Carlos Alcaraz said that he is looking to take the positives from his Roland Garros quarter-final defeat to Alexander Zverev on Tuesday as he aims to use the experience as a learning curve.
The 19-year-old Spaniard entered the clash against the German on a 14-match winning streak, but was unable to cope with the World No. 3’s heavy-hitting, falling in four sets on Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I have to take the lessons [from] today. It was a tough match and close match,” Alcaraz said in his post-match press conference. “I could say I didn't start well, and in this level, quarter-final of a Grand Slam, you are playing against the best players in the world, so you have to start the match better than I did today.
“I have to improve for the next Grand Slam or next matches. But I would say I'm not far away from reaching a semi-final or being able to win a Grand Slam… I would say I have the level, I have the confidence to win a Grand Slam or reach the semi-finals next time.”
Alcaraz has enjoyed a standout 2022 season, capturing a Tour-leading four titles, including ATP Masters 1000s crowns in Miami and Madrid. The 19-year-old, who is 32-3 on the year, is currently No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.
While Zverev produced the better level in the key moments against Alcaraz in a rematch from their Madrid final on Tuesday, the Spaniard gave another impressive account of himself in what was just his second appearance in Paris.
“I leave the court and leave the tournament with the head very high,” Alcaraz said. “I fought until the last ball. I fought until the last second of the match, and I'm proud of it.”
After winning a dramatic third set to gain a foothold in the match, Alcaraz was then edged in a fourth-set tie-break. While the five-time tour-level titlist was disappointed that he could not force a decider, he felt encouraged by many aspects of his game.
“I am going try to take the positive things of the match, and of course the bad things that I did, to improve to the next matches or next tournaments or next Grand Slams,” Alcaraz added. “I was close to a good match, close to a fifth set, and in the fifth set everything could happen. I'm going to take a lesson from this match.
“This was my second quarter-final at a Grand Slam and I think I fought until the last ball. I hope the next Grand Slam, next quarter-final that I will play at a Grand Slam, I will do better and [improve] my chances to reach the semi-finals.”
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Despite falling short, Alcaraz revealed that he thoroughly enjoyed competing in the French capital, where he was backed by a vocal crowd throughout.
“I enjoyed [it] a lot, even [though] I lost," Alcaraz said. "Playing in front of such a great crowd, playing in these kinds of tournaments, on this kind of court, is amazing for me… That's why I'm training, that's why I'm playing tennis, to keep dreaming, to have chances to be in the best tournaments in the world.
“Of course I couldn't be disappointed with this crowd or I couldn't ask for a better crowd in here, in Paris supporting me, until the last ball supporting me, from the beginning to the end of the match. I just say thank you to the crowd.”
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Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic both put on a show in the opening set of their Roland Garros quarter-final, but Nadal struck the first heavy blows to win it, 6-2. While the scoreline was one-sided, the majority of the rallies were enthralling back-and-forth affairs with both men battling for supremacy in a high-octane chess match from the baseline.
The Spaniard broke serve in a 10-minute opening game to take the early initiative, then saved a pair of break points to hold for 3-1 before blitzing through the rest of the set. Djokovic employed several drop shots to varying success, while Nadal attacked the net nine times, winning four of those points.
Nadal was sharp from the first ball and finished with a 12-6 winners-to-errors count, while Djokovic was a minus-1 by that measure, hitting eight winners and nine errors.
More to come...
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Andy Murray eased his way into the grass season with a comfortable 6-2, 6-1 win over Austrian Jurij Rodionov at the Surbiton Trophy ATP Challenger Tour event on Monday.
The former World No. 1 broke the Rodionov serve four times to complete a 58-minute victory over the World No. 125. Murray opted to miss most of this year’s European clay-court season to focus on his preparations for the grass. In the one tournament he did play, the Mutua Madrid Open in early May, he defeated Dominic Thiem and Denis Shapovalov before withdrawing from a third-round clash with Novak Djokovic due to illness.
The quickfire win over Rodionov was Murray’s first appearance at the Surbiton event since 2004, when the Brit retired from his first-round match against Jimmy Wang as a No. 544-ranked 17-year-old. Murray’s win was the only completed main draw match on Monday in Surbiton due to rain.
A two-time champion on the grass at Wimbledon, Murray is the top seed in a strong field and he next faces World No. 118 Radu Albot or a qualifier. Adrian Mannarino and Soonwoo Kwon are the second and third seeds, respectively. The draw also includes former Wimbledon semi-finalist Sam Querrey and #NextGenATP contenders Brandon Nakashima and Jack Draper.
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For #NextGenATP Dane Holger Rune, his standout fourth-round win over Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday at Roland Garros was 13 years in the making.
While his victory over the World No. 4 was down to brutal hitting and impressive agility, the wheels for Rune’s recent success were set in motion back in 2009 at a club in Denmark. While his older sister took to court, Rune, aged five, watched on alongside his mother, Anaeke Rune, and quickly became fascinated by the sport.
“All the other little sisters and brothers would be saying, ‘Can we go home soon?’” Aneke told ATPTour.com last year. “I could pay all my attention to Alma and when one match was finished he took his chair and moved it over to find another match to watch.
“He was hooked before he started himself. He wanted to start, but he wasn’t allowed to until he was six. So when he did start, he was very motivated.”
After waiting patiently, Rune was finally allowed to play. For the Dane, his passion for watching quickly transpired into competing. His current coach Lars Christensen spoke to ATPTour.com last year and recalled his earlier memories of Rune.
“He was totally dedicated to tennis. In the beginning, he was playing a bit of soccer as well and he was doing all kinds of leisure things. But very [quickly], he just wanted to be a tennis player,” Christensen said. “One week he was Rafa with the headband and all the gear. He wanted to be like Rafa. The next week he would be Federer and he was totally dedicated to it. He really loved playing tennis.”
For Rune, the opportunity to play Spaniard Rafael Nadal will arise this week if both can reach the final at Roland Garros. If you were to ask Rune to talk about the 13 Roland Garros titles Nadal has won in his career, you can expect the Dane to give you a detailed answer.
The 19-year-old, who is currently No. 28 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, eats, drinks and sleeps tennis according to his mother. While Rune briefly took up skateboarding when he was a kid, the Dane was always invested in following the Tour.
“He can spend hours. It’s not just a movie for him. It’s the footwork, he can tell you the backhand down the line [Stan] Wawrinka hit in that match in that year. You can ask him anything and he can answer, he’s just so much into details,” Aneke said.
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His passion for tennis can be seen in his desire to attend events when growing up. Last November, Rune made his debut at the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals. However, it was not his first visit to Milan, with Rune visiting as a fan in 2017.
“I watched it [the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals] when I was very young with my mum. She bought tickets for Christmas, an early Christmas gift in 2017,” Rune told ATPTour.com last November. “I went to Milan to watch the first edition when Hyeon Chung won and [Andrey] Rublev played and [Daniil] Medvedev.”
On Wednesday, kids will be in the stands on Court Philippe Chatrier to watch Rune play against Casper Ruud. The talented teenager - who has improved his mentality over the years according to his coach - is is the first Danish man in the Open Era to advance to the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam.
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Earlier this season, the Dane made waves on the ATP Tour. He earned his maiden Top 10 win against Alexander Zverev in Munich, before he clinched his first ATP Tour title later that week in Germany. By reaching the last eight on his debut in Paris, the 19-year-old has made his biggest splash yet.
Ruud will take a 3-0 ATP Head2Head series lead into his match with Rune, but whatever happens, the Dane will leave Paris with his head held high.
For the 19-year-old, it is just another step on the pathway to his ultimate goal.
