
Alexander Zverev left doubled over on French Open court as he reveals disgusting thing he did during Djokovic loss
BUZZING Novak Djokovic became the oldest man to make the French Open semi-finals since 1968 – as mosquito-munching Alexander Zverev choked once again.
The 38-year-old Serbian is showing no signs of slowing down and he won his 22nd consecutive match in three years on Parisian clay.
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Alexander Zverev doubled over after swallowing a mosquito
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Zverev claimed to have 'swallowed 50 flies' during the match
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
A 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory over the lanky German, 28, close to midnight on Wednesday secured him a last-four date with
No.3 seed
Yet after he revealed to the umpire that 'I've swallowed about 50 flies already', his fortunes swiftly changed and Djokovic swarmed all over him.
There was one astonishing 41-shot rally that by rights Djokovic should not have won but somehow he did in game six of the fourth set.
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Zverev – who lost the 2024 singles final to
And he lost for the ninth time in his 14 meetings with the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Djokovic – who claimed the second set with a drop shot – might have ditched Andy Murray pre-Paris as his coach but he has not forgotten how to win tennis matches, especially ones that last more than three hours, although he did seal it on his fifth match point.
It was 57 years ago that a 40-year-old Richard Pancho Gonzales from America made it this far but he ended up losing to Rod Laver.
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Novak Djokovic was thrilled with his remarkable comeback win
Credit: Getty
Earlier in the day, Sinner bashed up Bublik Enemy No.1 6-1 7-5 6-0 in 11 minutes shy of two hours.
Ever-reliable Jannik Sinner won a 19th consecutive Grand Slam match as he eliminated British No.1 Jack Draper's drop-shotting conqueror Alexander Bublik in the quarter-finals.
Novak Djokovic digs out French Open rival for 'spying' on him and seeing Champions League trophy
Bublik, 27, produced 37 unforced errors and only nailed six drop-shot winners, which is half of what he achieved against the Brit.
Sinner, the No.1 seed, won the 2024 US Open and then backed that up by lifting the Australian Open in January – it could be three majors in a row come Sunday night.
He said: 'We have played a couple of times before so we knew what to expect.
'But in the other way with him, you never know what is happening. He has beaten some tough players to get there.
'I tried to stay focused on my side of the court. Play as solidly as possible. He can have some ups and downs.
'I tried to stay consistent the whole match and serve well in the important matches.
'It was a good performance from my side. It was a bit windy and breezy, so things can be complicated.
'I warmed up in the hotel because it was rainy, then the sun came out. A lot of different challenges.'
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Jannik Sinner has been in irresistible form
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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The Irish Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Tottenham manager contenders compared after Postecoglou axe including boss who could pave way for England duo to join
TOTTENHAM are seeking a replacement for sacked boss Ange Postecoglou. Chairman Daniel Levy has axed Postecoglou despite the Aussie 9 Ange Postecoglou has been axed as Tottenham manager Credit: Alamy 9 Postecoglou, 59, lifted the Europa League trophy in Bilbao Credit: Getty The 59-year-old vowed that his work was not done after his side beat But following lengthy deliberations, With Tottenham having finished 17th in the Premier League table, the Spurs supremo will be desperate for a boss that can lift his side back towards the top four. And with the Lilywhites having qualified for the Champions League via the Europa route, Postecoglou's successor will have a tricky job on their hands juggling what will need to be an improved league campaign with European duties. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL SunSport assesses the pros and cons of the runners and riders in the race to replace axed Ange. THOMAS FRANK Pros: The The straight-talking Dane would be a common-sense appointment. An effective communicator with both players and the media, Frank should be well placed to navigate what could be an awkward start with a squad of players that were largely behind Postecoglou. Frank, 51, has used several different formations at Brentford and should be confident in improving Spurs' leaky defence, while he has a track record of getting his strikers scoring, with Most read in Football SunSport understand Frank is the strong favourite at Spurs. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 9 Thomas Frank has done an exceptional job at Brentford Credit: Getty Cons: Following the highs of Bilbao, Spurs fans and maybe even players may be quite underwhelmed by sacking the man that masterminded that success in order to hire a mid-table boss. For all of his positive traits, Frank has never won a major trophy, albeit having never managed a club realistically expected to challenge for them. Ange Postecoglou drops huge hint over Tottenham future with incredible mic-drop moment at Europa League parade Frank can at times deploy quite direct football, a style that has not gone down particularly well under the likes of MARCO SILVA Pros: The Portuguese gaffer has done a remarkable job at That sort of stability could be an attractive proposition to the Spurs board, who have overseen a chaotic six years since Mauricio Pochettino was sacked. Fulham performed well in London derbies last season, beating Cons: Silva's previous big move, from Watford to He is not known to be particularly charismatic, which could lead him to struggle in getting Spurs fans onside early on. Silva also hasn't won any trophies since lifting the Greek title in 2016, while he has never finished higher than eighth in the Premier League. 