Latest news with #AlexdeMinaur
Associated Press
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
French Open: No. 62 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan beats No. 5 Jack Draper in the fourth round
PARIS (AP) — Alexander Bublik became the first man from Kazakhstan to reach the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam tournament, eliminating No. 5 Jack Draper 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 on Monday at the French Open. The 27-year-old Bublik dropped to the court, smudging himself with the red clay, when he finished off the biggest win of his career after about 2 1/2 hours. Bublik managed to produce a total of 68 winners, 31 more than the left-handed Draper. At No. 62, Bublik is the lowest-ranked man to earn a pair of victories at Roland-Garros against opponents ranked in the top 10 since No. 100 Andrei Medvedev in 1999. Bublik came back from a two-set deficit to defeat No. 9 Alex de Minaur in the second round last week. ___ AP tennis:
ABC News
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- ABC News
Daria Kasatkina's French Open win ensures 37-year first for Australian tennis
Daria Kasatkina has overcome the same feeling of burnout that sank her fellow Australian Alex de Minaur at the French Open, and now feels rejuvenated by reaching the fourth round at her "spiritual" tennis home at Roland Garros. On the venue's famed Simonne Mathieu 'greenhouse court', Australia's newest tennis recruit was left thrilled how her stagnant game suddenly bloomed in humid conditions with a 6-1, 7-5 defeat of former world No.2 Paula Badosa. Kasatkina's victory conjured up the rare but sweet smell of Paris success for her adopted tennis home as, for the first time in 37 years, there will now be an Aussie in both the men's and women's last-16 draws in the same year. In 1988, Nicole Provis, who went on to reach the semis, and Pat Cash, both made the second week. Now the onus is on Kasatkina and Alexei Popyrin, who plays his fourth-round match against Tommy Paul on Sunday night from 7pm (AEST). On Monday, Kasatkina will face Mirra Andreeva, her 18-year-old French-based Russian friend. The vlogging pals ended up sharing an ice bath after their early showcourt progress, and Kasatkina, in her first slam under the Australian flag, sounded as if a weight had been lifted from her following a tough spell when her form and motivation slumped. Echoing the lament of de Minaur, who said he was burnt out and mentally fatigued after his shock second-round loss, Kasatkina admitted it felt like a "super important" win for her. "It means a lot especially the last couple of weeks were a bit rough for me. I couldn't find myself on court, I felt a little bit flat, like with emotions and stuff," said the 28-year-old, whose form hasn't been great since she gained permanent Australian residency two months ago. "I felt little signs of burnout or something like that. I'm really happy I got back on track here in Roland Garros, one of my favourite tournaments." Of de Minaur's complaints about the overcrowded schedule, she added: "I agree with Alex, because our schedule is pretty rough." "We have a completely packed schedule. It's not normal, but it can happen that the person who is travelling all around the world all the time giving their best, living the life of tennis player, sometimes can feel he's tired, that sometimes you are just not super excited to go on court. "I mean, this can happen. This is our job but I think everyone can relate that sometimes you don't want to wake up to go to your job. "Yeah, we are super lucky at having this opportunity to do what we love and get paid for it and travel around the world. It's a nice life, but sometimes when you give everything to something, you feel tired and you need some rest." But the 17th seed said she felt much better on court, dominating the first set against an out-of-sorts world No.10 Badosa before having to dig deep when the Spaniard, with more firepower but little of Kasatkina's all-court guile and superb defence, dragged her into a "tense" second-set scrap. This triumph, still greeted by a standing ovation from the largely pro-Badosa crowd, was comfortably Kasatkina's best since her allegiance switch as she powered out to win eight of the first nine games, then nullified Badosa's biggest weapons, frustrating her into many of her 41 "unforced" errors. Kasatkina smiled about how she transforms when returning to Roland-Garros, where she was a semifinalist in 2022, quarterfinalist in 2018 and the girls' champion in 2014. "The courts, amazing, super-good quality, the atmosphere. I won here as a junior. When this happens, it just stays forever in you and automatically the place becomes special," she said. "It's my 10th professional Roland-Garros, every time I'm coming here, I feel comfortable. I know every corner of the stadium. I don't know how it works, honestly, on a spiritual level, but somehow this place, it's been always nice to me." AAP
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Australian tennis ace Alexei Popyrin into fourth round of French Open without dropping a set
