Djokovic has ‘good feeling' about Roland Garros as he cruises into second round
Novak Djokovic says he has 'a good feeling' about his form and level at the start of his French Open campaign as he took his first step forward in Paris with a comfortable 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 first-round win against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States.
On Saturday, Djokovic won the 100th tour-level title of his career at the Geneva Open by beating Hubert Hurkacz in a tough final after trailing by a break in the final set. Rather than celebrating another significant milestone, the 38-year-old's focus had to shift immediately towards recovering physically and adjusting to the conditions at Roland Garros with just a few days to spare before his first-round match.
Advertisement
Related: Draper and Norrie help British players set best first-round return in 52 years at French Open
After handling the first challenge extremely well, Djokovic reflected on the decision to take a wildcard at Geneva and his hopes that it will help him as he tries to produce his best form at Roland Garros. 'Geneva was not in the plans, it was not in the schedule,' said Djokovic. 'But I was talking with my team and decided to have that, because I didn't have any practically, only two matches on clay. I'm the type of player that is required to play a bit more in order to find the right game for clay. It doesn't come very natural to me as maybe for some other guys.
'I rarely started really well on clay, if you analyse all of my seasons in my career. So it takes a little bit of time for me to get accustomed with the surface and movement and striking the ball. I think it was a good move to go to Geneva because I was also struggling a little bit with my confidence level, doubting my game a bit. So it was good that I got four matches under my belt, won a title. Coming into Roland Garros, it feels different than I had compared to the feeling I had three weeks ago. Let's see how far I can go here, but I have a good feeling for now.'
While Djokovic advanced without any problems, Hurkacz, the beaten finalist in Geneva, did not fare as well. As has been the case in most of his matches this year, the 18-year-old Brazilian João Fonseca drew a large crowd for his match against Hurkacz, with hundreds of spectators queueing outside the entrances to Court seven for a glimpse of a possible future star. 'I knew there is going to be a lot of Brazilians here in Paris, a lot of Brazilians living here and they come a lot,' said Fonseca. 'I think because of Guga [Gustavo Kuerten], because of the tradition, and there is a lot of Brazilians.'
Advertisement
Those who managed to get in were treated to a remarkable result as Fonseca dismantled Hurkacz, the 30th seed, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the second round at Roland Garros on his tournament debut. Fonseca's first grand slam win had been a straight sets defeat of Andrey Rublev, the ninth seed, at the Australian Open.
One year on from her breakthrough run to the semi-finals at the French Open aged 17, Mirra Andreeva opened up her campaign with a calm 6-4, 6-3 win against Cristina Bucșa of Spain. Andreeva, seeded sixth, has enjoyed an incredible year, winning WTA 1000 singles titles in Dubai and Indian Wells. She is one of the clear tournament favourites.
Ons Jabeur, once a favourite herself, did not fare as well. The 30-year-old Tunisian has struggled with numerous injuries over the past few years and is ranked No 36, a long way below her career-high ranking of No 2 and the three grand slam finals she reached in 2022 and 2023. This time, Jabeur fell 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 to Magdalena Frech of Poland, the 25th seed.
'It's very difficult indeed,' said Jabeur. 'When you're in the quarter-finals twice here, you want to be in the semi-finals or the final. You don't want to experience a loss in the first round. But this is part of tennis. I was not expecting much from this tournament because I was not ready when it comes to tennis, when it comes to my physical shape. I'm feeling better than a week and a half ago, but it takes some effort. I can't do this just overnight.