”My ultimate goal is to be No. 1 in the World. I'm not going to hide it, because it is and it's always been [my goal],” Rune said following his win against Tsitsipas. “I know there is a long way. There has been even a longer way, but now I'm getting closer and closer. I believe in myself, and also being capable of beating these kind of players, not only one time but also in a Grand Slam where we all know that they want to perform at their best.”
If Rune can continue to climb the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, he might reward himself with a ‘cheat meal’ to celebrate his efforts and for the 19-year-old, his choice of food would be simple.
“I would probably have either pizza or a burger as my main course and then probably a chocolate mousse,” Rune recently told ATPTour.com. “That is very good in France.”
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The first two Roland Garros quarter-final matches will take place on Tuesday, with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal ready to go to battle for the 59th time. It is a blockbuster clash that is set to light up the night session on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The early action will see Carlos Alcaraz look to create more history when he takes on World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in a repeat of the recent Mutua Madrid Open final, which the Spaniard won.
In the doubles, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury will continue their quest for a third Grand Slam title together.
[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs [5] Rafael Nadal (ESP)
In one of the biggest matches on of the season, World No. 1 Djokovic and 13-time Roland Garros champion Nadal will collide in a colossal battle as they prepare to write another chapter into their long-running rivalry when they meet in the quarter-finals at the clay-court major.
Djokovic clawed past Nadal in the semi-finals in Paris en route to the title last season and will take a 30-28 ATP Head2Head series lead into the clash, in what will be their first meeting in a year. However, despite his defeat last season, Nadal holds the advantage in the French capital. He has won seven of their nine meetings, including victories in three championship matches.
“I haven’t played this kind of match for the past three months, so [it is] going to be a big challenge for me,” Nadal said when looking ahead to the match. “Of course he already won I think [his] past nine matches in a row, winning in Rome and now winning here in straight sets every match. Probably he will be confident. I know how my situation is and I accept it well. I going to fight for it.”
The Spaniard lifted the trophy at the Australian Open in January and is aiming to capture a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title this week. He was pushed to a fifth set for just the third time at Roland Garros in the fourth round against Felix Auger-Aliassime, but survived to improve to 109-3 at the major.
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Djokovic arrived in Paris off the back of capturing a record-extending 38th ATP Masters 1000 crown in Rome. So far, the 35-year-old has not put a foot wrong, advancing in straight sets in all four matches.
“I'm glad that I didn't spend too much time on the court myself up to quarter-finals, knowing that playing him in Roland Garros is always a physical battle, along with everything else,” Djokovic said following his win over Diego Schwartzman.
“It's a huge challenge and probably the biggest one that you can have here in Roland Garros,” Djokovic said. “I'm ready for it… I like the way I have been feeling, the way I have been hitting the ball. I will focus on what I need to do.”
Two-time Roland Garros titlist Djokovic is looking to draw level with rival Nadal on 21 Grand Slams this week. The top seed, who is 16-4 on the season, will be aiming to inflict just a fourth defeat of the year on Nadal, with the World No. 5 targeting a fourth tour-level title of the season in the French capital.
In a match that has been highly anticipated since the draw was made, expect fireworks as Djokovic and Nadal aim to light up Paris once again.
[6] (ESP) Carlos Alcaraz vs Alexander Zverev [3] (GER)
Alcaraz became the youngest Roland Garros quarter-finalist since Djokovic in 2006 when he cruised past Karen Khachanov to book his spot in the last eight. The 19-year-old Spaniard has lit up the Tour all season with his performances and will look to create more history when he faces Zverev for the second time this month.
The World No. 6 defeated the German in the Madrid final to lift his tour-leading fourth trophy on the season. Alcaraz, who saved a match point against Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round, has won his past 14 matches and will enter the match high in confidence as he continues his search for a first Grand Slam title in what is just his second appearance in Paris.
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After rallying from two-sets-to-love down against Argentine Sebastian Baez in the second round, Zverev swept aside Brandon Nakashima and Bernabe Zapata Miralles to reach the quarter-finals in Paris for the fourth time.
Despite his defeat in Madrid, the World No. 3 leads Alcaraz 2-1 in their ATP Head2Head series, with the 25-year-old triumphing in Acapulco and Vienna last season. Zverev heads into the match holding a 14-4 record on clay this year, while Alcaraz is 32-3 on the season (19-1 on clay).
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Doubles QFs Continue
The final two quarter-final matches will take place on Tuesday, with a host of top teams in action.
Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury will continue their quest for a third Grand Slam title together when they face Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek. The top seeds lifted the trophy in Monte Carlo last month and have yet to drop a set in Paris.
Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski have won a Tour-leading four crowns together this year and are No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Teams Rankings. The Dutch-British tandem will play fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos for a place in the semi-finals. Granollers and Zeballos have earned six titles together but are still searching for their maiden trophy of the year.
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Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski continued to bring their best form to the Roland Garros clay on Sunday when they cruised past all-American duo Mackenzie McDonald and Tommy Paul in the third round.
The Dutch-British pairing struck 32 winners to McDonald and Paul’s 12 in a 6-3, 6-2 victory as they charged to their second Grand Slam quarter-final of the year. Koolhof and Skupski, who currently lead the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Team Rankings after picking up four titles in 2022, have dropped just one set in Paris so far.
The sixth seeds face a tough test in the last eight, however, where fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos await. The Spanish-Argentine team beat Jonny O'Mara and Jackson Withrow 6-1, 6-1 to advance to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros for the first time in three attempts.
Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer came good in the deciding set to prevail in their third-round meeting with seventh seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus. Arevalo and Rojer ran out 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 winners to advance to their maiden Grand Slam quarter-final together. The 12th-seeded Dutch-El Salvadorian pairing is chasing a third tour-level title of the year in Paris.
Arevalo and Rojer will next face Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez after they overcame Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(6). Matos and Vega Hernandez are making their Grand Slam debut as a team at Roland Garros, and they held their nerve to clinch a deciding set tie-break against their Belgian opponents. The Brazilian-Spanish pair has already enjoyed success on clay this year, lifting a maiden tour-level trophy in Marrakech in April.
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For the record 59th time in their ATP Head2Head series, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will meet again, this time in the Roland Garros quarter-finals.
It will be the pair's first clash since Djokovic handed Nadal just his third loss at Roland Garros in last year's semi-finals. However, the Serbian has won just two of their nine meetings at the clay-court major.
Djokovic's lead in their legendary ATP Head2Head rivalry now stands at 30-28. Before their blockbuster showdown, ATPTour.com breaks down a history of the duo's 58 career matches:
2021 Roland Garros SF, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-2 Djokovic admitted before this clash that facing Nadal at Roland Garros is "not like any other match". The Serbian knew the 13-time champion was 105-2 at this tournament and that beating him would take an incredible effort. And that is exactly what the World No. 1 delivered in front of a raucous crowd inside Court Philippe-Chatrier, creating the most electric atmosphere since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Djokovic did not panic when he fell behind 0-5 in the first set, which seemed like a mirror image of when Nadal won the opener 6-0 in last year's Paris final. This time, Djokovic settled down and battled back to win three games in the first set to dig into the match. He then methodically played with aggression to the Spaniard's forehand corner, pinning him there to prevent the lefty from taking the initiative with his biggest weapon. The World No. 1 let slip an opportunity to serve out the third set, and faced a set point two games later. But Djokovic hit a daring backhand drop shot to escape that game, and played a nearly flawless tie-break to take a two-sets-to-one lead. Nadal showed his typical grit to take a 2-0 lead and make a push to force a decider, but the 34-year-old won the final six games of the match to earn one of the biggest victories of his career.
