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Djokovic cruises into record 19th French Open quarter-final

Djokovic cruises into record 19th French Open quarter-final

eNCA2 days ago

PARIS - Novak Djokovic eased into a record-breaking 19th Roland Garros quarter-final with a comfortable straight-sets victory over Cameron Norrie on Monday.
The three-time French Open champion will renew his rivalry with third seed Alexander Zverev in the last eight on Wednesday after seeing off Norrie 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
His tally of 19 quarter-final appearances at Roland Garros is the record for a single Grand Slam tournament.
"I feel good. I know I can play better. But 12 sets played, 12 sets won, it's been solid so far," said the 38-year-old after his 100th French Open win.
"It's great, but victory number 101 would be better. I'm very honoured... But I need to continue now."
Djokovic holds an 8-5 winning record in his head-to-head with German Zverev, but retired injured from their last meeting in the Australian Open semi-finals in January.
Britain's Norrie, a former top-10 player now ranked 81st, has lost all six of his career matches against Djokovic.
The Serb, hoping to set a new outright record of 25 Grand Slam titles this week, dominated from the start.
He broke serve three times in a one-sided opening set, before battling through a closer second, crucially saving a break point before holding for a 3-2 lead.

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Coco Gauff fights past Madison Keys to book French Open semi-final spot
Coco Gauff fights past Madison Keys to book French Open semi-final spot

IOL News

time5 hours ago

  • IOL News

Coco Gauff fights past Madison Keys to book French Open semi-final spot

Coco through to the semis US Coco Gauff celebrates after winning her women's singles quarter-final match against US Madison Keys on day 11 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex in Paris on Wednesday. Photo: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP Image: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP Coco Gauff battled back from a set down to beat Australian Open champion Madison Keys in an error-strewn quarter-final at Roland Garros on Wednesday. The second seed battled past her fellow American 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-1 in a tense last-eight clash littered with a whopping 14 double-faults and 101 unforced errors. Gauff will face the winner of the last quarter-final between Mirra Andreeva and world number 361 Lois Boisson for a place in her second French Open final on Thursday. "It means a lot, especially getting through this tough match today, it wasn't an easy match and I'm very happy to get through it," she said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ "I'm so excited to be in the semi-finals back here again and have a lot more work to do. Just savour this one today and then next one tomorrow." Keys came through a tense first set in a tie-break after blowing a 4-1 lead with a double-break, but Gauff upped her level enough to fight back. The 21-year-old was the runner-up to Iga Swiatek in a one-sided showpiece match in 2022. Keys had been hoping to challenge for a second consecutive Grand Slam title, but failed to reach the semi-finals in Paris for a second time. Gauff will be hoping to go at least one better than last year when she was beaten by Swiatek in the last four. Both players seemed to struggle with nerves early on with six breaks of serve in total in the first set. They also made 10 double-faults between them in the opener, while an off-colour Keys made 28 unforced errors and Gauff, who missed a set point in the 10th game, 21. However, it was the seventh seed who finally fell over the line and into a one-set lead when Gauff followed her seventh double-fault by sending a wild return sailing wide of even the tramlines. Gauff improved slightly to take a 4-1 lead herself with a double-break in the second set, only to gift Keys a way back into it with a sloppy service game finished off by another double-fault. Keys made it three successive games with a forehand winner to level at 4-4, but then gave up the 11th break of the match. Gauff served it out to force a decider as her opponent dumped a backhand into the net. The 2023 US Open champion found some consistency in the third set, which was enough to ease to a victory sealed with a break to love when Keys blazed a forehand long. AFP

Amélie Mauresmo faces gender bias backlash amid French Open's weather woes and attendance struggles
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Amélie Mauresmo faces gender bias backlash amid French Open's weather woes and attendance struggles

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At Roland-Garros, the late morning/afternoon sessions are also poorly attended, with many matches starting in front of empty stands. It's simply something that doesn't happen on the major showcourts at Wimbledon, for instance. The lethargic afternoon attendance has been put down to French cultural practices, such as the enjoyment of a long lunch. Sabalenka's 7-6(3) 6-3 quarterfinal win over China's Zheng Qinwen in the afternoon session on Court Phillipe Chatrier, the complex's biggest arena, started in front of swathes of empty seats. 'We deserve equal treatment,' Sabalenka said following her victory over the 2024 Olympic champion. 'There were a lot of great battles, a lot of great matches, which would be cool to see as a night session (match), just more people in the stands watching these incredible battles and to show ourselves to more people. I definitely agree that we deserve to be put on a bigger stage, like better timing and more people watching.' Supply and demand? The arguments against the timing of women's matches range from 'market forces' such as supply and demand to the fact that they are the best of three sets, and not over five sets like the men. The implication being that fans, paying a premium price for evening session tickets, deserve more for their money. It's possible both these reasons are true, so is it a case of reopening the three versus five set debate for women's tennis? At least at the Grand Slams? Interestingly, data for the 2024 women's singles final from Europe, which is played on a Saturday afternoon, showed a 21% viewership increase year-on-year from the 2023 final. In 2024, Poland's Iga Swiatek defeated Italy's Jasmine Paolini in the final. The increased European viewing could be down to the fact that both players represent large European nations. Is it a chicken and egg situation? By not scheduling women's matches in prime time, attendance and probably television viewership is inferior to the men's draw. Mauresmo defended the situation. 'If we have two (men's) matches in the night session it doesn't work in terms of how late players are going to finish,' said Mauresmo in a press conference, explaining that earlier starts would not work as well. 'The stands are going to be empty for most of the first match. That's what we think. So, we keep this one match in the evening. It's not ideal. 'We cannot check every box because we have many things to think about when we're making these choices. 'For me, the message is not changing, and it has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night. It's never been this. I'll not accept that you carry this message. That's clear to me.' Not new Issues with scheduling in Paris are not new. The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) raised concerns last year after it emerged that only one women's match was scheduled in the evening session in 2022 and 2023. To compound matters, all 11 evening sessions in 2024 featured men's matches. 'Fans want to see the excitement and thrill of women's tennis on the biggest stages and in the premium time slots,' The WTA said in a statement last year. 'To continue building the value of our combined product, a balanced match schedule that features both the best in men's and women's tennis is critical.' That clearly hasn't happened – yet. Former French Open finalist Ons Jabeur, who is an increasingly vocal voice of social justice over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine to equality for women's tennis, spoke out on court and on the official WTA channel. 'Frankly, playing a quarter-final at 11am is really such a chore,' Jabeur said following her 4-6 6-2 6-3 defeat by Coco Gauff in 2024. 'We deserve to be here. Playing in the afternoon is better. There is going to be more people watching us and the stadiums are crowded. 'I have a lot to say on that topic (scheduling). Ten night matches without any women playing. I really hope that I can see the contract negotiated with Prime (Video). 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Alcaraz inspired by rival Sinner for ruthless Roland Garros win
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