'About time': American women have big day on Paris clay
Coco Gauff has led a parade of US women into the last-16 of the French Open -- and her teammate Jessica Pegula reckons it's about time.
Second seed Gauff, who as the 2022 runner-up at Roland Garros, is the pick of the five Americans who've battled into the fourth round, found it harder than she may have hoped to subdue Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-1 7-6 (7-3) on Saturday.
Gauff completed an excellent day for the US challenge after third seed Pegula came from a set down to knock out 2023 Wimbledon champion and 2019 Roland Garros runner-up Marketa Vondrousova 3-6 6-4 6-2.
Seventh seed Madison Keys also progressed, winning the all-American clash with Sofia Kenin 4-6 6-3 7-5, while 16th seed Amanda Anisimova had also made it on Friday by defeating Danish 22nd seed Clara Tauson 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
That's set up Anisimova, the 23-year-old from New Jersey who was a teenage semi-finalist at Roland Garros six years ago, with a fourth-round pop at world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who has dropped just 10 games in three matches so far.
"We're both some pretty big hitters, so I'm sure we're going to be going at it back and forth a bit," said Anisimova.
Perhaps the surprise US fourth-rounder is world No.70 Hailey Baptiste, who had hitherto looked most uncomfortable on this surface but who surpassed herself by battling past Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.
"About time," smiled Pegula about the US surge.
"It's exciting to see. Obviously, you want to see your fellow countrymen do well on the other side, and I'm always actually keeping up with them quite a lot."
She's seeking to become the first American woman since Serena Williams a decade ago to take the title, while no US man has won for 26 years since Andre Agassi.
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I still do the exact minimum and maximum at the same time in order to be the player I am, to be in the position I am, and I will continue with this path because I think I prioritise tennis and life in equal ways." It sounds a refreshing approach but, frankly, he'll have to top even his recent miracles to down Jannik Sinner next as the Italian blitzed Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-3 6-4, making the world No.17 largely look like helpless fodder. He's not the first one to feel that way. The Italian has now marched to the last-eight without losing a set and for the loss of just 30 games. Who can beat him? Novak Djokovic doubtless fancies his chances as he ticked off another landmark in his peerless career, earning his 100th career French Open victory, a mark surpassed among men only by Rafael Nadal, as he demolished Briton Cam Norrie 6-2 6-3 6-2. Like Sinner, he still hasn't ceded a set and "everything is solid and positive", he declared. But it will start to get interesting next up when the record 25th grand-slam seeking Djokovic tackles last year's finalist, No.3 seed Alexander Zverev, who progressed when his Dutch opponent, Tallon Griekspoor, quit with abdominal trouble when 6-4 3-0 down. "He definitely knows how to play tennis. He definitely knows what it means to be on the big stage and to play big matches," Zverev said about Djokovic. "There is no doubt about that." Djokovic improved to 100-16 at the French Open, while Nadal, who retired at the end of last season, went an unbelievable 112-4 while winning 14 championships. "From now on I have the toughest draw in the tournament," Zverev said. "I'm looking forward to the battles ahead, and I'm looking forward to playing the best in the world." Alexander Bublik continues to write the most amazing and unlikely story at the French Open, making Alex de Minaur's defeat by the crazy Kazakh look better by the day. Bublik's second-round win over ninth seed de Minaur left the Australian bereft and in the mood for a spot of self-blame, but he found himself in good company on Monday when British hotshot Jack Draper, the fifth seed, also simply couldn't handle his demise by drop shot from the inspired world No.62. "I didn't know what to do," admitted a flustered Draper, who'd been compared physically to a UFC fighter by Bublik but who was pummelled into submission by his stringbean adversary's fabulous shot-making. "I have a certain skill set to play tennis, and it worked marvellously today. One hundred percent, one of the best days of my life and one of the best matches I have ever played in my life. As simple as that," said Bublik, who's reached the quarter-final . He had had everyone laughing the previous round when he explained how a "hangover" trip to Las Vegas had been his way of escaping the pressures off too much hard training, the sort indulged in by what he felt were athletic "robots". And the father of a young son was quick to double down after his win over Draper that he's not prepared to sacrifice everything to push his tennis life to new levels. "There's no way around hard work — don't get me wrong, I work hard — but on my terms. Will I put my life and health on the line to have a "might"? Maybe? No," he affirmed. "I will continue my path. I will work my way because I still practise, guys. I still do the exact minimum and maximum at the same time in order to be the player I am, to be in the position I am, and I will continue with this path because I think I prioritise tennis and life in equal ways." It sounds a refreshing approach but, frankly, he'll have to top even his recent miracles to down Jannik Sinner next as the Italian blitzed Andrey Rublev 6-1 6-3 6-4, making the world No.17 largely look like helpless fodder. He's not the first one to feel that way. The Italian has now marched to the last-eight without losing a set and for the loss of just 30 games. Who can beat him? Novak Djokovic doubtless fancies his chances as he ticked off another landmark in his peerless career, earning his 100th career French Open victory, a mark surpassed among men only by Rafael Nadal, as he demolished Briton Cam Norrie 6-2 6-3 6-2. Like Sinner, he still hasn't ceded a set and "everything is solid and positive", he declared. But it will start to get interesting next up when the record 25th grand-slam seeking Djokovic tackles last year's finalist, No.3 seed Alexander Zverev, who progressed when his Dutch opponent, Tallon Griekspoor, quit with abdominal trouble when 6-4 3-0 down. "He definitely knows how to play tennis. He definitely knows what it means to be on the big stage and to play big matches," Zverev said about Djokovic. "There is no doubt about that." Djokovic improved to 100-16 at the French Open, while Nadal, who retired at the end of last season, went an unbelievable 112-4 while winning 14 championships. "From now on I have the toughest draw in the tournament," Zverev said. "I'm looking forward to the battles ahead, and I'm looking forward to playing the best in the world."