“[It was] just one of these nights and matches that you will remember forever,” Djokovic said.
2021 Internazionali BNL d'Italia Final, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 7-5, 1-6, 6-3
Sixteen years on from beating Guillermo Coria over five sets for the 2005 Rome title, Nadal captured his 10th crown in the Eternal City with a disciplined performance over two hours and 49 minutes. Despite multiple momentum shifts in the championship clash, Nadal has now won 102 straight clay-court matches after winning the first set.
In a closely fought first set, Nadal recovered from 0-2 down and took his chance at 5-5, with a forehand winner down the line. With a dip in Nadal’s intensity, noticeably his groundstroke length, Djokovic reeled off five straight games from 1-1 in the second set. Having saved two break points at 2-2 in the decider, Nadal claimed 12 of the next 13 points to seize control of the final.
Nadal, who has now won 62 of his 88 career titles on clay, struck 26 of his 37 winners off his forehand wing. Read Match Report
2020 Roland Garros Final, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 Djokovic won the Internazionali BNL d'Italia leading into Roland Garros, and when he reached the Paris final, the Serbian had a 37-1 record on the 2020 season. But that mattered little to Nadal, who played an extraordinary match to defeat the top seed in two hours and 41 minutes. Nadal had not beaten Djokovic in straight sets at a Grand Slam since the 2008 Roland Garros semi-finals, and this was the Spaniard's most lopsided win at a major in their rivalry.
Nadal deserves credit for his relentless offence from the baseline. Not only did the lefty crush 31 winners in the match, but he only made 14 unforced errors. The more you go for it, the more often you typically miss. But on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the Spaniard barely missed at all.
Djokovic was trying to win his 18th Grand Slam title and his second trophy at Roland Garros. He could have become the first man in the Open Era to complete two Career Grand Slams, but 52 unforced errors were his undoing. Read Match Report
2020 ATP Cup Final, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 6-2, 7-6(4) Entering the inaugural ATP Cup final, Djokovic had won 17 consecutive sets on hard courts against his Spanish rival. The Serbian continued that trend inside Ken Rosewall Arena in front of a raucous crowd, getting off to a quick start and never looking back against the World No. 1.
This match was critical for not only Djokovic, but also for his country. When the World No. 2 and Nadal walked on the court, Spain held a 1-0 lead in the tie. But Djokovic was up for the task, winning all but four service points in the opener to storm through the first set in 39 minutes.
The second set lasted nearly twice as long (76 minutes), as Nadal ramped up the aggression to put the pressure on Djokovic. The Spaniard serve-and-volleyed 10 times, winning eight of those points, after employing the tactic just once in the first set. But Djokovic completed his undefeated singles run at the ATP Cup by remaining calm in the second-set tie-break, winning his sixth match from six tries in Brisbane and Sydney combined.
2019 Internazionali BNL d'Italia Final, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 Nadal entered his 50th Masters 1000 final pursuing his first trophy of any kind in 2019. The Spaniard had not taken that long to win a title since 2004, the year he claimed his first tour-level victory.
But Nadal would not be denied against Djokovic, the top seed. Although the Serbian saved all four break points he faced in the second set to force a decider, Nadal earned 17 break points in the match, and that proved the difference. Nadal won a higher rate of his second-serve points (61%) than Djokovic did his first-serve points (60%), helping him earn a title for the 16th consecutive year.
Djokovic spent two hours and 12 minutes of more time on court than Nadal entering the final, and that showed in his slow start as well as in the third set. The Serbian used his drop shot well throughout the week, but lost many of those points against Nadal with the trophy on the line, and the Spaniard showed no hesitation from the baseline, especially with his forehand down the line.
2019 Australian Open Final, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 In an eagerly anticipated match-up, a repeat of their 2012 final in Melbourne Park, Djokovic started with a bang to win the first three games. Nadal, with his refined service motion and potent forehand, was unable to create an opening and through two sets Djokovic had lost just six of his service points and committed four unforced errors. Nadal continued to fight and created his lone break point at 2-3, 30/40 in the third set, but Djokovic was in irresistible form and put together one of the best performances of his career.
In capturing his 15th Grand Slam championship crown, the 73rd tour-level trophy of his career, the Serbian broke a tie with Pete Sampras (14). It was also a record-breaking seventh trophy at the Australian Open, moving past Roy Emerson and Roger Federer. Read Match Report
2018 Wimbledon SF, grass, Djokovic d. Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(9), 3-6, 10-8 It was clear that Djokovic had climbed closer to his best form ahead of the pair's semi-final at The Championships, hanging tough against Nadal in Rome, reaching the Roland Garros quarter-finals and finishing runner-up at The Queen's Club. But could the Serbian overcome the greatest challenge of his comeback from a right elbow injury against World No. 1 Nadal, who was 35-2 on the season?
It turned out that the great rivals were evenly matched, with Djokovic saving five break points in a thrilling fifth set before triumphing after five hours and 15 minutes. And fittingly, they both hit 73 winners to just 42 unforced errors in the classic.
Djokovic earned his first Grand Slam semi-final win against Nadal to reach his fifth Wimbledon final, claiming the signature victory of his comeback to advance to his first major championship match since the 2016 US Open. Nadal had won 16 consecutive matches in the last four at Slams, but he bowed out after making his deepest run at the All England Club since 2011, when he lost in the final.
2018 Internazionali BNL d'Italia SF, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 7-6(4), 63 Entering the pair's first meeting in more than a year, Nadal was the clear favourite. The top seed had won 50 consecutive sets on clay — a record for the most sets claimed in a row on a single surface — before falling in the Madrid quarter-finals the previous week. And it was tough to tell how high Djokovic, still recovering from a right elbow injury, would be able to raise his level.
But the Serbian played excellent tennis, especially in the first set, comfortably finding the sharpest of angles from the backhand corner to give Nadal fits. But toward the end of the opening set, the Spaniard began to unleash his forehand down the line, therefore changing court positioning and taking control of baseline rallies, leading to his eventual victory.
It was an important win for Nadal, earning his 356th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 match victory to break a tie with Roger Federer (355) for the most in history. The 31-year-old also moved within one triumph of reclaiming the No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings after dropping to No. 2 with his loss in Madrid. The triumph not only showed Nadal's great form, but also that Djokovic, despite competing in just his first semi-final of 2018, is on his way back to his top level.
2017 Mutua Madrid Open SF, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 6-2, 6-4 During their historic 50th FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting, Nadal decidedly turned the tables on Djokovic, thoroughly outplaying the defending champion to reach his eighth Mutua Madrid Open final. Djokovic had owned their rivalry during recent years. The Serbian had won 15 consecutive sets and seven straight matches against Nadal.
It had been nearly three years since the “King of Clay” had prevailed against Djokovic – the 2014 Roland Garros final. But Nadal dominated from the start during their 50th meeting in Madrid, aggressively smashing forehands and confidently hitting backhand winners. Djokovic would make it a match in the second set but Nadal served out the final after one hour and 38 minutes.
The win further solidified Nadal's place in history as the greatest clay-court player and showed the tennis world that the Spaniard is back in top form. He improved to 14-0 in clay-court matches this season and will play for his third clay-court crown of the year, after winning a record 10th title at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters and Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell earlier this season.
2016 Internazionali BNL d'Italia QF, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 75 76(4) In their closest contest for almost two years, Djokovic rallied from a break down in both sets to thwart an in-form and enthusiastic Nadal. The Serb extended his recent mastery over the Spaniard to move into the Rome semi-finals for the 10th consecutive year. Djokovic has now won the past seven matches and 15 sets against Nadal.
