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Qatar Tribune
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Alcaraz ends Shelton's run in tough four-setter
ATP Paris Carlos Alcaraz captured his 100th tour-level win on clay Sunday when he overcame Ben Shelton in an entertaining fourth-round clash at Roland Garros. On Court Philippe-Chatrier, in a match filled with dynamic shot-making, high-quality net play, and a commendable display of sportsmanship, Alcaraz emerged victorious with a 7-6(8), 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 triumph in three hours and 19 minutes. Under the Parisian Sunday sun, both came out firing. Alcaraz saved three set points in the first set to lead and then continued to redirect Shelton's heavy power with his fast hands in the second set to take further control. The American briefly gained a foothold by clinching the third set but Alcaraz responded in the fourth to advance to the quarter-finals at the clay-court major for the fourth consecutive year. 'Today I fought against myself, against the mind,' Alcaraz said. 'I just tried to calm myself. In some moments I was mad, I was angry with myself. Talking not really good things but I am really happy to not let those thoughts play against me. I tried to calm myself down and I tried to keep going. That is what I tried.' The defending champion in Paris, Alcaraz is chasing his fifth major this fortnight and third clay-court title of the season, having triumphed at ATP Masters 1000 events in Monte-Carlo and Rome. The Spaniard, who missed Madrid due to an injury, will next meet American Tommy Paul. Alcaraz leads Paul 4-2 in the pair's ATP Head2Head series. Alcaraz dropped sets against Fabian Marozsan and Damir Dzumhur earlier this week but was pushed much harder by World No. 13 Shelton, who pummelled his groundstrokes in the lively Parisian conditions. 'We have huge respect for each other,' Alcaraz said when asked about Shelton. 'Every time we face each other, we [bring] the top level. We played really good tennis and entertained the fans. He is a really powerful player, he can make any shot. I think we played really great tennis. Coming to the net, drop shots, forehands. For me it is great having Ben around. I think it is great energy for the people and I love watching Ben play.' Alcaraz is aiming to become just the third man this century to successfully defend his Roland Garros title, alongside Rafael Nadal (10 times) and Gustavo Kuerten (2001). Swiatek battles back to beat Rybakina Iga Swiatek looked on the brink of losing her French Open crown but recovered from a set and a break down to extend her winning run at Roland Garros to 25 matches. The four-time champion has not lost a match at Roland Garros since 2021, but she appeared to be heading for the exit when Elena Rybakina led 6-1, 2-0. Rybakina, the former Wimbledon champion, had raced into a 5-0 lead after only 20 minutes. But in a match which eventually lasted two and a half hours, Swiatek came through 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. The Pole, who turned 24 on Saturday, now matches Monica Seles' 1990s run of 25 match wins at the tournament. She said: 'It was tough. In the first I felt like I was playing against Jannik Sinner!' Swiatek will face Elina Svitolina, who sprung a surprise by knocking out fourth seed and last year's runner-up Jasmine Paolini, in the quarter-final. The 30-year-old from Ukraine saved three match points before winning 4-6, 7-6 (7-8), 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals. 'I would've never believed this match would swing my way,' she said. 'It was a really difficult match, Jasmine was playing really, really well. It was really tough. I had to fight until the last point and I'm very happy to be in the next round. 'Of course it's one or two points which decided the second set. I was really pleased to win the second set and played really well to close the match. 'We are at a grand slam so everyone is playing very well and everyone is fighting. It's all about trying to stay focused and finding the opportunities.' Svitolina's husband, Gael Monfils, was knocked out by Jack Draper in a thrilling four-setter on Thursday night. 'It's important to recover because today was a very difficult match,' she added. 'An ice bath, some food, speak with my brother and Gael as well, enjoy the moment with them and then practice tomorrow to prepare for my next round.' Italian Paolini, who also reached the Wimbledon final last year, said: 'It's a tough one. I think we played a great match. I had my chances. 'She played well, I didn't. You know, it's tennis, so it's hard to accept, but I have to.'
