Teenager Andreeva shows her mettle, Pegula advances at French Open
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2025 Ashlyn Krueger of the U.S. in action during her second round match against Russia's Mirra Andreeva REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2025 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. reacts during her second round match against Ann Li of the U.S. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2025 Russia's Mirra Andreeva in action during her second round match against Ashlyn Krueger of the U.S. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 29, 2025 Russia's Mirra Andreeva shakes hands with Ashlyn Krueger of the U.S. after winning her second round match REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
PARIS - Mirra Andreeva underlined her claycourt credentials again at the French Open when the Russian teenager methodically took apart Ashlyn Krueger, and third seed Jessica Pegula also moved into the third round on Thursday.
Andreeva, a surprise Roland Garros semi-finalist in 2024, confirmed her calibre on the sport's slowest surface with runs to the Madrid and Rome quarter-finals this season, and she had to be at her inventive best to beat the powerful Krueger 6-3 6-4.
The 18-year-old sixth seed found herself an early break down on Court Simonne Mathieu but fought back to secure the first set, before mixing up her game with exquisite sliced forehands in the next to see off her American opponent.
"This match wasn't easy, I'd lost to her at the U.S. Open," Andreeva said, reflecting on her second-round defeat by Krueger in New York last August.
"She's a powerful and aggressive player. I knew I had to play well ... I suffered and struggled with my serve, but I'm happy I found a way to stay calm.
"I pushed myself to fight until the end."
Pegula, Krueger's frequent doubles partner this season and French Open third seed, had to battle hard against fellow American Ann Li but found her best level when it mattered to prevail 6-3 7-6(3) in windy conditions.
Up next for the 2024 U.S. Open runner-up is former Paris finalist Marketa Vondrousova, after the Czech sent 25th seed Magdalena Frech packing 6-0 4-6 6-3.
On the men's side, Vondrousova's compatriot Jiri Lehecka took out Spanish 26th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 3-6 6-1 6-2 while Kazakh Alexander Bublik upset Australian ninth seed Alex De Minaur 2-6 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-2.
Three-times French Open champion Novak Djokovic continues his bid for more history and a record 25th Grand Slam trophy when he plays Frenchman Corentin Moutet later on Thursday.
Top seed Jannik Sinner resumes his hunt for a maiden title on Parisian clay when he meets another local favourite in Richard Gasquet, who will retire when his campaign at his home Grand Slam comes to an end. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
39 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Scheffler and DeChambeau set for ultimate U.S. Open test at Oakmont
Jun 11, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Bryson DeChambeau plays his shot from the 11th tee during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images REUTERS FILE PHOTO: Masters champion Scottie Scheffler hits off the first tee as he starts a practice round at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, U.S., April 6, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo OAKMONT, Pennsylvania - Scottie Scheffler will be the clear favourite when the U.S. Open begins on Thursday at Oakmont Country Club where the devilish course is sure to torment many of the world's best players vying for the year's third major title. There are 156 players in the field this week but it is the familiar trio of world number one Scheffler, defending champion Bryson DeChambeau and Masters winner Rory McIlroy who are commanding much of the attention at Oakmont. Scheffler enters the U.S. Open in stellar form having secured three wins in his last four starts. His driving proficiency and unflappable temperament make him well suited to be in contention come Sunday. The notoriously challenging Oakmont, which is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, will demand pinpoint accuracy off the tee given the five-inch rough lining the narrow fairways that lead to lightning fast greens on the par-70 layout. "There's not really many areas where you step on the tee box and you're like, hey, I can miss it right here, hey, I can shade towards the left side of the fairway because right is really bad," said Scheffler. "Actually, if you hit it in the right rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green; if you hit it in the left rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green. So might as well try and split the difference there and hit it in the middle." A win for Scheffler would put him alongside Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth as the only active players with three legs of the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors and give him a shot at completing the feat at the July 17-20 British Open. FAN FAVOURITE Big-hitting DeChambeau, who went close at the year's first two majors, is looking to become the first repeat U.S. Open winner since Brooks Koepka in 2018. DeChambeau, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field this week, is a fan favourite and fully expects to use their energy to help him get across the finish line and collect a third major title. "It's been a lot of fun just experiencing what the fans are giving me. It's so much energy," said DeChambeau, who briefly held the final-round lead at the Masters in April and finished runner-up at the PGA Championship last month. "The only reason why I'm still here with this much energy is because of them, and even last week (at the LIV Golf event) in Virginia, the crowds were really great and pumping me on. "Am I tired? For sure. But am I excited? I'm more excited than I am tired." 'BEST ATTITUDE' World number two McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam at this year's Masters but has struggled since, will be hoping to get his mojo back but enters the week fresh off his first missed cut of the season. The Northern Irishman, a U.S. Open runner-up the last two years, has been errant off the tee ever since being forced to switch drivers at the PGA Championship where his preferred one was considered non-conforming following a routine inspection. Despite a less-than-ideal build-up to the U.S. Open, McIlroy pronounced himself ready for a test that will challenge both the physical and mental parts of players' games. "It's very penal if you miss. Sometimes it's penal if you don't miss," McIlroy said of Oakmont's rough. "But the person with the most patience and the best attitude this week is the one that's going to win." Among the other favourites this week are British Open champion Xander Schauffele, Spaniard Jon Rahm, Swede Ludvig Aberg and Ireland's Shane Lowry. Six-times major winner Mickelson, a record six-times U.S. Open runner-up who will celebrate his 55th birthday on Monday, needs a win this week to complete the career Grand Slam. This is the final year of Mickelson's five-year exemption into the U.S. Open for winning the 2021 PGA Championship and he has said this could be his last start at the major. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Oakmont's lone tree offers reprieve for sun-kissed U.S. Open fans