The World No. 1 leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 26-23. He also moved within two matches of winning his 30th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title.
2016 BNP Paribas Open SF, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 76(5) 62 Djokovic earned the opportunity to play for an unprecedented fifth BNP Paribas Open title after edging Nadal in the semi-finals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. In the pair’s 48th meeting – an Open Era record on the ATP World Tour – the Serb claimed his sixth straight win over Nadal and has won 13 consecutive sets against the Spaniard.
Djokovic would go on to win the BNP Paribas Open final and join Nadal with a record 27 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles. The World No. 1 has won seven of the past 10 Masters 1000 events. Despite the loss, however, Nadal said he gained confidence from playing Djokovic better than he has in their recent matches.
2016 Qatar ExxonMobil Open F, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 61 62 Djokovic made sure the lone blip in his jaw-dropping 2015 campaign - a Doha quarter-final defeat to Ivo Karlovic - was a distant memory. The World No. 1 captured his sixth consecutive ATP World Tour title and 60th overall at the tour-level. He became just the 10th player in the Open Era to reach the 60-title milestone, drawing level with Andre Agassi in a tie for ninth.
After streaking to a 6-1 first set after just 31 minutes, Djokovic continued to apply pressure on Nadal, suffocating the Spaniard from the baseline with a ruthless display of aggression. He converted his third break point in the opening game of the second set and secured another break to all but seal the match at 4-1. He would wrap up the match after 73 minutes, striking a total 30 winners to just 13 unforced errors.
The Serb leads the historic FedEx ATP Head2Head for the first time at 24-23. He has now claimed 11 consecutive sets since Nadal prevailed in the 2014 Roland Garros final.
2015 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals SF, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 63 63 Djokovic turned in a comprehensive performance in reaching a fourth consecutive final at The O2 in London, advancing to an 85th tour-level title match.
Djokovic was on the attack immediately against Nadal's own serve, pouncing on a short second serve for a return winner in the very first point and breaking to love for a quick 2-0 lead. The Belgrade native struck 12 winners and just one unforced error through the first three games. He was in control at the baseline, dictating play on his own terms and most importantly refusing to yield an inch on his own serve.
Patterns persisted in the second set, with Djokovic using his agility to stand tall on the baseline and he would break for 3-2 after a 25-shot rally. The Serb launched a backhand winner down-the-line on the run to give him his first match point at 5-3 and he would capitalise with another backhand winner - this time going cross-court.
With his consecutive finals reached streak up to 15 tournaments, Djokovic became the first player to claim 30 match wins against Top 10 opponents in a single season.
2015 China Open F, hard, Djokovic d. Nadal 62 62 Djokovic extended his run of dominance in Beijing to 29-0 with a gritty victory over Nadal in the final. It was the Serb's seventh win over Nadal in their last eight meetings, a run that began at the 2013 China Open final. The World No. 1, who had already clinched the year-end top spot in the Emirates ATP Rankings, improved to a stunning 68-5 in 2015 and 23-4 against Top 10 opponents.
Djokovic would get off to a flying start in his quest for a sixth Beijing title, breaking immediately in the first game and again for 5-2 after turning aside a pair of break chances in the sixth game. Nadal would receive a visit from the trainer for an apparent leg ailment midway through the third game of the second set and Djokovic would pounce, breaking for 2-1. He did not look back, surging to the title after 91 minutes. The top seed struck 23 winners, including seven aces.
"This has definitely been my most successful tournament," said Djokovic during the trophy ceremony. "Beijing has been a lucky place for me. In 2008, I remember the Olympic Games when Rafa won gold and the tradition of Asian tennis started here. I played a great tournament overall and continued playing well today. Rafa and I have played 45 times and I hope that continues."
2015 Roland Garros QF, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 75 63 61 On his seventh attempt, Djokovic finally dethroned nine-time champion Nadal on the red clay of Roland Garros, handing the Spaniard just his second loss in Paris and maintaining his hopes of completing the career Grand Slam.
In one of the most highly anticipated Grand Slam quarter-finals in history, Djokovic raced to a 4-love lead in the first set before sixth-seeded Nadal battled back to level the match. Despite the momentum shift, the Serb would find his footing to claim the first set in 67 minutes.
Djokovic was dominant on his serve in the second set, claiming 16 of 18 straight service points, before eventually taking a two-set lead. He carried that momentum into the final set, limiting Nadal to just three total forehand winners and claiming victory in two hours and 26 minutes.
2015 Monte-Carlo SF, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 63 63 Djokovic reached his fourth Monte-Carlo by denying Rafael Nadal once again at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. Their 43rd meeting with a tale of the seventh game. Djokovic is now riding a 16-match winning streak and is on course to capture four straight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles.
Nadal took a 2-0 lead at the start of the match, as Djokovic – the form player of 2015 – was tested, but regrouped to win three straight games. In an 11-minute seventh game, which saw Djokovic save one break, his greater weight of shots eventually over-stretched Nadal. Djokovic broke for a 5-3 lead, but Nadal battled throughout the 43-minute opener.
Djokovic playing on, or inside, the baseline, withstood a stern examination of his backhand, to create two break point chances in the opening game but he could not make a breakthrough. Nadal led 40/0 it 3-3, but was left to rue two forehand errors and a double fault as Djokovic went on to claim the 19-point game. Djokovic earned his 29th match win of the season with a backhand winner into space.
2014 Roland Garros, clay, Nadal d. Djokovic 36 75 62 64 Nadal prevented Djokovic from completing a career Grand Slam, as he retained his No. 1 Emirates ATP Ranking and became the first player in history to win nine titles at a major. He also drew level with Pete Sampras at No. 2 in the Grand Slam title-leaders list on 14 major crowns.
The Spaniard had lost eight of his past nine sets against Djokovic entering the Roland Garros final, and once again fell behind to start the match as Djokovic broke in the eighth game and survived a pair of break points. Though the winner of the first set had gone on to triumph nine times in their 11 previous Grand Slam meetings, a free-swinging Nadal drew level at a set apiece with a break and quickly raced out to a 3-0 lead in the third. The Serbian found renewed energy in the fourth set, recovering a break in the seventh game, but was unable to hold serve to stay in the match as he double-faulted on championship point.
2014 Internazionali BNL d'Italia Final, Rome, clay, Djokovic d. Nadal 46 63 63 Djokovic pulled closer to Nadal in the battle for No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings by claiming his third Rome title and 19th at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level. It was the Serb's second triumph over his rival in a Rome final, having prevailed in the 2011 title match.
Nadal entered their 41st encounter having spent over 10 hours on court through the semi-finals, but the seven-time champion showed no signs of fatigue in the early stages. He would surge to a double-break lead in the first set behind a ferocious offensive onslaught, and held on to take the opener in 46 minutes. In their previous 10 meetings, the player who had won the first set went on to win the match. Djokovic was ready to buck the trend, finding his range and rhythm in the second and third sets and turning the tables with a tenacious attacking display. He would hold Nadal to winning under 28 per cent of second serve points won for the rest of the match, firing return winners with ease and standing tall on the baseline. Djokovic's 46 winners (including 15 from the backhand side) and six aces were too much for Nadal to overcome.
The Roland Garros fourth round begins on Sunday, with men's singles play exclusively on Court Philippe Chatrier and Court Suzanne Lenglen. Four of the tournament's Top 6 seeds are on the schedule as the stacked top half of the draw resumes play, with defending champion Novak Djokovic, 13-time champion Rafael Nadal, third seed Alexander Zverev and sixth seed Carlos Alcaraz all seeking quarter-final berths.