India Today
26-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Roger Federer recalls French Open 2009 win: Relieved I didn't face Rafael Nadal
For Roger Federer, the French Open was the one major title that had eluded him. That changed in 2009, when he defeated Sweden's Robin Soderling in straight sets in the final to claim his first - and only - Roland Garros Federer's breakthrough, Rafael Nadal had dominated the clay-court major, winning it four consecutive times since his debut in Federer may not have lifted the trophy if not for an upset earlier in the tournament. Nadal, who was widely expected to reach the final, was defeated in the fourth round by Soderling—clearing the path for Federer to avoid a head-to-head clash with his long-time rival. On Sunday, the French Open paid an emotional tribute to Nadal, who retired from professional tennis last November. Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray were present at Roland Garros to honour Nadal's incredible legacy, which includes a record 14 French Open titles - the most by any player at a single Grand Slam.'Pressure was immense'Reflecting on his 2009 triumph, Federer admitted he was relieved not to have faced Nadal, who still holds the record for the most Grand Slam titles at one meant a lot to me, because it was the last Grand Slam that I was still missing. For me, I had won all the others by 2004, so I had to wait a good five, six years maybe to win the French Open. So, of course, when I won it finally, on a rainy day here in Paris and I came through in the final, it was a beautiful moment,' Federer told Mary-Joe Fernandez on TNT.'The pressure was immense [the year I won] because I knew, 'Okay, maybe I don't have to go through Rafa'. That's how tennis works sometimes. But the relief was incredible, and I never got the chance again. Rafa was there at the door and said, 'Sorry pal, it is my turn again',' Federer Nadal and Roger Federer first faced each other at the 2024 ATP Masters 1000 in Miami. Over the course of their legendary rivalry, they played 40 matches, with Nadal leading the head-to-head 24– last singles encounter was in the 2019 Wimbledon semi-final, where Federer triumphed in four sets. The two also teamed up for doubles in Federer's farewell match at the 2022 Laver Reel
Hans India
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Djokovic survives knee scare to enter SF
Geneva: Novak Djokovic celebrated his 38th birthday with hard-fought revenge at the Geneva Open. The second seed held firm for a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Matteo Arnaldi to reach the semi-finals at the clay ATP 250 event for the second consecutive year. Djokovic, who fell to Arnaldi at the ATP Masters 1000 in Madrid last month, reeled off five straight games from 1-4 in the second set to seal a one-hour, 40-minute victory. 'It's great to be in the semi-finals again. Hopefully this year I can go at least a step further, that's the goal. I think I'm playing really good tennis. A straight-sets win, but it was much closer than the score indicates. I was 4-1 down in the second, but somehow I didn't lose a game. 'I found the optimal state and balance, mentally and emotionally, to be able to play my best tennis when it was most needed. Hopefully I can carry that into tomorrow,' said Djokovic. Djokovic is now within two victories of claiming his 100th tour-level trophy, with which he would join Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) as the only men to hit the triple-digit mark in the Open Era. The Serb will next play qualifier Cameron Norrie. The Briton defeated fifth seed Alexei Popyrin 7-6(6), 6-4 to reach his ninth tour-level semi-final on clay and first since Rio de Janeiro last year. In the other half of the draw, Hubert Hurkacz continued his strong run of form by dismissing top seed Taylor Fritz 6-3, 7-6(5) in a high-quality serving battle. Hurkacz, who reached the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome last week, triumphed at the last clay-court ATP 250 he played in Estoril last year.
