Sinner sets sights on French Open quarters, Gauff and Andreeva in action

Malay Mail

2 days ago

PARIS, June 2 — Jannik Sinner will seek to light up the night session on Monday as the top seed clashes with Andrey Rublev, while Russian starlet Mirra Andreeva will face hitting-partner and ex-compatriot Daria Kasatkina for a place in the French Open quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, world number two Coco Gauff will meet Ekaterina Alexandrova in the last 16 and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic will renew his rivalry with Cameron Norrie.
Third seeds Alexander Zverev and Jessica Pegula will also take to the court in fourth-round action against Tallon Griekspoor and Lois Boisson, respectively.
Italy's Sinner will look to continue his quest to make it three Grand Slam titles in a row when he takes on Russian 17th seed Rublev.
The pair have met nine times in their career with Sinner holding the edge with six wins to three, but the former world number five emerged the victor in their only previous meeting at Roland Garros at the same stage in 2022.
Sinner retired injured from that encounter but should come into Monday's headline match in fine nick after limiting his time on court so far this tournament by winning all his matches in straight sets.
However, his opponent has spent even less time playing after receiving a walkover past France's Arthur Fils in the third round.
'I have to be very careful. Andrey is an incredible player. I have to be focused. He's rested. So let's see what's coming,' said Sinner.
Teenager Andreeva will meet Kasatkina — ranked 17 and now playing for Australia after switching allegiance from her native Russia.
'I practised with her here once already, so I think that we practise together every tournament,' said the sixth seed.
'It's going to be an entertaining match, for sure, because I think we both know each other very well. So, you know, I think that it's going to be... pretty tight.'
The 18-year-old lost her only previous meeting with Kasatkina in the final at Ningbo last year.
'Let's go to Vegas'
Djokovic, a three-time French Open winner, will have the chance to rack up 100 victories at Roland Garros when he faces Britain's Norrie.
The 38-year-old Serb sits on a 99-16 win/loss record at the major where he has enjoyed the least success in terms of titles.
'Just that stat alone for me in terms of longevity, something that particularly in the last maybe five to seven years, I was looking forward to try to extend my career,' said Djokovic.
'To try to be playing on the highest level for as long as I possibly can, regardless of the age. And that's what's happening, so I can't be happier than that.'
Djokovic beat 81st-ranked Norrie in three sets earlier this month on the red dirt in Geneva on his way to securing a century of ATP titles.
Norrie's compatriot and men's fifth seed, Jack Draper, can extend his best-ever run at the French Open by beating a rejuvenated Alexander Bublik in the fourth round.
The Kazakh is also enjoying his best performance at Roland Garros, and credited his return to form in recent months to a boozy trip to Las Vegas with his coach.
'He's (Bublik's coach) like, 'Man, if you play like this, we're just going to be out of tennis, of the conversation by Wimbledon',' recounted the former top-20 player.
'I said, 'Okay, let's go to Vegas'.
'Vegas, Vegas, like a Hangover-thing (2009 film) Vegas, yeah.'
Last year's German runner-up Zverev completes the men's fourth round as he takes on unseeded Dutchman Griekspoor.
Gauff heads up a quartet of American women in the last 16 as the former finalist battles Russian 20th seed Alexandrova, who has reached the second week in Paris for the first time.
Australia Open champion and seventh seed Madison Keys competes with 70th-ranked compatriot Hailey Baptiste for a spot in the quarter-finals.
US Open finalist Pegula will face world number 361 Boisson — the sole remaining French player and lowest-ranked competitor left in the draw.
'Obviously... (Boisson's) going to have some crazy support,' said the 2024 US Open finalist.
'I think it will be fun. It will be cool to be a part of that.' — AFP