Alexei Popyrin says he couldn't have imagined he'd end up as the last Aussie man standing at the French Open — but he's determined to keep the flag flying high after ensuring there would be no depressing hangover following Alex de Minaur's shock exit. On a roasting Friday in Paris, the country's No.2 player got hot in the Court 14 furnace in which de Minaur's hopes had crashed and burned the previous day, downing doughty Portuguese Nuno Borges 6-4 7-6 (13-11) 7-6 (7-5) to reach the last-16 without having yet dropped a set. 'We all expected Demon to be in the fourth round,' admitted Popyrin, when asked if he'd have thought at the start of the week he'd be the final men's survivor. 'I don't think I could have thought that - Alex is probably the most consistent player on tour - but that's the case now. I'm only focusing on myself. I want to keep going as far as I can, that's all I'm thinking.' And there's no reason that couldn't be very far. Last year Popyrin reached the last-16 in the US Open, but now he has the chance to go even further in a slam as he faces American iron man, 12th seed Tommy Paul, who outlasted Karen Khachanov 6-3 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 6-3. And though, ultimately, Popyrin may have made harder work of his win than he would have liked, the 25th seed still felt it was a major boon to have got the job done in three-straight in three hours, while Paul was slogging for 4 hours 7 minutes after another five-set slog in the first round which had lasted 3:38. 'It was a really good match from my point. Happy I wrapped it up in three sets. It's really hot out there, really difficult conditions,' said Popyrin. 'I played the first set-and-a-half really, really solid, how I've been playing all week, but had a bit of a mental slip-up at the end of the second but managed to dig deep in the tiebreak. 'The third set was more a mental battle than a physical battle on my side trying to hold serve, and then trying to get opportunities on his return, which I had towards the end. But still managed to kind of keep my head and still play well in the tiebreak.' Popyrin now joins an elite group of his compatriots to have made it this far on the Paris clay since the turn of the Millennium alongside Mark Philippoussis (2000), Wayne Arthurs (2001), Lleyton Hewitt (2000-02, 2004, 2006-07) and Alex de Minaur (2024). The courts hardening and speeding up in the sunshine certainly suited his big serving as Popyrin dropped just three points on his delivery in the opening set but he had a bit of an aberration near the end of the second. He squandered a set point at 3-5 and twice served for the set only to deliver a couple of error-prone games - the only times he was broken in the match. Eventually, he needed plenty of resolve in a dog-fight of a tiebreak, saving a couple of set points and having four more of his own repelled before the Portuguese finally crashed a backhand long. Popyrin's relief was palpable. 'It was very important. One-set all is a completely different ball game.' His serve was in formidable nick, generally, his 13 aces and 80 per cent success rate on his first delivery suggesting he's going to be hard work for Paul to subdue. 'He played unbelievable tennis there (in the Canadian Open last year). That's what he's capable of. He can take the racquet out of your hand sometimes,' said the American. 'Hopefully, I can use the clay to my advantage and kind of slow things down a little bit.'
ABC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Alexei Popyrin makes fourth round of French Open without dropping a set after downing Nuno Borges
Alexei Popyrin says he couldn't have imagined he'd end up as the last Aussie man standing at the French Open — but he's determined to keep the flag flying high after ensuring there would be no depressing hangover following Alex de Minaur's shock exit. On a roasting Friday in Paris, the country's No.2 player got hot in the Court 14 furnace in which de Minaur's hopes had crashed and burned the previous day, downing doughty Portuguese Nuno Borges 6-4 7-6 (13-11) 7-6 (7-5) to reach the last-16 without having yet dropped a set. "We all expected Demon to be in the fourth round," admitted Popyrin, when asked if he'd have thought at the start of the week he'd be the final men's survivor. "I don't think I could have thought that — Alex is probably the most consistent player on tour — but that's the case now. I'm only focusing on myself. I want to keep going as far as I can, that's all I'm thinking." And there's no reason that couldn't be very far. Last year Popyrin reached the last-16 in the US Open, but now he has the chance to go even further in a slam as he faces American iron man, 12th seed Tommy Paul, who outlasted Karen Khachanov 6-3 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 3-6 6-3. And though, ultimately, Popyrin may have made harder work of his win than he would have liked, the 25th seed still felt it was a major boon to have got the job done in three-straight in three hours, while Paul was slogging for 4 hours 7 minutes after another five-set slog in the first round which had lasted 3:38. "It was a really good match from my point. Happy I wrapped it up in three sets. It's really hot out there, really difficult conditions," said Popyrin. "I played the first set-and-a-half really, really solid, how I've been playing all week, but had a bit of a mental slip-up at the end of the second but managed to dig deep in the tiebreak. "The third set was more a mental battle than a physical battle on my side trying to hold