'Mentally I'm experiencing a tough time, but this is part of the game. I don't want to be part of these people who are more affected by the results than they should. I will just keep working even harder.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
16 Great TV Shows on Amazon Prime Video Right Now (May 2025)
Few streamers keep a foot in the past and the present in the same way that Amazon Prime Video curates its lineup of TV shows. In the last few weeks alone, Prime Video has debuted new shows like The Bondsman and The Narrow Road to the Deep North, as well as the teen drama Motorheads, which debuted at No. 1 on Amazon's most popular TV chart. Prime Video also has a strong library of classic television series, including Spaced, a cult-favorite British sitcom that helped make Simon Pegg into a star years before he was costarring in the Mission: Impossible movies. All of these series can be found among the 16 great TV shows on Amazon Prime Video right now. Need more recommendations? Then read Best New Shows to Watch on Netflix, Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and More, Best Comedy Shows to Stream Right Now and Best TV Shows on Amazon Prime Video Right may remind some viewers of the first Fast and the Furious movie if it was envisioned through a YA lens. Michael Cimino and Melissa Collazo star as siblings Zac and Caitlyn Torres, a pair of teens who move back to their father's hometown to live with their uncle, Logan Maddox (Ryan Phillippe). Michael and Melissa are trying to escape the shadow of their father, Christian Maddox (Deacon Phillippe), who was a racing legend in his era. It doesn't take long for the siblings to make an enemy out of Harris Bowers (Josh Macqueen), a rich kid with a reputation for being the best racer in town. To take Harris down, they're going to need to restore their dad's old Charger and enlist the help of their very reluctant uncle. Motorheads is streaming on Prime Video. Five years before Shawn of the Dead hit theaters, Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson co-created and starred in the British sitcom Spaced. They played Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner, two strangers who decide to pretend to be a couple in order to land a new place to live that is run under a very strict set of rules by their landlady, Marsha Klein (Julia Deakin). Edgar Wright — the director of Shawn of the Dead — helmed every episode of Spaced, while Pegg's frequent co-star, Nick Frost, played Tim's best friend, Mike Watt. Spaced had a very bizarre and even surreal sense of humor, while Tim and Daisy spent a lot of time denying they were a couple to their friends even though there is clearly an attraction between them. Spaced is streaming on Prime Video. Hub Halloran (Kevin Bacon) is dead, but he gets better in The Bondsman. While he was alive, Hub was one of the best bounty hunters in the south. That's a talent that the devil won't let go to waste. Through his intermediary, Midge Kusatsu (Jolene Purdy), the devil resurrects Hub with a new mission in life to hunt down escaped demons and send them back to Hell. This wasn't something that Hub asked for, but he'll take his second chance at life to fix some of the mistakes he made the first time. That includes mending fences with his family and rediscovering some of the passions that he left behind. He'll be a better man if he can keep up his end of the devil's bargain. The Bondsman is streaming on Prime Video. Nathan Fillion had his first true breakout role as novelist Richard Castle on ABC's Castle. After meeting NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), Castle is so taken by her that he decides to write a new book featuring a main character based on her. Castle then pulls some strings with the mayor to get permission to follow Beckett as she investigates homicide cases. Although Beckett initially resents Castle's presence, he helps her solve many murder investigations. And as the pair grows closer, Castle learns about the investigation that Beckett has been trying to solve her entire life: the murder of her mother, Johanna Beckett. That story takes years to play out. Reportedly, Fillion and Katic didn't get along very well, but that's hard to tell from the early seasons when Castle and Beckett's romantic tension was at an all-time high. They were fun to watch together, even in the later seasons. Castle is streaming on Prime Video. Not every love affair is everlasting in The Narrow Road to the Deep North, but Dorrigo Evans () would be lost without it. This adaptation of Richard Flanagan's novel chronicles Dorrigo's torrid romance with Amy Mulvaney (Odessa Young), a young woman who is his aunt by marriage. Throughout World War II, the memory of what Dorrigo shared with Amy sustains him even while he's a prisoner of war. As Dorrigo's men die of disease and starvation around him, he holds on to the warmth and hope that Amy gave him. But his story doesn't stop after the war, and Dorrigo's life doesn't play out like a romantic fairy tale with a happy ending for everyone. The Narrow Road to the Deep North is streaming on Prime Video. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) wasn't the most popular character on Cheers three decades ago, but he was the right choice to be featured in the spinoff Frasier. This sitcom equalled the 11-season run of its predecessor and became a classic in its own series expanded Frasier's character development by introducing his brother Niles (David Hyde Pierce), their blue-collar father Martin (John Mahoney), and Martin's physical therapist Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves). Frasier also reinvented himself as a radio show host alongside his producer, Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin). This group of performers had outstanding chemistry, and they collectively ensured that Frasier is still one of the best comedy series two decades after its conclusion. Frasier is streaming on Prime Video. Although The Wheel of Time recently returned for its third season on Prime Video, you should probably start at the beginning before diving into this show. This adaptation of Robert Jordan's novels has a dense mythology that rivals Game of Thrones in scope, and it easily outshines Prime Video's other big-budget fantasy show, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Pike leads the cast as Moiraine Damodred, a powerful channeler of magic who is seeking the Dragon Reborn, the reincarnation of one of the few men who can use magic in this world. Moiraine believes she's found the one she's looking for among four young men and women, including Rand al'Thor (Josha Stradowski) and Egwene al'Vere (Madeleine Madden). All four have hidden abilities and a destiny that will slowly unfold, but not all of them will ultimately be aligned against the coming darkness. The Wheel of Time is streaming on Prime Video. The irony of Fallout's breakthrough as one of Amazon's top series is that the video game franchise hasn't had a new game since 2018. But the retro-futuristic post-apocalypse of the games gives the TV series a rich backdrop and an intriguing mythology to Ella Purnell stars as Lucy MacLean, a young woman who has lived inside a colony deep within a vault her entire life. Lucy didn't really have any concept of what life was like outside until her colony was attacked by raiders who kidnapped her father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan). When Lucy sets out on a rescue mission in the wasteland, one of the first people she meets is The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), a mutated man who was once an actor named Cooper Howard. The Ghoul has lived hundreds of years, and he's no friend to Lucy, but he does have some very hard lessons to teach her. Fallout is streaming on Prime Video. Invincible may seem like an overnight success for Amazon, but the comic it's based on is 22 years old and still resonates with this adaptation. Co-creator Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) has a knack for creating likable characters and then putting them through horrible things. This show may be animated, but it hits harder than many R-rated films with its brutal action. And it doesn't shy away from the toll that violence takes on the heroes and the world around Grayson (Steven Yeun) grew up in the shadow of the world's strongest hero, his father, Omni-Man (J. K. Simmons). Once Mark comes into his powers as Invincible, he discovers his father's true agenda for Earth. If Mark wants to save the only world he's ever known from his own flesh and blood, then he'll have to live up to his superhero name. Invincible is streaming on Prime Video. Alan Ritchson has played superheroes before, but he's never played a larger-than-life character like Jack Reacher until now. Reacher makes Ritchson seem like an uncommon man among men as he drifts from town to town and takes on the rich and powerful while combating injustice. The recently premiered third season puts Reacher in his toughest case to date as he goes undercover in a criminal organization to locate a missing DEA agent and to bring down a crime lord. And for the first time since the show began, Reacher has finally met an enemy who physically towers over him: Paul "Paulie" van Hove (Olivier Richters). Reacher is streaming on Prime Video. Moonlighting is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, and it made Bruce Willis famous while giving Cybill Shepherd a Hollywood comeback. This quirky comedy/drama featured Shepherd as a former model, Madelyn "Maddie" Hayes, who reinvents herself as a private detective alongside David Addison (Willis).The dialogue in this series and the fantastic chemistry between Shepherd and Willis entertained a lot of fans in the '80s. Moonlighting took dramatic chances and big swings like few series do, and not all of them connected with its audience. But this series is more than just a footnote in history, it's also one of the all-time greats. Moonlighting is streaming on Prime Video. If you know anything about English history, then you're probably well aware that King Henry VIII didn't look anything like actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers. And you're probably not going to care about that level of historical fidelity when watching The Tudors. This series was a Showtime original, and it liberally blended historical fact and fiction as it chronicled Henry's tumultuous of Thrones' Natalie Dormer had one of her first big roles in this series as Anne Boleyn, one of Henry's many wives. Unfortunately for the ladies, Henry rarely let his wives off easily when he wanted out of their union. And their heads aren't the only ones that will roll in this entertaining series. The Tudors is streaming on Prime Video. There's something so inherently charming about Hugh Laurie that it's a pleasure watching him perform as Dr. Gregory House even when he's being a huge jerk to his patients, his colleagues and even to himself. House was a medical procedural like no other, and the title character was modeled after Sherlock Holmes. If you watch the show's entire eight-season run, you'll see a lot of parallels between House and the great detective. The secret to House's success is that Laurie was surrounded by a very talented supporting cast, including Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Olivia Wilde, Kal Penn, and more. Their characters added more dimension to the show and helped flesh out House himself. House is streaming on Prime Video. The Expanse has been described as Game of Thrones in space, and that's not entirely inaccurate. Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck – who collectively write as James S. A. Corey – crafted a very believable future for humanity that's not some idealized Star Trek fantasy. Who needs aliens when humans are still itching for a war against each other? The people of Earth and Mars are at each other's throats, while the humans in the asteroid belt are considered second-class citizens by both Holden (Steven Strait), Naomi Nagata (Dominique Tipper), Amos Burton (Wes Chatham) and Alex Kamal (Cas Anvar) are the only survivors of a mining ship that stumbles across a deadly conspiracy to reshape worlds. In another part of the galaxy, Detective Joe Miller (Thomas Jane) is unknowingly tied to their fate as his missing person case takes on a significance that goes far beyond his wildest dreams. The Expanse is streaming on Prime Video. If you feel like the creative team behind The Boys hates superheroes, then you're probably right. This is perhaps the most cynical comic book adaptation ever, and it features 'heroes' like Homelander (Antony Starr) who openly have contempt for the people they're supposed to be protecting. Hugh Campbell (Novacaine's Jack Quaid) discovers this unfortunate truth when his girlfriend is accidentally killed by one of the world's fastest heroes, A-Train (Jessie T. Usher).That's where Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) comes in. No one despises 'supes' more than Butcher, and he's got a vendetta against Homelander for deeply personal reasons. Billy recruits Hugh to join his team, The Boys, to bring down all the heroes. But the odds are always stacked against them. The Boys is streaming on Prime Video. Comedy and mystery collide in Monk, an unforgettable series that was once one of the most popular shows on cable during its eight seasons on the USA Network. Tony Shalhoub brings a lot to his character, Adrian Monk, especially when Monk is so hilariously neurotic and ruled by his phobias. Despite his overpowering OCD, Monk is a world-class detective, but he needs someone to keep him on track. In the first few seasons, that person was his assistant, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), while Traylor Howard's Natalie Teeger took on that function from season 3 onward. Almost every episode is neatly tied up, but the mystery of who killed Monk's wife is saved until the very end of the series. Monk is streaming on Prime Video.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Russell hopes Bath go 'one step further' in final
Finn Russell has overcome the cramp that led to him going off near the end of Bath's semi-final win against Bristol [Getty Images] Premiership Rugby Grand Final - Bath v Leicester Venue: Allianz Stadium Twickenham Date: Saturday, 14 June Kick-off: 15:00 BST Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Radio Leicester; live text on BBC Sport website & app Advertisement Bath fly-half Finn Russell said the team are going in the right direction to "achieve something special" ahead of the Premiership final on Saturday against Leicester Tigers. Bath are aiming to win their first league title for 29 years after finishing top of the table by 11 points, while they are also chasing a treble having already clinched domestic and European honours this season. Russell, who joined the club in 2023, was part of the squad that lost to Northampton Saints by four points in last season's final. "I came here to win things, as a group we're going in the right direction to hopefully achieve something special here," Russell told BBC Radio Bristol. Advertisement "One of my goals coming to Bath was to win some stuff, as