9 Marco Silva has led Fulham to mid-table stability Credit: Shutterstock Editorial MICHAEL CARRICK Pros: Having played for Spurs between 2004 and 2006, Carrick possesses an understanding of how the club runs and what their supporters appreciate. Carrick, 43, has therefore also worked with Levy, which could help him when dealing with the Spurs chairman. Following several years at Cons: Quite simply, Spurs fans will baulk at the idea of hiring a boss that has just been Carrick's first full-time gig as a manager has to be seen as a failure, having not been promoted with All three of his seasons at Boro faltered in the run-in - something Spurs fans and board members cannot accept. 9 Michael Carrick was sacked by Middlesbrough after missing out on the play-offs Credit: PA OLIVER GLASNER Pros: Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner knows what it takes to win trophies. The Austrian, 50, lifted the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022, before going on to win Palace's first ever major silverware in the FA Cup last season. With the Eagles' participation in Europe next term Cons: Palace chairman Steve Parish will not let go of his manager without a fight - having scrapped to keep Glasner following Tottenham have targeted Palace stars Eze and Guehi, but may be unlikely to get them immediately should the Eagles be stung from losing their manager to the North Londoners. It could force a waiting game for the England duo. Glasner's three-at-the-back formation is not too dissimilar to Antonio Conte's, which broke down following his first year at Tottenham - while key Spurs defenders 9 Oliver Glasner won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace Credit: Getty XAVI Pros: Former Spurs supporters have always appreciated a dash of flair, so having one of the world's greatest-ever midfielders as manager would likely appeal to many. Xavi, 45, showed that he can work under difficult circumstances by winning the LaLiga title in 2022-23, while he also demonstrated that he was versatile enough to deviate from Barca's traditional 4-3-3 system when required. Cons: Xavi has no experience of English football, having never played or managed in the Premier League. His job at Barca, while impressive, was not particularly similar to what the task would be at Spurs - more a of a rebuilding effort than title charge, at least initially. A disappointing run mid-way through the 2023-24 season saw Xavi dramatically claim that he would quit Barca at the end of the campaign - only for him to later perform a U-turn... before being sacked anyway. 9 Xavi coached Barcelona between 2021 and 2024 Credit: Reuters SCOTT PARKER Pros: Like Carrick, Parker has a deep understanding of Spurs having played for the club. The Parker, 44, has previously been assisted by coach Matt Wells, who has spent the last two seasons on Postecoglou's coaching staff. Cons: Tottenham fans would be extremely underwhelmed by the appointment of Parker. The former midfielder has had previous cracks at the Premier League with Fulham and Bournemouth - being sacked by both clubs. Parker's football has been quite dour on the eye at times, something Spurs fans would struggle to accept unless results were extremely good. 9 Scott Parker guided Burnley to promotion last season Credit: PA ANDONI IRAOLA Pros: Iraola's high-octane pressing football could excite the Spurs faithful next season. The Spaniard's rise across stints in LaLiga and the South Coast is reminiscent of Mauricio Pochettino's career prior to joining Tottenham. Iraola has shown an ability to improve his players, with the likes of Cons: Iraola's football takes time to implement and patience may be in short supply following Postecoglou's dismissal. The Cherries did not win any of Iraola's first nine Premier League games in charge at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. Postecoglou was criticised for the amount of injuries suffered by his players, potentially down to his style of football - with similar accusations having been levelled at Iraola. 9 Andoni Iraola has impressed in two seasons at Bournemouth Credit: Shutterstock Editorial


RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Carlos Alcaraz into final as Lorenzo Musetti forced to retire injured
Carlos Alcaraz will defend his French Open title on Sunday after Lorenzo Musetti retired from their semi-final. Italian Musetti won the first set and was playing some exquisite tennis under the roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier. But the 23-year-old had treatment on his leg during a one-sided third set and called it a day after Alcaraz won nine games in a row with the score 4-6 7-6 (3) 6-0 2-0. There were echoes of a match here four years ago when Musetti retired against Novak Djokovic at 4-0 down in the fifth, later saying he was not injured but that he quit because he was "not able to win a point". Alcaraz, who will bid for a fifth grand slam title on Sunday, said: "It is never great getting through like this. "Lorenzo is a great player. He has had an incredible clay season. He's one of the few players who has achieved the semi-finals. I wish him all the best and a quick recovery. "The first two sets were really tough. I had chances to break his serve in the match and I couldn't make the most of it. "He was playing great tennis. When I won the second set, there was relief. In the third I knew what I had to do - pushing him to the limit and trying to be aggressive. "I was more calm and I could see this more clearly and I could play great tennis." An exciting match looked on the cards when at 5-4 Musetti, who had not previously threatened the Alcaraz serve, suddenly broke to take the first set. Alcaraz served for the second set but the tension he was feeling was palpable as Musetti broke straight back. However, Alcaraz reset in the tie-break and, although Musetti saved two set points, he dumped a third into the net. Musetti planted his hand onto his face after a bad miss handed the initiative to Alcaraz, who grabbed the early break in the third. Suddenly the shackles were off for Alcaraz while Musetti was labouring, winning just five points as the set disappeared over the horizon. The eighth seed had received treatment on his left leg but was still clearly hindered and when Alcaraz broke for 2-0 in the fourth, he decided he had had enough.


