Zverev survives De Jong drop shot bonanza to advance
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2025 Germany's Alexander Zverev in action during his second round match against Netherlands' Jesper De Jong REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2025 Germany's Alexander Zverev shakes hands with Netherlands' Jesper De Jong after winning his second round match REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2025 Germany's Alexander Zverev in action during his second round match against Netherlands' Jesper De Jong REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
PARIS - Third seed Alexander Zverev had to chase down dozens of drop shots from sprightly Dutchman Jesper de Jong before earning a 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-3 victory on Thursday to advance to the French Open third round.
The 28-year-old Zverev, a finalist in Paris last year and looking for his first Grand Slam title, found himself a break down with De Jong, ranked 88th in the world, initially matching the German's baseline power punch for punch.
De Jong, bidding to become the first Dutch player to record a win over a top-three player on any clay tournament in 25 years, quickly added drop shots to his arsenal to land the first set.
"It wasn't the best set of tennis, the first," Zverev said in a post-match interview. "I am still having chances not playing great. Once I found my rhythm I felt very comfortable."
"I am happy about my level. He played a fantastic match also. I hope I can continue playing great tennis and we will see what I can achieve."
At least a semi-finalist in the past four French Opens, Zverev remained composed and twice broke his opponent to bag the second set.
De Jong, however, increased his drop shot rate dramatically -- even hitting three on consecutive points in the first game of the third set -- to force the tall Zverev out of his comfort zone at the baseline.
The world number three gradually adapted to this play, however, chasing down drop shot number 26 to earn a break point at 2-2 in the third set. He converted it to take control and never looked back.
With De Jong gradually running out of steam and his error count rising sharply, Zverev powered to two more breaks and a 4-0 lead to break his opponent's resistance and he sealed the win when De Jong sank another drop shot into the net.
Zverev will next play the winner of the all-Italian clash between Matteo Arnaldi and Flavio Cobolli. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Jude Bellingham ‘special boy' despite ‘repulsive' behaviour, says Thomas Tuchel
LONDON – England manager Thomas Tuchel said that his own mother finds some of Jude Bellingham's antics 'repulsive' but he does not want to dim the Real Madrid star's fire. The German suffered his first defeat in four games as England boss on June 10 when Senegal became the first African side to ever beat the Three Lions in a 3-1 friendly win. Bellingham thought he had made it 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed before Senegal broke away for a third in stoppage time. Tuchel had to restrain the midfielder's protests at the decision at full-time and said it is a balancing act to retain the 21-year-old's fight without it bubbling over. 'Sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive, for example, for my mother when she sits in front of the TV,' said Tuchel in a wide-ranging interview with radio station talkSPORT on June 11. 'I see that but, in general, we are very happy to have him. He's a special boy.' Tuchel also dismissed suggestions England could be better off without Bellingham, who starred in the Three Lions' run to the Euro 2024 final. Instead, he called on Bellingham to inspire rather than intimidate his teammates. 'He has a certain something and brings an edge. It's needed if we want to achieve big things,' he added. 'It needs to be channelled towards the opponent, and not to intimidate teammates or be aggressive towards teammates or referees. He has the fire – I don't want to dim that, as that's his strength. 'But the fire comes also with some attribute that can intimidate teammates. Sometimes you see the explosion towards referees and the anger in his game. If he can channel this in the right way he has something that we need and that edge is hard to find.' Tuchel, who won the Champions League at Chelsea and league titles with French side Paris Saint-Germain and Germany's Bayern Munich, was hired with the task of ending England's wait for a major tournament victory since 1966. Under Gareth Southgate they reached the final of each of the last two Euros, plus a quarter-final and semi-final of the past two World Cups. Tuchel has a richly-talented squad to choose from but has so far failed to find the right blend in three underwhelming World Cup qualifying wins over Albania, Latvia and Andorra before the Senegal defeat. 'I already have an idea of what to do,' he added with one year to go to the 2026 World Cup. 'We did some experiments in the second camp, not everything was bad, we did some good things but the two games were not good enough. 'It was a good learning and it brings clarity. Each game is a learning situation and helps us mould the team and find solutions.' On a personal level, he suggested he is tempted to seek a contract extension as England manager beyond the 2026 World Cup up to the 2028 European Championship, despite his team drawing criticism for their recent poor performances. 'I will always be tempted to stay because I love the group and the opportunity, it's an honour to be England coach,' Tuchel added in his interview with talkSPORT. 'I can tell you that even after the disappointment yesterday (the Senegal defeat). 'If you ask me today, yes. I am enjoying it, I feel the support, trust and respect of people in the Football Association. I wanted a new challenge and environment.' AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Le Mans and Formula One in same year? Too much now, says Nico Hulkenberg