All of the Top 8 seeds are through to the Roland Garros fourth round, the fourth time that has happened in Paris across the last eight years (2015, 2017, 2019).
In doubles action, the quarter-final stage will be set following Sunday's play, with four matches on tap.
[6] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [21] Karen Khachanov
Alcaraz was a surprise quarter-finalist at the 2021 US Open, when he beat Stefanos Tsitsipas and Cameron Norrie in a breakout fortnight. It may be an even bigger surprise if he does not reach the quarters at Roland Garros.
The 19-year-old — who had already won his first ATP Tour title (Umag) when he made that New York run — entered Paris as one of the title favourites. His performance at the clay-court major has not disappointed; entering Roland Garros on a 10-match win streak following titles in Barcelona and Madrid, he has extended that streak to 13.
The Spaniard saved a match point in a five-set epic against countryman Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round but avoided any such drama in a dominant three-set win over 27th seed Sebastian Korda on Friday.
"Very happy to be in the fourth round for the first time," Alcaraz tweeted in Spanish after his win. "But we want more!"
Alcaraz took the match to the American, using his offensive gameplan to great effect.
"I'm aggressive all the time. It doesn't matter that if I am losing, winning, tough moment, tough match," he said, when asked what differentiates him from other players. "I keep my style the whole match. I would say that that's the difference."
Alcaraz will know that Karen Khachanov is also a very aggressive player, though the two are contesting their first ATP Head2Head matchup.
"I just practised with him just once, but I watch other matches from him, so I know that it's going to be a tough match," the Spaniard previewed. "He's a tough opponent and I like those matches."
The 21st seed won three four-setters to advance to the fourth round, beating Nuno Borges, Hugo Dellien and 10th seed Cameron Norrie on the way. He had four clay wins on the season entering Roland Garros, including a run to the Belgrade semi-finals, where he lost in three sets to Djokovic.
Khachanov is seeking his second run to the Roland Garros quarter-finals (2019) and his third Grand Slam quarter-final overall (Wimbledon 2021). He also claimed the silver medal at last summer's Tokyo Olympics.
[5] Rafael Nadal (ESP) vs. [9] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN)
Nadal meets Felix Auger-Aliassime in the lone fourth-round matchup between Top 10 seeds. It's the second ATP Head2Head meeting between the pair, but the first since "Uncle Toni" began working with the Canadian in 2021. Toni Nadal coached his nephew Rafa from childhood and was a part of his team until stepping away in 2017. He was with Nadal for 16 of his record 21 Grand Slam singles titles, and 10 of his record 13 Roland Garros crowns.
"I already talked with Toni after my match," Nadal said following a straight-sets win over 27th seed Botic van de Zandschulp. "For me it's very simple. He's my uncle. I don't think he will be able to want me to lose, without a doubt, but he's a professional and he's with another player. I don't know what's going to happen, if he's going to stay in the box or not, but I don't care. I have zero problem with that. So it's not a story at all for me.
"I know the feelings that we have between each other. I know he wants the best for me. Now he's helping another player. But honestly, for me, it's zero problem, and I know he wants the best for me."
Nadal previously faced Auger-Aliassime in Madrid in 2019, earning a 6-3, 6-3 victory. But the Canadian was 18 at the time and had just broken into the Top 30 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. He enters this fourth-round matchup at a career-high of No. 9, having reached the quarter-finals or better at each of the past three majors, including his run to the 2021 US Open semi-finals.
"I think I'm a much different player than I was three years ago," the 21-year-old said, reflecting on "good memories" from his previous meeting with Nadal.
Addressing the situation with Toni, the Canadian is not expecting any inside information on his opponent.
"I don't know if I need insight on how Rafa plays, to be honest. I think we all know what he does well," he said with a smile. "I don't think Toni will tell me anything new about how Rafa plays.
"But we had the discussion — it was black and white from the first time we started working together. We knew it was a possibility that eventually I would play Rafa when I'm working with Toni. And actually now he's present here in this Grand Slam. But I think Toni will watch from a neutral place and enjoy the match."
Auger-Aliassime is in strong form, having reached the quarter-finals in each of his past four ATP Tour events, all on clay. But he has not beaten a player above him in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings in that span, with a Madrid win over World No. 12 Jannik Sinner his best result.
Nadal holds a 6-2 record on clay this season, only competing in Madrid and Rome in addition to Roland Garros after a rib fracture forced a six-week layoff following his defeat to Taylor Fritz in the Indian Wells final. That defeat ended the Spaniard's perfect 20-0 start to the season, a personal best.
Both Nadal and Djokovic are seeking their 16th Roland Garros quarter-final as they look to extend the record they share. In the overall Grand Slam quarter-final count, Roger Federer leads with 58.
Most Slam QFs
Most RG QFs
RG QF Years
Federer - 58
Djokovic - 15
'06-08, '10-21
Djokovic - 51
Nadal - 15
'05-08, '10-15, '17-21
Nadal - 45
Federer - 12
'01, '05-13, '15
[1] Novak Djokovic (SER) vs. [15] Diego Schwartzman (ARG)
Djokovic, like Nadal, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune, has not dropped a set on his way to the fourth round. In fact, the Serbian has not dropped a set in any of his past eight matches, dating back to his Rome title run. The World No. 1 has breezed past Yoshihito Nishioka, Alex Molcan and Aljaz Bedene in Paris, dropping more than three games in a set just once, in a tie-break third set against Molcan.
Djokovic is 6-0 in his ATP Head2Head series against Schwartzman, but had to come back from two-sets-to-one down to earn a win at Roland Garros in 2017. The Serbian holds a 15-3 set record against the Argentine, taking the past eight in a row. But the pair have not met since the 2020 Nitto ATP Finals, and Djokovic is well aware of the threat his opponent poses.
"He's one of the quickest players we have on Tour, and his best results in his career came on clay, so of course he's a tough opponent without a doubt," he assessed. "I know him well. We played some really good matches on different surfaces.
"So playing against him, you always have to expect another ball coming back. I'm ready for the physical battle. I haven't spent too much time on the court. I have been striking the ball really well, so I look forward to that challenge."
Schwartzman raced past 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros for the fourth time. He has never lost at that stage, advancing to one semi-final (2020) and two quarter-finals (2018, 2021). He holds a 20-7 clay record on the season and reached consecutive finals in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro final in February.
[3] Alexander Zverev (GER) vs. Bernabe Zapata Miralles (ESP)
Zverev saved a match point and came back from two sets down to beat Sebastian Baez in the second round. He made the most of his second life by edging #NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima, 7-6(2), 6-3, 7-6(5), on Friday to reach the fourth round for the 10th straight time at a Grand Slam.
The German reached two quarter-finals in his first 18 majors, but has been a second-week regular since 2020. He came within two points of his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2020 US Open and reached three additional semi-finals dating back to that year's Australian Open.
"In the early stage of my career I think I was struggling with Grand Slams a lot," Zverev said. "I was winning other tournaments and going deep at other tournaments, and Grand Slams were always the ones that I was struggling with.
"I'm happy that I can say that I'm hopefully also going to be stable [at the Grand Slams] in the future."
Qualfier Bernabe Zapata Miralles had just one Grand Slam win in three previous main-draw appearances, but has scored upset wins over Americans Taylor Fritz and John Isner to secure the best result of his career. The World No. 131 is up to No. 96 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, all but assuring a breakthrough into the Top 100 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings following the tournament.