Jun 11, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; General view of the on the 18th green in front of the clubhouse during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS OAKMONT, Pennsylvania - Shortly beyond the third tee box at Oakmont Country Club sits the only tree on the interior of the course, a stately American elm whose sprawling branches provide the only reprieve from the blaring sun at this week's U.S. Open. The 120-year-old tree may not be anywhere near as famous as Oakmont's Church Pews Bunker but it has been more popular this week for sun-kissed golf fans drawn in by the promise of shade and cool grass under its canopy. "We've been here since about 8 o'clock this morning in the sun the entire time and this is the only shade we could find," Mark Finley, a 41-year-old accountant from New Jersey, told Reuters while he set up his chair under the tree. The typical American golf course has trees, and lots of them. There was even a time when Oakmont, which opened in 1904 and this week is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, was transformed into a traditional "parkland" course with trees. Oakmont, the vision of late founder Henry C. Fownes, was originally designed as an "inland links" course styled after the open and barren nature of Britain's traditional links courses despite not being set along a large body of water. During the 1950s thousands of trees were planted and by the early 1980s the course hardly resembled its original rugged identity as trees flanked all 18 holes. But, in a bid to revive Oakmont's original links-style identity, a tree-removal process began in earnest during the mid-1990s and ultimately led to some 15,000 trees removed. While there are still trees along the outer edges of the course, the purge left just one remaining on the interior of the layout. The tree does not come into play, leaving the layout effectively treeless. Devin Gee, head professional at Oakmont, told Reuters the tree at the Oakmont's third hole has not only escaped weather-related damage but has never been suggested for removal. "I wouldn't say it's because people think it's such a magnificent tree," said Gee. "It doesn't come into play, it doesn't come into line of flight or the way the hole plays in any way whatsoever. "But it's left standing, it's just sort of been the one that made it through for sure." For golf fans looking to get their souvenir U.S. Open pin flag signed by the likes of world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, the tree is serving as the perfect waiting area. "It's a pretty nice day out, pretty hot, sun is beating down on us a little bit so to get out of the sun we came over here for shade and are waiting to see if we can get an autograph," said Rocco Jerrome, a 15-year-old golf fan from West Virginia. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Australia topple S Africa top order to take charge of WTC final
LONDON - South Africa were reeling on 43-4 at stumps on the first day of the World Test Championship final at Lord's on Wednesday after dismissing defending champions Australia for 212. Seamer Kagiso Rabada took 5-51 as South Africa's bowling unit made a strong start to the match but their inexperienced batting line-up came under fire as soon as they began their reply. Australia's fast bowling attack proved as fearsome as anything South Africa had to offer and by the close of play they were firmly in command. "I think we're in a good spot. We've probably had a few missed opportunities with the bat to try and get a bigger total, but I think the wicket's offered something all day," said Australia's Steve Smith. South Africa trail Australia by 169 runs after a day on which 14 wickets fell and captain Temba Bavuma (3) and David Bedingham (8) will resume on Thursday with a daunting task ahead. "We feel there is a lot of opportunity still left in the contest," Rabada said. A see-saw contest started with South Africa's decision to put Australia in to bat in a calculated gamble on a good pitch but with cloudy conditions that Bavuma sought to capitalise on. It was vindicated when Rabada and Marco Jansen took two wickets each to leave Australia struggling on 67-4 at lunch, with Marnus Labuschagne's first innings as an opener ending after 17 runs and the returning Cameron Green lasting only three balls. When the sun came out at the start of the second session, however, Smith and Beau Webster added 79 runs for the fifth wicket before Smith was dismissed by part-time spinner Aiden Markram for 66. It was the only wicket to fall in the afternoon session as Australia advanced to 190-5 at tea, only for fortunes to swing back South Africa's way after tea as they took Australia's last five wickets for 22 runs in 6.4 overs. Keshav Maharaj bowled Alex Carey (23) attempting an injudicious stroke, followed by two wickets for Rabada who removed Pat Cummins for one and induced Webster into a thick edge with extra bounce. Webster top scored with a test-best 72 in his fourth appearance for Australia. Jansen bowled Nathan Lyon to end with figures of 3-49 and Rabada completed his five-wicket haul by castling Mitchell Starc. South Africa came in to bat with 90 minutes left in the day's play and lost Markram in their first over as he chopped the ball onto his boot and then the stumps to give Starc a first wicket. The left-armer also snagged Ryan Rickelton for 16, encouraged into a drive and well caught by Usman Khawaja at first slip, as South Africa fell to 19-2. Wiaan Mulder, dropped on one, lasted 44 balls but made only six runs as he looked thoroughly uncomfortable after being promoted to number three in the order and Tristan Stubbs was clean bowled by Josh Hazlewood for two shortly before the close. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.