serve, and then trying to get opportunities on his return, which I had towards the end. But still managed to kind of keep my head and still play well in the tiebreak." Popyrin now joins an elite group of his compatriots to have made it this far on the Paris clay since the turn of the Millennium alongside Mark Philippoussis (2000), Wayne Arthurs (2001), Lleyton Hewitt (2000-02, 2004, 2006-07) and Alex de Minaur (2024). The courts hardening and speeding up in the sunshine certainly suited his big serving as Popyrin dropped just three points on his delivery in the opening set but he had a bit of an aberration near the end of the second. He squandered a set point at 3-5 and twice served for the set only to deliver a couple of error-prone games — the only times he was broken in the match. Eventually, he needed plenty of resolve in a dog-fight of a tiebreak, saving a couple of set points and having four more of his own repelled before the Portuguese finally crashed a backhand long. Popyrin's relief was palpable. "It was very important. One-set all is a completely different ball game." His serve was in formidable nick, generally, his 13 aces and 80 per cent success rate on his first delivery suggesting he's going to be hard work for Paul to subdue. "He played unbelievable tennis there (in the Canadian Open last year). That's what he's capable of. He can take the racquet out of your hand sometimes," said the American. "Hopefully, I can use the clay to my advantage and kind of slow things down a little bit." AAP
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Alex de Minaur airs complaint amid brutal development for Aussie and fiancee
Alex de Minaur has added his voice to calls for the tennis tours to reduce the amount of tournaments and matches being played throughout the year, after he and fiancee Katie Boulter were both knocked out of the French Open on Thursday night. De Minaur and Boulter were spotted in a sweet moment behind the scenes after his brutal five-set loss to Alexander Bublik in the second round at Roland Garros. But the Aussie's fiancee didn't fare any better, thrashed 6-1 6-3 by Australian Open champ Madison Keys a short time later. It continued a trend in which both of them have never managed to go deep in tournaments they're playing at the same time. World No.9 de Minaur suffered an extraordinary loss from two-sets up, going down 6-2 6-2 4-6 3-6 2-6 to his much lower-ranked opponent (62). He used his post-match press conference to slam the sport's governing bodies for the sheer volume of tennis the players have to play throughout the year to maintain their rankings points. The 26-year-old said he's mentally and physically exhausted after a gruelling start to the year, bemoaning the "never-ending" season. "The solution is simple: you shorten the schedule, right?" he said. "What's not normal is that for the last three, four years I've had two days off after the Davis Cup and I've gone straight into pre-season, straight into the new season again. Once you start, you don't finish until November 24. So it's never-ending. The way it's structured ... I had to deal with that. I'm still dealing with that right now. "The solution is you shorten, because what's going to happen is players' careers are going to get shorter and shorter because they're just going to burn out mentally. There's just too much tennis." De Minaur's season kicked off with the United Cup in December, which came just 33 days after the Davis Cup Finals marked the end of 2024. He echoed the complaints made by compatriot Jordan Thompson earlier in the week, who described the ATP schedule as "shit" and "just a joke". RELATED: Tennis world saddened after brutal development for Kyrgios and Osaka Rafa Nadal's stunning admission as tennis world erupts at French Open World No.7 Casper Ruud aired his own complaints after the two-time French Open finalist suffered an injury-hampered loss to Nuno Borges in the second round. Ruud likened the ATP's ranking system to a "rat race" in which players fee compelled to compete in mandatory events - even if they are carrying injuries - because they'll lose points if they don't. "You feel you're obligated to play with certain rules that the ATP have set up with the mandatory events," he said. "You feel like you lose a lot if you don't show up and play ... the punishments are quite hard, in terms of everyone else will play, gain points, and you won't. "If you don't play a mandatory event, they cut 25 per cent of your year-end bonus. You're forcing players to show up injured or sick, or whatever, when that's not what I think is very fair." De Minaur was spotted being consoled by Boulter while cooling down in the gym after his loss. The British player joined her fiancee with a second-round exit after being thrashed by Keys on centre court. Katie Boulter and Alex de Minaur at Roland Garros ❤️ — The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 29, 2025 Elsewhere, Jannik Sinner ended the retiring Richard Gasquet's career with a one-sided victory, while Novak Djokovic continued his bid for a record-breaking 25th grand slam title by downing Frenchman Corentin Moutet in straight sets. On the women's side, second seed and former finalist Coco Gauff beat 2024 French Open girls' champion Tereza Valentova, after 18-year-old contender Mirra Andreeva also cruised through.