As one of two unseeded men in the fourth round alongside #NextGenATP Dane Holger Rune, the Spaniard has flown under the radar in Paris. His lack of experience at tour-level — where he is 6-7 — could prove an advantage, with Zverev having relatively little knowledge of his style of play.
Zverev admitted to being unfamiliar with his opponent but credited Zapata Miralles for his strong week.
"Obviously he's having the week of his life here, and playing a lot of great tennis," he said. "So I need to be at my best to give myself the best chance to win against him. I think when you have a run like that, you want to keep it going. He's going to look forward to that."
The 25-year-old from Valencia bids to become the first qualifier and lowest-ranked player to reach the Roland Garros men’s quarter-finals since No. 140 Marcelo Filippini in 1999.
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Doubles Third Round
Fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos headline the doubles action with their matchup against Jackson Withrow and Jonny O'Mara, while seventh seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski take on Americans Mackenzie McDonald and Tommy Paul.
In the only matchup between seeded teams, seventh seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus face 12th seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer.
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Holger Rune shined in his Court Philippe Chatrier debut Saturday night, fending off home favourite Hugo Gaston and the Paris crowd to extend his dream debut at Roland Garros. The #NextGenATP Dane scored an impressive 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win to set up a fourth-round showdown with fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The match was a great spectacle, filled with lengthy rallies and plenty of twists despite the straightforward scoreline. There were 10 combined breaks of serve, with the 19-year-old Rune converting on seven of his 11 break chances.
Gaston ignited a party atmosphere under the Chatrier lights by breaking in the opening game of the match, but Rune responded brilliantly by winning five straight games to quiet the crowd. After the Dane cruised through the second set with a pair of breaks, he raced out to a 5-1 lead in the third to put one foot in the fourth round.
But neither Gaston nor the Paris crowd gave up, and Toulouse native closed to 3-5 much to the delight of his supporters. Stepping to the line to serve out the match for the second time, Rune got the better of some lengthy rallies to get over the line without any additional drama.
Both men eclipsed 30 winners, with Rune hitting 38 to his opponent's 31. Many of those winners came at the end of punishing rallies, with Ruud frequently pulling his opponent out of position. The Dane's control of all aspects of the match was underlined by his healthy edge in short (plus seven), medium (plus nine) and long (plus seven) rallies.
Rune, playing in his third Grand Slam, picked up his first victory at that level by upsetting 14th seed Denis Shapovalov in the Paris opening round. He beat Switzerland's Henri Laaksonen in the second round before getting past the 21-year-old Gaston. The Dane has not dropped a set on the fortnight, and only dropped more than three games in a set once, when Shapovalov took him to a third-set tie-break.
The 2019 Roland Garros boys' singles champion and a former junior World No. 1, Rune made his ATP Tour debut in 2021 and his Grand Slam debut at the 2021 US Open, where he took a set off Novak Djokovic in the opening round. He took two sets off Soonwoo Kwon in a five-set first-round loss at the 2022 Australian Open and claimed his first tour-level title in Munich on May 1.
The 19-year-old's rise to a career-high Pepperstone ATP Ranking of No. 40 has been a quiet one, certainly compared to his contemporary Carlos Alcaraz, but the Dane maintains a strong sense of self-belief — a prerequisite for such success at an early age. While Alcaraz is known for his powerful and all-action game, Rune exudes a quiet confidence with a smooth and finesse-based attack which was on full display on centre court Saturday night.
Rune, who first broke into the Top 100 in January, began playing tennis at age six with his sister, who is four years older. The 19-year-old describes himself as relaxed and even lazy off the court, and is a fan of football and basketball as well as cinema. Before he made his breakthrough on the ATP Tour, Rune was a hitting partner at the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals, where he got the chance to hit with the likes of Roger Federer and Djokovic. He even got some serving tips from former World No. 2 Goran Ivanisevic, Djokovic's coach.
Fittingly, Rune will meet Tsitsipas, the winner of that year's Nitto ATP Finals title, in the fourth round. It will be their first ATP Head2Head meeting.
The Dane is one of two unseeded players among the last 16 standing at Roland Garros fourth round, alongside Bernabe Zapata Miralles.
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Casper Ruud came from behind against Lorenzo Sonego on Saturday and went the distance to advance to the Roland Garros fourth round for the first time. The sixth seed used a timely late surge to fend off the Italian, 6-2, 6-7(3), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Ruud is the first Norwegian to reach the Roland Garros fourth round. The 23-year-old reached the third round each of the past three years, while his father Christian Ruud reached that stage in 1995 and 1999. The father-and-son duo are the only Norwegians to have progressed that far at the clay-court Grand Slam.
Sonego was six points from victory at 4-4, 30/30 in the fourth set, but Ruud played some of his best tennis to win six of the next seven games and set himself on course for victory. He scored his fifth break on his ninth break point with a forehand winner to edge ahead 3-1 in the deciding set, then lost just two points in his next three service games to close out the milestone win.
The steady Ruud finished the match with a clean 39-21 winners-to-errors count, while Sonego filled the stat sheet as he attempted to force the action, finishing with 62 winners and 47 unforced errors.
While the Norwegian advances to the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the second time (2021 Australian Open), Sonego was bidding for his third Grand Slam fourth round after reaching that stage at Roland Garros in 2020 and Wimbledon in 2021. From 2020-22, Ruud leads the ATP Tour in clay-court wins with 63. He also tops the Tour in clay titles (7) and finals (8), including trophy runs in Buenos Aires and Geneva this season.
Now bidding for his first major quarter-final, he will next face 12th seed Hubert Hurkacz, who moved past David Goffin 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 earlier on Saturday.
Ruud first broke into the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings last September, his reward for a breakout season that included five titles (four on clay) behind a perfect 5-0 record in finals. He reached a career-high of No. 7 in April after reaching the Miami ATP Masters 1000 final, the 10th and biggest title match of his career.
His Roland Garros breakthrough is far from the first time Ruud had made history for Norway. He is also the first Norwegian to break into the Top 10, win an ATP Tour title, reach an ATP Masters 1000 final and qualify for Nitto ATP Finals.
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Stefanos Tsitsipas’ 92-minute third-round win over Mikael Ymer at Roland Garros on Saturday proved relatively straightforward compared to his marathon battles with Lorenzo Musetti and Zdenek Kolar in the first two rounds at the clay-court Grand Slam. Yet despite the differing nature of the victory, the approach that took the Greek there remained the same.
“I had to do my job. I had to play my tennis. I wasn't really thinking of the ease that I could maybe create in terms of a result,” said the World No. 4 in his post-match press conference. "With my good efforts, the way I committed myself to every single point individually, the end was good.
“I was able to create a good result today with some good tennis and be overall consistent in many aspects of my game. Playing with a lot of depth and really staying patient. I wasn't thinking of the result. I was entirely focused on my play out there."
Tsitsipas holds high ambitions for another deep run in Paris, where he is now in the fourth round for a fourth consecutive year. Rather than emphasising the physical benefits of a straight-sets victory, however, the 2021 finalist was focussed on how the result boosts him mentally.
“It's a good thing to have a match like this every now and then,” he said. “Especially when you come in, when you walk into a match with so much confidence and believe that you can really structure your tactics and you feel the confidence of your game itself.
“Having built up through the matches before, having played a lot of rallies but having been in a lot of situations in a match, you are able to kind of awaken the mind a little bit and see the best opportunities and possibilities for yourself."
Despite his gruelling clashes with Musetti (which lasted three hours, 34 minutes) and Kolar (four hours, six minutes), Tsitsipas believes off-court changes he has made now allow him to maintain his challenge over a Grand Slam fortnight regardless of the amount of time spent on court.