Le Mans and Formula One in same year? Too much now, says Nico Hulkenberg MONTREAL - Nico Hulkenberg raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans a decade ago when the Formula One calendar allowed it, and came away a winner with Porsche. The German could not do that now, with the 93rd edition of the French endurance race clashing with this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix where Hulkenberg, now 37, will be on the starting grid with Sauber. There will be another overlap next year but even if there was not Hulkenberg says trying to do both would be too much today. "I think everyone was a lot less busy (in 2015), you know, than now," the German, who finished fifth in Spain two weekends ago, told Reuters in a recent interview. "Twenty-four races, all the stuff in between, it's a full-time job. I can only talk for myself but, personally, I wouldn't want the extra gig at the moment. I'm fully focused on F1 and for me, I'm happy that way." Hulkenberg, now one of only two fathers on the F1 grid along with Max Verstappen, was with Force India in 2015 when he got the chance to race Le Mans. The sportscar race chooses its winners, they say, and that weekend he hit the jackpot along with fellow rookie Earl Bamber of New Zealand and Britain's Nick Tandy. Hulkenberg had raced in Canada the weekend before with F1 and went on to Austria immediately after. "It definitely took some time to first understand the car and get a grip on it and properly get the lap time out of it," he recalled. "I was still improving and understanding, I was clicking only really in the night of the race. "To jump back into Formula One I think was not a problem, because there was so much positivity after a race like this. I remember jumping into Austria and I was owning it and I was boss. It was no problem going back." The German's Formula One career has taken him from Williams in 2010 to racing for Aston Martin's predecessors Force India and Racing Point as well as Sauber, Renault and Haas with some gaps in between. "Why am I still here?," asked Formula One's only current German driver. "Because they still want me." Hulkenberg holds the record for most Formula One races without ever standing on the podium but that is also testament to his enduring worth as a driver with engineering and setup skills as well as speed. His 236 starts are way more than the next man on the list without a podium, retired fellow-German Adrian Sutil on 128. On the plus side, Hulkenberg has two fastest laps and a pole position and next year will be in at the start with the Audi factory team when Sauber is renamed. "I still love what I do. You know, Formula One and racing is my passion. It's what I do best, it's what I love. What else should I do?," he said. "I think it's the competition, you know, the thrill of qualifying, the buzz of a race, kicking ass but even the bad days -- just the racing, everything. I love that." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Austrian association urges FIA members to reject statute changes
Formula One F1 - Bahrain Grand Prix - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - April 13, 2025 FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem with third placed McLaren's Lando Norris after the Bahrain Grand Prix REUTERS/Rula Rouhana/File Photo MONTREAL - The Austrian Automobile Association (OAMTC) has urged FIA members to reject proposed statute changes it fears will damage motorsport's world governing body and limit opposition to the re-election of president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. In an unsigned June 10 letter emailed to the mobility section of the FIA's world council, and seen by Reuters, the OAMTC set out its opposition to a vote on the agenda of the FIA General Assembly in Macau on Thursday. "We appeal to all members to support our motion to remove the voting on the proposed FIA statute changes from the General Assembly's agenda," the letter said, suggesting a postponement to a later meeting. "There is no urgency regarding these proposed changes ... they risk further contributing to the erosion of the FIA's reputation for competent and transparent governance. "It cannot be - and is not - a coincidence that changes relevant to the FIA's elections have been promoted by the FIA's leadership at the same time as the FIA's incumbent president has announced an intention to run in those elections. "Where there is even a risk of these changes appearing to benefit the current FIA administration, and not the FIA itself, the changes should not be adopted." An International Automobile Federation spokesperson in London was not immediately aware of the letter but confirmed the vote was scheduled for Thursday. Those attending the gathering in Macau could not be reached immediately for comment. The OAMTC said the eight proposed statute changes raised issues of fairness and consistency, and that they would discourage opposition to Ben Sulayem. Ben Sulayem is standing for re-election in December, with no rival candidate so far coming forward. He told Reuters last month when he confirmed he was standing that he welcomed competition. Ben Sulayem recognised he had enemies but said he was confident he had the support of a majority of FIA members. "I only have to answer to my members. And they are happy. Actually, they are very happy. They are extremely happy," he said. The Emirati has been involved in several controversies since he took over in 2021 and has been at loggerheads with drivers as well as drawing criticism from FIA insiders, while some senior employees have left. Briton Robert Reid, a former close ally who quit as an FIA deputy president in April, wrote in his resignation statement of a "fundamental breakdown in governance standards" at the governing body. Reid and Motorsport UK head David Richards had opposed other statute changes approved by the General Assembly last December that they said limited the powers of audit and ethics committees. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