it is for probably all of the players here. I think we've almost got back to where we wanted to be but hopefully go one step further this year." The Scotland and British and Irish Lions fly-half went off in the final minutes of Bath's semi-final win against Bristol on Friday night with cramp, but said he has trained normally since then and is ready to "rip in" to the weekend. Russell is used to playing at Twickenham, having won there with Scotland in two of their past three visits during the Six Nations. But with the English fans usually more hostile when he is playing there on international duty, Russell said the prospect of playing in front of a sold out stadium packed with Bath fans, was one he was looking forward to. Advertisement "I like Twickenham, I think it's a great stadium. This game's been sold out for a while now but it sounds like there'll be a lot of Bath fans there so I'm really looking forward to that," he said. "Usually when I play there it's 70-odd thousand against me. I love big games and playing in front of a sold out Twickenham will be brilliant for us." 'Turning hope into belief' - Spencer Bath captain Ben Spencer added that the team are a different beast than the one that went into the final 12 months ago, thanks to a culture brought in by head of rugby Johann van Graan and more experience playing in major finals. Advertisement They sat top of the table since the end of October and claimed silverware in the Premiership Rugby Cup in February and European Challenge Cup last month. "Everyone feels different, this group's been through enough now and played in enough big games to know how the week needs to feel and look," Spencer said. "It's taken a lot of hard work from the group, that's one huge thing that Johann brought in was turning hope into belief and this group believes now and believes we can win big games." Ben Spencer is hoping to lead Bath to a treble and first Premiership trophy since 1996 [Getty Images] Bath go into the final as favourites and beat the Tigers comfortably 43-15 when they met in the league four weeks ago. Advertisement However, Van Graan said that the club will stick to their "process" going into the match, while also highlighting how well his side adapted in last year's final after losing prop Beno Obano to a red card during the first half. "Our process is something that's worked well for us so we're going to stick to what we do," Van Graan added. "What this playing group has become exceptional at is problem solving on the pitch and as we had in last season's final - and I'm sure it'll happen in this final - you've got to solve problems on the go. That's the sign of a good team. "Whatever the final brings we'll adapt."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Legendary Coronation Street duo reunite after 11 years and fans can't believe it
Two Coronation Street legends have reunited 11 years after last appearing on the cobbles together, and fans can't believe it. It comes as Katherine Kelly, who played the role of Becky McDonald, posted a reunion picture with Julie Hesmondhalgh, best known for the character Hayley Cropper. Hayley was the first transgender character on a British soap and throughout her time in Weatherfield, formed close friendships with Fiz Brown (Jennie McAlpine) and Carla Connor (Alison King), as well as Becky. After first joining the ITV programme in 2006, Becky formed an unbreakable bond with Hayley and her husband, Roy, and they remained a tight-knit family-like trio until she departed for Barbados in 2012. Then sadly, after 16 years, Hayley's time came to an end on Corrie when she decided to end her life after battling with terminal pancreatic cancer in 2014. However, Katherine's recent Instagram post has left fans rather excited, as it appears the pair are working together once more. As well as a picture of the actresses hugging with huge smiles on their faces, Katherine also shared a picture of Julie in a recording booth and another of a recording studio set up with equipment. Katherine captioned the photos: 'A day spent with one of my FAVOURITE human beings deserves a place on the grid @jhesmondhalgh.' One fan commented: "Icons! And the 'Reunited' song comes to mind.' Another wrote: 'This photo has made my day, all we need is David in the middle x' Someone else said: 'What ever this is I can't wait to watch.' Also on social media, this Corrie viewer put: 'HAYLEY AND BECKY REUNION AHHH MY GODDDDD.' While this person added: 'Always Hayley n Bex to me but both great actors post Corrie.' Recommended reading: Corrie fans believe 'iconic' Liz McDonald set to replace Eileen Grimshaw Coronation Street bosses urged to 'wake up' as show 'worst' it has been in years Coronation Street's Sue Cleaver lands new job just days after exiting the soap A soap fan revealed: ''Just how fast the night changessss', I want Hayley and Becky back!' Others said 'ahhhh you guys rock' and some hailed the two 'amazing' actresses as 'legends'. What do you think Katherine and Julie are working on together? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