“I respect the top three a lot for having been so incredibly consistent the last couple of years. These guys have pushed me to become a better athlete…Every day is a question: ‘What can I add?’
“I have improved certainly a lot when it comes to my diet. Looking back on the diet that I had, let's say, three or four years ago, it's nothing compared to what I have now. I'm very professional and very conscious of what I consume and what I eat every day.
“In terms of fitness, this is something that I have questioned a lot as well. How much more can I push and bring my body to the limits in order to be at ease when I'm on the court, and be able to withstand all that physical pressure of playing long matches and having to push after every single shot?”
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Tsitsipas’ new methods have powered the Greek to a strong 2022 season. He owns a Tour-leading 34 match wins this year and the Greek will hope that momentum can now carry him to a maiden Grand Slam title in Paris. The fourth seed feels taking a fresh perspective on his life on Tour can also help him achieve that goal.
“Of course the balance between life and career hasn't been easy, but I really feel in better control of my life right now,” said Tsitsipas. “Being focussed and having control around me without relying too much on other people's feelings and other people in general. I put myself a little bit more in front than I used to before, which I think has helped a lot.”
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Top seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury are in top form at Roland Garros. The American-British duo moved past Miomir Kecmanovic and Nicholas Monroe 6-3, 7-6(5) to reach the third round on Friday without dropping a set.
After arriving in Paris on a three-match losing streak, Ram and Salisbury have displayed the tennis that helped him clinch their first ATP Masters 1000 clay-court crown last month in Monte Carlo (d. Cabal and Farah). They’ll play Maxime Cressy and Feliciano Lopez for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos finished convincingly in their 6-2, 5-7, 6-0 win over Adrian Mannarino and Albano Olivetti. Granollers and Zeballos have rebounded strongly after a disappointing clay swing that saw them arrive with a 1-3 record. Next up for them are Jonny O’Mara and Jackson Withrow, who defeated Lorenzo Sonego and Andrea Vavassori 7-6(7), 7-6(4).
The popular pairing of Alexander Bublik and Thanasi Kokkinakis also advanced to the third round by defeating Marton Fucsovics and Frances Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3. Kokkinakis won his first Grand Slam doubles title at this year’s Australian Open (w/Kyrgios) and Bublik finished runner-up last year at this event (w/Golubev). Standing between them and a quarter-final spot is Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek.
Mackenzie McDonald and Tommy Paul scored the upset of the day by defeating No. 10 seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-3. Other teams to reach the third round on Friday include No. 7 seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus, No. 12 seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer, Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, and Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara.
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At the age of 19, Carlos Alcaraz has already won two ATP Masters 1000 titles and is one of the leading favourites at Roland Garros this fortnight.
Possessing an impressive physique that has powered his meteoric rise, the Spaniard let ATPTour.com into a few of his dietary secrets, also discussing his room for improvement in the kitchen and the Murcian kebab scene.
Let’s say you have to cook tonight, either for yourself or friends. What do you cook and why?
Right now, I’d tell my friends to bring their own food in case my food isn’t any good (laughs). And I would make them, I don’t know... meat and potatoes. That’s it. I just don’t know how to cook much. But, actually, I’d like to cook them a good baked fish. Yes, that’s it, salt-baked seabass with roasted potatoes. That would be a good dinner.
Are you that bad in the kitchen?
I only know the basics. Pasta, tortillas... I’d like to know more things because I like cooking, but I still haven’t had the time to learn.
Is learning to cook something you want to do or a real goal for the future?
I’ll do it at some point, yes. But in Murcia I live with my parents, so I don’t cook. If I live on my own one day, yes, I’d like to learn to cook for myself and cook for people who come over. Also, to look after myself in that regard when I’m in Murcia.
Are you strict with your diet?
I don’t follow a diet as such, but I do try to look after myself. I’ve really learnt what’s good for my career, and what isn’t. But when I have to go on a bit of a diet, I do.
How have you learned to identify what is good for you to eat?
I don’t really have a nutritionist, but my physio, Juanjo Moreno, knows a lot. He is a really curious guy and he tries to study nutrition and gives me advice at tournaments. I’ve gradually learnt.
What is your diet like?
I eat a lot of fish, more than meat. I eat quite a lot of pasta, that’s good for athletes. And I’m lucky that I can eat a lot without putting on weight in terms of fat. It’s good for me to eat quite a lot, and that’s what I do. I also eat a lot of salad, a lot of rice... I love sushi! It’s so good.
Do you have any guilty pleasures?
I’m not really into desserts or sweets, but when I’m in Murcia I do occasionally like to get my hamburgers, my pizzas... I really love that.
Is there anything you can’t eat?
No. I eat what I want... I really try to look after myself, but if I see something I like, I’m really happy to have it. There are people who won’t eat a certain food, but not me. I’m happy to eat whatever they put in front of me.
Do people poke fun at you for eating so much?
I just like eating... my friends say to me ‘You really eat a lot, but you don’t get fat, do you?’ And I tell them ‘You don’t eat enough, eat more.’ They say ‘It’s easy for you to say as you don’t put on weight.’ That’s how it generally goes.
What do you eat the night before a match?
Sushi, I have that a lot.
What do you eat just before a match and how many hours beforehand do you eat it?
I have a plate of mixed gluten-free pasta. That is, pasta with and without gluten, with a cocoa cream called Ambrosía that has olive oil and dates in it. I normally eat all that, more or less, one and a half hours before a match.
And what do you eat during a match?
When it’s match time, I normally have a bar with dates, egg whites and, I think, guarana in it. And I normally have bananas, too. I’ve been eating that for a long time, like a year and a half, and I really do like it.
What can you eat during a week with no tournament that you can’t when you’re competing?
There aren’t many changes. The only thing that changes is supplements. In pre-season, for example, I have more, but that’s it.
If you go to one of your favourite restaurants, what do you order?
I really like pasta...I don’t have a favourite restaurant as such, but if I go to a good one and it has pasta, I normally order it.
What would people be surprised to learn that you like eating?
Kebabs. I eat them a lot when I’m in Murcia. But really, I’m very simple. I don’t think I’d surprise anyone with what I eat.
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Andrey Rublev navigated his second four-setter of the Roland Garros fortnight to advance to the the third round on Thursday. Two years after reaching the quarter-finals in Paris, he is into the third round for the second time behind a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 result over Federico Delbonis.
The Russian dropped the opening set of his Roland Garros campaign against Soonwoo Kwon before storming back to win that match, and was similarly assured after dropping the second against Delbonis on Court Simonne Mathieu.
One break was enough to decide each set, with Rublev grabbing a late second to close out a statement third set. He was four of nine on break chances in the match, and dropped his own serve just once on four break points.
After losing the second set, Rublev regained control of the match by edging ahead 3-0 in the third set and later saved two break points to lead 4-1. He dropped just three points on serve in the fourth, including three love holds, to book a third-round meeting with Cristian Garin.
Garin defeated Ilya Ivashka, 6-3, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3, to reach the Roland Garros third round for the third straight year, including a fourth-round showing in 2021. He trails Rublev 0-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, with Rublev winning a pair of 2019 meetings at Wimbledon and Hamburg.
Rublev has won three tour-level titles in 2022 in Marseille, Dubai and Belgrade, putting him level with Rafael Nadal and one behind Carlos Alcaraz for the season's high mark.
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Aljaz Bedene is back to top form at Roland Garros. The 32-year-old Slovenian returned to action this March after an eight-month layoff and is picking up big wins again, defeating Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay to reach the third round in Paris.
