Reigning champions Alcaraz, Swiatek eyeing French Open second week
Carlos Alcaraz bids to book his place in the French Open last 16 on Friday, with defending women's champion Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka also in third-round action at Roland Garros.
Second seed Alcaraz eased through his opening two matches in Paris, despite dropping a set against Hungary's Fabian Marozsan.
Next up is a third-round meeting in the night session with 69th-ranked Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who has made the last 32 for the first time since 2018 but struggled with a knee injury during his win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz is the title favourite at Roland Garros after securing the Monte Carlo Masters and Italian Open trophies in the build-up to the clay-court major.
He has reached the second week in 10 of his last 11 Slam appearances.
"If I lose the focus in Grand Slams, in matches (that are) the best-of-five, it's much better to refocus your attention," he said.
"You have more time, you have more sets just to be back if you lose your focus a bit."
The 22-year-old Spaniard would secure a match against either American 13th seed Ben Shelton or Italian surprise package Matteo Gigante with a victory.
World number 167 Gigante, playing in the main draw of a major for the second time, downed former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round.
Eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti arrived in Paris as one of the form players in the world after following a runner-up finish in Monte Carlo with semi-final runs in Madrid and Rome.
The Italian has not dropped a set yet and has Argentina's world number 97 Mariano Navone next in his sights.
"After the final in Monte Carlo there was I think a boost of confidence, of something inside that I needed to have," said Musetti.
Danish 10th seed Holger Rune, who has never failed to reach the last 16, plays Frenchman Quentin Halys in his third-round match.
- Swiatek 'feeling good' -
Four-time winner Swiatek has dispelled some of the doubts surrounding her form with two comprehensive wins and takes on unseeded Romanian Jaqueline Cristian on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The Polish star brushed aside former US Open champion Emma Raducanu for the loss of just three games in round two, as she looks to reach a first final since lifting the French Open trophy last year.
"I have been feeling good, and that's it," said Swiatek, hoping to become the first woman to win four successive Roland Garros titles since Suzanne Lenglen 102 years ago.
"We'll see what's going to happen in the future. But for sure these two matches were pretty solid, so I'm happy with the performance."
Swiatek could set up a tie against either former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina or 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
World number one Sabalenka continues her tilt at a maiden Roland Garros title against Serbian left-hander Olga Danilovic in the opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The Belarusian has not played Danilovic since a win in Madrid Open qualifying seven years ago.
"She's playing great tennis. So am I," said Sabalenka. "It's going to be a fight. I love challenges, and I'm excited to face her."
Chinese eighth seed Zheng Qinwen plays Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko in an intriguing clash on Court Simonne Mathieu.
The Olympic champion is hoping to extend her eight-match winning streak at Roland Garros after taking gold at the Paris Games last summer, but 18-year-old Mboko has already won five times on her run after coming through qualifying.
"I'm expecting a big fight. I'm going to bring out a big fight against her," said Mboko.
"I think it's going to be a very hard battle for me."
Fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, the 2024 losing finalist, continues her campaign against Ukraine's Yuliia Starodubtseva, while Elina Svitolina targets a third straight last-16 appearance against American Bernarda Pera.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
Five women in hot water after pole dancing stunt at Greek palace goes viral
Five women who staged a semi-nude photo shoot on a pole outside a 'cultural landscape' at 1.30am while on holiday in Greece have faced court. British dancers Imogen Gunter-Zak, 30, Sharon Randell, 57, Alisha Haddrell, 32, Katie Clark, 40, and a German woman were allegedly filmed swinging around the white post at Corfu's Old Palace, a 200-year-old former royal residence and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Footage of the troupe, who were reportedly visiting the Greek Island for a two-week study abroad program with their pole dancing school, showed two members of the group in sexy red lingerie posing for photos as the others cheered them on, The Sun reports. However, the pole dancers were later arrested after the video of the photo shoot went viral, with the women accused of violating archaeological law and degrading the surrounding area, with Corfu's Ministry of Culture referring to it as an 'illegal act'. Two of the five dancers were handed six-month suspended sentences and ordered to pay €200 in court fees, according to local outlet The remaining three dancers were acquitted. Outside court, the acquitted dancers apologised, insisting they 'meant no disrespect to the monument' and 'never intended to cause offence'. But the ordeal has been slammed by Steve Gunter-Zak, the father of the youngest woman involved, who claimed the women were treated like 'scrubbers' and locked away with hardened criminals 'They had no idea it was wrong to be performing where they were,' he told The Sun. 