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Confident Alcaraz heads to Paris with another win over Sinner under his belt
Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 18, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz plays the winning point during the final against Italy's Jannik Sinner REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel Confident Alcaraz heads to Paris with another win over Sinner under his belt BENGALURU - Carlos Alcaraz heads to Paris for his French Open title defence having laid down a marker with his victory over world number one Jannik Sinner in Rome on Sunday which completed his collection of elite claycourt crowns. Alcaraz's fourth straight win over Sinner saw the 22-year-old join Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gustavo Kuerten and Marcelo Rios as the only men to have captured all three claycourt ATP Masters 1000 titles - Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome. "Winning tournaments and lifting trophies give you a lot of confidence ... just to know you're on the right path and playing great tennis. I'm excited about what's to come for me," the Spaniard said after his Rome success. "It means that I'm doing the right things and I'm going to keep doing the right things coming to Paris." Alcaraz made the ideal start to his campaign on the sport's slowest surface beating Lorenzo Musetti to claim his first Monte Carlo title, but then suffered an adductor muscle problem in Barcelona where he lost to Holger Rune in the final. That fatigue-induced injury, combined with a left hamstring issue in the midst of a gruelling spell, forced Alcaraz to skip the Madrid Open and left fans concerned about his status for the year's second major. But the four-times Grand Slam champion dispelled any doubts about his fitness in Rome, reserving his most clinical performance for the final against Sinner and taking his record on clay to 27-2 since May 2024. While Alcaraz has a long way to go to match the consistency of the now-retired Rafa Nadal on the surface, he possesses all the weapons to be just as ruthless, while his improved mental strength has helped him bear the weight of expectation. The pressure to unseat Sinner at the top of the world rankings during the Italian's three-month ban for a doping violation seemed to unnerve Alcaraz and he crashed to defeats at Indian Wells and Miami. "Something that I realised that I had to do is not think about anything else but enjoying," Alcaraz said after his triumph in Monte Carlo. "I'm not thinking about the world rankings anymore. I just keep going, doing the things that I enjoy, that make me happy. It's stepping on the court, showing good tennis, that's it. "If I win, great. If I don't, I'll learn and keep going." Roland Garros begins on Sunday. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Tennis-Confident Alcaraz heads to Paris with another win over Sinner under his belt
Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 18, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz plays the winning point during the final against Italy's Jannik Sinner REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel BENGALURU (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz heads to Paris for his French Open title defence having laid down a marker with his victory over world number one Jannik Sinner in Rome on Sunday which completed his collection of elite claycourt crowns. Alcaraz's fourth straight win over Sinner saw the 22-year-old join Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Gustavo Kuerten and Marcelo Rios as the only men to have captured all three claycourt ATP Masters 1000 titles - Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome. "Winning tournaments and lifting trophies give you a lot of confidence ... just to know you're on the right path and playing great tennis. I'm excited about what's to come for me," the Spaniard said after his Rome success. "It means that I'm doing the right things and I'm going to keep doing the right things coming to Paris." Alcaraz made the ideal start to his campaign on the sport's slowest surface beating Lorenzo Musetti to claim his first Monte Carlo title, but then suffered an adductor muscle problem in Barcelona where he lost to Holger Rune in the final. That fatigue-induced injury, combined with a left hamstring issue in the midst of a gruelling spell, forced Alcaraz to skip the Madrid Open and left fans concerned about his status for the year's second major. But the four-times Grand Slam champion dispelled any doubts about his fitness in Rome, reserving his most clinical performance for the final against Sinner and taking his record on clay to 27-2 since May 2024. While Alcaraz has a long way to go to match the consistency of the now-retired Rafa Nadal on the surface, he possesses all the weapons to be just as ruthless, while his improved mental strength has helped him bear the weight of expectation. The pressure to unseat Sinner at the top of the world rankings during the Italian's three-month ban for a doping violation seemed to unnerve Alcaraz and he crashed to defeats at Indian Wells and Miami. "Something that I realised that I had to do is not think about anything else but enjoying," Alcaraz said after his triumph in Monte Carlo. "I'm not thinking about the world rankings anymore. I just keep going, doing the things that I enjoy, that make me happy. It's stepping on the court, showing good tennis, that's it. "If I win, great. If I don't, I'll learn and keep going." Roland Garros begins on Sunday. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