His reward is a high-profile showdown with top seed and defending champion Novak Djokovic. Before they step inside Court Philippe Chatrier, ATPTour.com looks at five things you should know about Bedene.
Tennis Runs In His Family Bedene's twin brother, Andraz, currently serves as one of his coaches alongside Miha Mlakar. Andraz was a top junior player in Slovenia and the twins often competed against each other for junior titles.
He’s Friends With Luka Doncic In 2019, the NBA star visited the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag and watched Bedene play. They’ve remained friendly and even shared time competing together.
“I know Luka loves tennis. Maybe he’s not the best yet but I’m sure he’s going to achieve what he wants to do and he’s just such a great competitor,” said Bedene. “We [have] played some football together and he wants to win at everything he does, so that’s what makes him great.”
Bedene is also friends with fellow Slovenian athlete Anze Kopitar. He supported the Los Angeles Kings star in person at a hockey game this March.
He’s Married To Slovenian Pop Royalty Bedene married his wife, Kim, in 2017. She's a pop star in Slovenia best known for her time in the former girl band Foxy Teens, Slovenia’s answer to the Spice Girls.
Grand Slam Success Didn’t Come Easily Bedene initially struggled with his stamina in best-of-five-set matches, falling at the opening hurdle of his first eight Grand Slam appearances. But after making his fitness a higher priority, the Slovenian began to thrive in marathon matches. He scored his maiden Grand Slam win in a fifth set at 2015 Wimbledon and has since posted a 5-1 record in major matches that went the distance.
Clay Is His Surface Although Bedene has enjoyed success on all surfaces, his best results have come on clay. The Slovenian reached two of his four ATP Tour finals on clay, at 2017 Budapest (l. to Pouille) and 2018 Buenos Aires (l. to Thiem). Eleven of his 16 ATP Challenger Tour titles have also come on the surface.
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Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares powered to a convincing opening win Wednesday at Roland Garros as the 10th seeds completed a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over Jonathan Erlich and Lloyd Harris.
The British-Brazilian pair was ruthless in the first-round clash, dropping just one point behind first serve on its way to a 59-minute victory against Erlich and Harris. Murray and Soares are two-time Grand Slam champions but have never been past the quarter-finals in five appearances at the clay-court major in Paris.
However, defending champions Pierre Hugues-Herbert and Nicolas Mahut were not as fortunate. Belgian duo Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen upset the defending champions 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3. Gille and Vliegen arrived in Paris having won just one of their past 10 tour-level matches.
Top seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury made a serene start to their title bid as they eased to a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Marcos Giron and Soonwoo Kwon.
The No. 2 and No. 1-ranked players in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, Ram and Salisbury are seeking their third Grand Slam title together. They have enjoyed success on the clay already this year, claiming their maiden title on the surface at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in April.
On a day of strong displays from seeded pairings in the French capital, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos also opened their campaign with a 7-5, 6-2 win over French wild-card pairing Constant Lestienne and Ugo Humbert. Fourth seeds Granollers and Zeballos have won four ATP Masters 1000 titles together since 2019, but the Spanish-Argentine pairing is still chasing a maiden Grand Slam crown.
Seventh seeds Tim Puetz and Michael Venus also advanced to the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 win over James Duckworth and Ilya Ivashka. Two-time champions and ninth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies were downed 6-4, 6-2 by Harri Heliovaara and Lloyd Glasspool.
Elsewhere, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Alexander Bublik teamed up to oust Kamil Majchrzak and Nathaniel Lammons, 7-5, 7-6(5). While known for their prowess on the singles court, both Kokkinakis and Bulblik have enjoyed doubles success at Grand Slams before. Kokkinakis lifted the Australian Open title in January with fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios, while Bublik reached the championship match at Roland Garros in 2021 alongside Andrey Golubev.
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Diego Schwartzman matched the recent exploits of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev by fighting back from two sets down to advance on Wednesday at Roland Garros. The 15th seed turned his second-round contest on its head, dominating Jaume Munar in the final three sets to escape with a 2-6, 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 result on Court 7.
After dropping the second-set tie-break, Schwartzman changed the complexion of the encounter by securing his first two breaks of the match to open up a 4-0 lead in the third. He jumped out to a double-break lead at 5-1 in the fourth and followed suit in the fifth by racing ahead 4-0.
With the win, Schwartzman improved to 5-2 at Roland Garros in five-setters, and 7-6 overall in five-set contests. He advances to the third round in Paris for the fifth time in the past six years. A 2020 Roland Garros semi-finalist, he also reached the quarter-finals in 2018 and 2021.
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The Argentine lost out on one break point in each of the opening sets, but broke seven times on eight chances in the latter three. He saved 11 of 14 break points on his own serve in the match, including nine of 10 in the last three sets.
Playing in Novak Djokovic's top quarter, Schwartzman will next face 18th seed Grigor Dimitrov. The Bulgarian moved past Borna Coric, 6-0, 6-4, 6-3, soon after the Argentine's victory. Djokovic is a potential fourth-round opponent.
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Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies surprised even themselves when they won Roland Garros as an unseeded pairing in 2019, four months after winning their first ATP Tour title at the New York Open.
“Of course, it was a big surprise that we won the French Open in 2019,” Krawietz said, speaking to ATPTour.com ahead of Indian Wells.
“We were playing a Challenger two weeks before. We did well on the big stage. After the French Open, it was also tricky to handle it somehow, because every week our opponents were the best in the world. We had to get used to it, and we handled it well... We believed in ourselves that we can beat the top guys and be one of the best doubles teams in the world.”
They went on to reach the semi-finals at the US Open and the Rolex Paris Masters later that season. When they defended their Roland Garros title in 2020, dropping just one set as the eighth seeds, it was a different experience from their maiden triumph.
“The mindset changed,” explained Mies. “From Challengers, we worked our way up to the ATP Tour and now we’re an established top doubles team. [We] want to stay there and get even higher over the next few years.”
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The countrymen first teamed in 2017 and have played together regularly since 2018, save for a stretch in 2021 when Mies was recovering from a knee injury. But the Cologne native felt the time apart served their partnership well.
“I think it actually helped us,” he said. “Of course it was a shame that I had to stop after we defended the French and had a good end of the year, and then I had to stop for nine months. It was tough for me. Not easy, also mentally, because we were really motivated to keep going.
“Of course you have a lot of time to think about a lot of different things. I realised — we knew it before — but I realised again how special our relationship is, how special our connection is on the court. How well we play together and how good this whole setup is and what we’ve built over the years.
"You realise when you have some time off… [it’s like when] you break up with your girlfriend and then you come back together, and you realise what you had before, which is special. Really happy to be back.”
Reunited in 2022, the pair won the Barcelona and Munich titles in consecutive April weeks before reaching the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000s in Madrid and Rome. They enter Paris at 10th in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Team Rankings.
While Mies and Krawietz are not defending champions this year at Roland Garros — with Mies injured, Krawietz reached the 2021 quarter-finals with Horia Tecau — they enter the clay Grand Slam on a 12-match tournament win streak as a team.
“The conditions are great for us. We really like to play on clay,” said Krawietz, a Munich resident.
But just like in their two titles runs, the German will not enter Paris with outsized expectations. Instead, they’ll hope to continue their strong form by taking a match-by-match approach.
“Both times we didn’t think about the title before the tournament or during the tournament," Mies explained. "That’s how we did it [in 2019] and that’s how we defended it. We just thought, ‘Who is the next opponent, what are the tactics, what are we going to look for in the match?’
“I think the most important thing is to enjoy it and have fun and the rest will come.”
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