handed debuts to summer signings Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, it was another former Premier League player who helped to ensure it finished level in Group H. Ruben Neves converted a 41st-minute penalty to cancel out Gonzalo Garcia's opener at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, but his efforts would have counted for little had goalkeeper Bono not saved Federico Valverde's stoppage-time spot-kick. The Saudi side were first to threaten with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Neves and Marcos Leonardo all going close inside the opening 10 minutes. Renan Lodi thought he had given Inzaghi's men a 19th-minute lead only for an offside flag to quickly halt his celebrations. Central defender Hassan Altambakti headed a 27th-minute Neves corner wide as Al Hilal continued to enjoy the better of a game, and Alonso was vociferous with his players as they headed for the sideline for a water break. Whatever he said appeared to have an immediate impact with Rodrygo sending a left-foot shot over before sliding in a low cross at the end of a fluent counter-attack which was dispatched by Garcia with 11 minutes of the half remaining. A poor first-touch prevented Garcia from making the most of Jude Bellingham's 38th-minute through-ball, and Al Hilal were level with four minutes of the half remaining when, after Raul Asencio had pulled back Leonardo, former Wolves midfielder Neves calmly sent Courtois the wrong way from the spot. Skipper Salem Al-Dawsari might have put his side ahead as the whistle approached, but his curling attempt after he had exchanged passes with Milinkovic-Savic was deflected just wide. Asencio did not return for the second half and replacement Arda Guler rattled the crossbar from Vinicius' cross within seconds of his arrival before Garcia's header was improbably clawed away by Bono. Alexander-Arnold was starting to make his presence felt down the right and as Bellingham picked up the baton, the Spaniards began to dominate. However, they could not find a way past their opponents' rearguard. And even when they looked to have been handed an escape when they were awarded a stoppage-time penalty for Yasser Al-Qahtani's swinging arm on Fran Garcia, Valverde's spot-kick was saved superbly by Bono.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Alcaraz progresses at Queen's as Fearnley reaches first quarter-final
PAMedia/DPA London Jacob Fearnley dished out another French lesson as he reached a first career ATP Tour-level quarter-final at Queen's Club, while top seed Carlos Alcaraz also progressed. British number two Fearnley beat volatile qualifier Corentin Moutet 6-3 2-6 6-2 at the HSBC Championships. In doing so, Fearnley extended his remarkable, perfect record against French players to 17 wins from 17 matches. He said: 'I'm very happy to be in my first quarter-final, it's even better to do it here in the UK. It's really special for me, I've dreamed of these moments since I was a young boy. 'I tried to stick to my game plan and be aggressive. I did that better in the third set and the result speaks for itself.' Fearnley wrapped up a controlled first set with a double-ace finish, while madcap Moutet got a ticking-off from umpire Adel Nour for chucking his racket. However, the momentum shifted quickly when three double-faults from the home player gave Moutet an early break in the second. But Fearnley reset well in the decider, breaking Moutet with a backhand winner down the line, prompting the fiery 26-year-old to whack a ball high over the stands and earn a long-overdue warning from the chair. A diving backhand volley secured a double break and Fearnley kept his head as Moutet lost his - bickering with the umpire and the crowd - to wrap up victory in just over two hours. Fearnley will play a fellow 23-year-old, Czech world number 30 Jiri Lehecka, in the last eight. Top seed and 2023 winner Carlos Alcaraz escaped from being a break down in a deciding set to win an all-Spanish clash with Jaume Munar. The five-time grand slam champion, 22, squandered two match points in a second-set tie-break and then fell 4-2 behind in the third. But on the hottest day of the year, with temperatures hitting 32 degrees Celsius in west London, Alcaraz kept his cool to win 6-4 6-7 (7) 7-5 after three hours and 23 energy-sapping minutes. It was two hours shorter than his five-set French Open final win over Jannik Sinner earlier this month, and Alcaraz wrote on the TV camera lens: 'Were we on clay?' After a 15th straight win, the longest winning run of his career so far, a near-exhausted Alcaraz admitted: 'It was a really tough battle. 'He's a great competitor. I'm proud of how I played today. I struggled mentally and physically. Very proud and happy to give myself another chance to be in the quarter-final.'