The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Ange Postecoglou SACKED by Tottenham despite finally ending Spurs' 17-year trophy drought with Europa League triumph
ANGE POSTECOGLOU has been sacked by Tottenham despite ending the club's 17-year trophy drought , it's understood. Spurs 8 Ange Postecoglou lifts the Europa League trophy Credit: GETTY 8 Postecoglou hugs chairman Daniel Levy following the Europa League final Credit: GETTY 8 The Aussie remained popular with several players in his squad Credit: GETTY Postecoglou, 59, vowed after the match that he wanted to stay at Spurs, insisting his work was not "complete". Nevertheless, chairman Daniel Levy has decided to end the Aussie's reign, with the club's dire Premier League form costing Postecoglou his job. Tottenham finished the season with a 4-1 home defeat by Brighton that left them 17th in the table with 38 points - their worst in Prem history . They fell six points short of their previous worst points tally of 44 in 1997-98. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL Postecoglou's record in two years at Spurs reads 47 wins from 101 games, with a win percentage of 47 per cent. As SunSport reported next manager. The Italian, 52, was the club's managing director of football between 2021 and 2023, before being forced to resign in April 2023 after being due to financial malpractice at previous club Paratici is thought to be a fan of former Ajax boss Francesco Farioli. Most read in Football CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 8 Postecoglou delivered on his silverware promise Credit: GETTY Postecoglou's reign began amid a wave of optimism in North London . Tottenham fans PARTY through the night in Bilbao after Europa League triumph He arrived at Tottenham in June 2023, having been poached from Postecoglou had initially appeared to be a breath of fresh air following the miserable reigns of Jose Mourinho, His tenure began in style as Tottenham made the club's best-ever start to a Premier League season. 8 Postecoglou celebrates with his jubilant players in Bilbao Credit: SHUTTERSTOCK 8 The Aussie, 59, claps the travelling Tottenham supporters Credit: GETTY 8 Spurs won eight and drew two of their first ten Premier League games despite the exit of club icon and record scorer Harry Kane on the eve of Postecoglou's first match in charge. They were top of the table until a crazy 4-1 home defeat by Chelsea and a slew of injuries in late October triggered a steady decline in form. Tottenham finished fifth following a dismal end to the campaign, but many fans still felt optimistic about Postecoglou's tenure. However, Spurs struggled with a long list of injuries this season and despite a landmark 4-0 win over champions Man City at the Etihad in November, they were frustratingly fragile domestically. Following the City thrashing, Spurs won just one Premier League game in the next 71 days - and that was against Southampton - before eventually ending their barren run at 'QUE SERA, SERA' Postecoglou pleaded for patience amid a heavy injury crisis across the winter months. And with his first choice defence and front line restored, he was able to guide Spurs to Europa League glory. Following the final, Postecoglou said: "I would be disappointed if we don't continue on this path. "It is difficult to buy into one person's vision. I have been a serial winner. I know people dismiss what I have won because it didn't happen here, but they were hard earned. "There is huge relief. You carry the weight of responsibility and 150 times I have been a spokesman for this club. "There are no planned meetings. I'll go back to my hotel room with friends and family, open up a nice bottle of scotch, a massive parade on Friday, game on Sunday against Brighton and then holiday. Then que sera, sera." Postecoglou added: "I know our league form has been unacceptable, but coming third was not going to change this football club, winning a trophy would, that was my ambition and I was prepared to wear it if it did not happen. "People kept reminding me of it because we were getting closer but I'm happy with that." 8 Delighted Daniel Levy congratulates Postecoglou - but has now axed him Credit: GETTY