'I believe this has been driven by politics. Someone in authority has got it in for them. 'But these women are not scrubbers. They're not tarts and their dancing is not sexual. It's performance art.' His daughter Imogen and Sharon were named by the publication as the two that have been hit with the six-month suspended jail terms. They were convicted of 'degrading the cultural landscape' at the Old Palace of St Michael and St George. Both have appealed with their lawyer Makis Grammenos confident of success. 'They didn't need to spend three nights in cells. They were anxious, sleep-deprived and had no food,' he said. Retired lecturer Steve said Imogen and Alisha – her pal and business partner – hired a local photographer to shoot video and stills of their trip. 'He chose where they would perform. He assured them this site was okay and they trusted him,' the dad claimed. 'They did it late at night to cause as little disturbance and nuisance to locals. 'But it attracted quite a few people and some were videoing on phones. One put it online and it went viral. 'A few days later it became clear the girls were in trouble so they went to a police station to tell them what they'd been doing. 'But as soon as they got there they were charged.' Steve also claimed that despite Imogen being convicted she was never even dancing. Thanos Giannakouris said: 'They didn't leave a scratch on the monument. 'It's totally overblown. These were young girls having a bit of fun.' The three women who were acquitted have since apologised on camera. The footage, which was reportedly filmed during the early hours of May 23, 2025, shows a photo shoot taking place after a pole was erected beneath the grand arch of the historic structure. The UNESCO World Heritage Site seen in the footage first opened in 1824 and is a renowned example of Regency architecture. Despite suffering damage during the war, it has since been restored and adapted to house the Museum of Asian Art of Corfu — a unique institution in Greece, featuring rare and extensive collections from China, Japan, India, and other parts of Asia.
Daily Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
Elle Fanning: Sentimental Value star on Cannes Film Festival, Hunger Games prequel casting
Don't miss out on the headlines from Celeb Style. Followed categories will be added to My News. EXCLUSIVE: Whether she was wearing a powder-blue Chanel gown or a white T-shirt with the words 'Joachim Trier Summer' on it, Elle Fanning was the toast of the recent Cannes Film Festival. Nevertheless, Fanning confesses that fronting the press at the Palais des Festivals for the premiere of her upcoming film Sentimental Value – and as an ambassador for L'Oréal Paris – was 'nerve-racking' in the best possible way. 'My heart is pounding,' Fanning tells Stellar, recalling the moment she stepped onto the red carpet. 'It's like I have so many butterflies because it's just so magical. [Cannes] is a special place for me, I've been here with many films, I've got to be on the Jury. There's no feeling quite like it on the giant carpet at the Palais.' Elle Fanning in CHANEL at the closing ceremony of the 78th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals. Picture: Getty Images Picture: Getty Images Picture: Getty Images At 27 years old, Fanning is already a Hollywood veteran. She made her film debut at two in 2001's I Am Sam, playing the younger version of her actor sister Dakota Fanning's character. After that came a string of roles. There was Sofia Coppola's dreamy 2010 drama Somewhere, and Maleficent with Angelina Jolie in 2014. In 2017 she co-starred with Nicole Kidman in The Beguiled; and last year, she featured in the Oscar-nominated Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, opposite her close friend Timothée Chalamet as Dylan ('we had such a fun time', Fanning recalls). She will work with Kidman again in the upcoming TV series, Margo's Got Money Troubles, and was recently cast to play the role of Effie Trinkey in Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise On The Reaping. She was back in Cannes to promote the Joachim Trier-directed Sentimental Value, in which she fittingly portrays a young Hollywood star. Picture: Getty Images Picture: Getty Images The movie – already earning raves as an early Oscars contender – won Cannes' coveted Grand Prix after receiving a reported 19-minute ovation. Fanning says that working with the Danish-born Norwegian director was on her 'bucket list'. But like Kidman, who has famously vowed to work with a female director every 18 months, she is also keen to increase women's representation in Hollywood. 'There's so much more progress to be made,' she tells Stellar. 'But we're having these conversations and there are, hopefully, more opportunities being opened up for these talented female filmmakers.' When asked how she feels about being a role model to young women herself, Fanning pauses to consider those who have inspired her. At the premiere of "Affeksjonsverdi" (AKA Sentimental Value) at Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, last week. Picture: Getty Images Elle Fanning and Renate Reinsve co-star in Sentimental Value. Picture: Getty Images Picture: Getty Images Elle Fanning and her Sentimental Value co-star, Stellan Skarsgard. Picture: Getty Images 'I have so many role models that have inspired me,' she says. 'I'm trying to learn from [them], and how they treated me, and try to kind of emulate that to younger girls that I work with. 'It's funny not being the youngest person on a film set now. 'I had a lot of people who were kind to me growing up and gave me advice. I just want to be that for people that I work with. 'It's so important for young women to have stories that are told from a woman's point of view. 'To show that you can express yourself and have the confidence to share your stories.' Part of that confidence, Fanning says, comes from her ambassador role with L'Oréal Paris, whose slogan is famously 'because you're worth it'. Picture: Getty Images for L'Oreal Picture: Getty Images for L'Oreal Musing on the sentiment, she says: 'It has nothing to do with stereotypical beauty as we see it. It really has to do with beauty from the inside, which comes from [having] the confidence to love yourself entirely and to treat yourself [with respect]. 'We are worth it to feel our feelings. We're worth it to be messy. Especially as women, we have the power. It's such a strong message.' While public appearances are now old hat for Fanning, she says it still takes her hours to get ready for events and premieres. Elle Fanning, right, with her sister Dakota in 2019. Picture: Getty Images As Fanning points out, it's about more than just how she looks. 'It's a three-hour situation to get ready for a red carpet for me,' she says with a laugh. 'I get up, I have coffee, I have breakfast – I put a face mask on. I put ice over the face mask that I use to de-puff from jet lag and travelling. I have a [L'Oréal] Revitalift serum that I use for my skin. 'I also try to calm myself because I know it's going to be nerve-racking. It might be a stressful day, so [it's important to] just kind of have the morning to yourself – and get going.' Read the full interview with Elle Fanning inside Stellar tomorrow, via The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (VIC), The Sunday Mail (QLD) and Sunday Mail (SA). For more from Stellar, click here.
ABC News
9 hours ago
- ABC News
Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif must undergo genetic sex screening to fight for World Boxing
World Boxing has confirmed it will introduce mandatory sex testing for all boxers in its competitions. The governing body added that Paris Olympics gold medallist Imane Khelif will not be allowed to compete until she undergoes such a test. "Imane Khelif may not participate in the female category at … any World Boxing event until Imane Khelif undergoes genetic sex screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules and testing procedures," World Boxing said in a statement. "The introduction of mandatory testing will be part of a new policy on 'Sex, Age and Weight' to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women." The new policy comes less than a year after Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting both won gold in Paris amid a gender-eligibility row. World Boxing said they had written to the Algerian Boxing Federation stating that Khelif would not be allowed to compete at the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup from June 5–10 until she underwent the test. Women's welterweight Olympic champion Khelif has not yet commented on the announcement, nor has the Algerian Boxing Federation. The country's federation joined World Boxing in September, one of more than 100 national federations that have joined the body since it was established in 2023. While amendments to competition rules are typically done by the World Boxing Congress, the new policy was adopted by the body's executive board, which holds the authority to make immediate amendments under "special or emergency circumstances". "These new eligibility rules were developed with the express purpose of safeguarding athletes in combat sports, particularly given the physical risks associated with Olympic-style boxing," World Boxing's statement said. All athletes over the age of 18 will have to undertake a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) genetic test, which can be conducted by a nasal or mouth swab, saliva or blood, World Boxing said. "The PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, in this case the SRY gene, that reveals the presence of the Y chromosome, which is an indicator of biological sex," World Boxing said. "Athletes that are deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome … or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenisation occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category. "Athletes that are deemed to be female at birth … or with a DSD where male androgenisation does not occur, will be eligible to compete in the female category." In February, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. In March, Khelif said she was determined to defend her title at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, adding that she would not be intimidated by Trump as she is not transgender. At the 2023 world championships, Khelif was disqualified by the International Boxing Association (IBA) after a test that the body said rendered her ineligible to fight as a woman on the grounds of gender. The IBA lost its Olympic recognition over governance issues, however, and the International Olympic Committee cleared Khelif to compete in Paris. AP/Reuters
