Latest news with #GiulioZeppieri
Free Malaysia Today
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Free Malaysia Today
Alcaraz on track at French Open after ‘roller-coaster year'
Carlos Alcaraz celebrates winning a point to Giulio Zeppieri during their first round match. (AP pic) PARIS : Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz said he was 'on a good path' following a 'roller-coaster' start to the season after kicking off his French Open campaign with a commanding victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri on Monday. The Spaniard struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over world number 310 Zeppieri and will face Hungary's Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is the title favourite at Roland Garros after winning both the Monte Carlo Masters and Italian Open trophies this year on clay. He has suffered some surprise defeats in 2024 as well, though, including to Holger Rune in the Barcelona Open final, Jack Draper in the Indian Wells semi-finals and against David Goffin in his opening match in Miami. 'So far, it's been a roller-coaster, let's say,' Alcaraz said. 'But, right now, I think I found a really good path again, and I'm trying to have a really good level during the whole tournament or even during the whole match. 'So, I think I'm just starting to get it, feeling more comfortable approaching the matches. Once I start the matches, I think I'm just keeping the high level in the whole match and during the whole tournament.' The four-time Grand Slam champion saved all three of the break points he faced against Zeppieri on Court Suzanne Lenglen as he cruised through in second gear. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. The 22-year-old was in attendance on Sunday as Court Philippe Chatrier waved an emotional goodbye to the retired Rafael Nadal. Alcaraz has long been expected to take on the mantle of his illustrious compatriot, but says he finds it hard to fathom how Nadal won a record 14 French Open titles. 'It's something you can't think about… Just one man in the planet was able to do it, and I can't imagine,' said the second seed. 'It was emotional yesterday, seeing him saying goodbye in the way he did yesterday was unbelievable.' Alcaraz beat world number 56 Marozsan at Indian Wells last year but lost their only previous meeting on clay at the 2023 Italian Open. 'I study my opponents a little bit. I know that Fabian likes to hit drop shots. So, probably, I'll put extra focus on that. I'm going to be ready for that… It's gonna be a dropshot battle, I guess.' Witness football history in Malaysia as Manchester United take on the Asean All-Stars – it's the clash you can't afford to miss. Book your seat now at before they're gone!
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Defending champion Alcaraz zaps Zeppieri to reach second round at French Open
French Open defending champion Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the second round at the French Open on Monday after dispatching the Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri. The 22-year-old Spaniard won 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 to set up a second round meeting with Fabian Maroszan from Hungary. "It was a great match against Giulio," said Alcaraz. "I felt great hitting the balls and moving. "The first round of every tournament is never easy to adapt your game to the conditions and get used to it." Alcaraz, who beat Alexander Zverev in last year's men's singles final, was always in control against the 23-year-old who came through three matches in the qualifying tournament for the main draw. "I'm just really proud about what I did. It is great to have these feelings in the first round." In other first round games in the men's draw, there was a shock as fourth seed Taylor Fritz went out to the unseeded German Daniel Altmaier 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. Seventh seed Casper Ruud breezed past Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in just over two hours to register his fourth straight win over the veteran Spaniard in seven encounters. "In the beginning of my career, I was really struggling to find a way to beat him," said Ruud. "He's a very experienced player and plays a way that I wasn't so comfortable with. "I always have that in the back of my mind, knowing it will be a tough match. He showed a great level and I really played well when it got close." Read more on RFI English
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Alcaraz 'expected worse' at start of French Open title defence
French Open 2025Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland GarrosCoverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app Carlos Alcaraz said he "expected a worse level" from himself after beginning his French Open title defence with a straight-set four-time major winner recorded an efficient 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri in just one hour and 56 22-year-old is aiming to become the first man since compatriot Rafael Nadal in 2020 to retain the Roland Garros despite winning 27 of his 29 matches on clay since May last year, Alcaraz said he did not expect such a smooth start to his campaign."I expected a worse level for me, honestly," world number two Alcaraz said."The first round for every tournament is never easy to adapt your game to the conditions and get used to it. "I'm just really proud about it. It is great to have these feelings in the first round." Alcaraz won titles in Monte Carlo and Rome in the build-up to the French Open and finished runner-up to Holger Rune in Barcelona - his only loss in 16 clay-court matches in 2025. But those performances followed a surprise opening loss to David Goffin at the Miami Open in March, with victory at the Rotterdam Open his only success on hard courts this his form this season, Alcaraz said: "We all know the rollercoaster that has so far been this year for me - making really good results, then losing the first round."But right now I think I found a really good path again. I think I'm just starting to get it, feeling more comfortable approaching the matches. "Once I start the matches, I think I'm just keeping the high level in the whole match and during the whole tournament. "Alcaraz, who now holds a 19-3 record at the French Open, plays Hungarian Fabian Marozsan in the second round.
The National
26-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek make strong start at French Open
Carlos Alcaraz powered into the French Open second round on Monday with a resounding win to start his title defence, while three-time defending women's champion Iga Swiatek also eased through at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and will face Hungary's Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open, having taken Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. 'The first round is never easy, and coming here as a champion is even more difficult,' said the Spaniard, who has won both the Monte Carlo Masters and Italian Open titles on clay this year. 'But I started well, found my rhythm, and I'm happy with my start.' 'Right now I think I found a really good path again, and I'm trying to have a really good level during the whole tournament or even during the whole match. 'So I think I'm just starting to get it, feeling more comfortable approaching the matches. Once I start the matches, I think I'm just keeping the high level in the whole match and during the whole tournament.' USA's Taylor Fritz became the first high-profile casualty in the men's draw as the fourth seed lost 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 to German Daniel Altmaier. Norwegian seventh seed Casper Ruud, a two-time French Open runner-up, started his bid for a first Grand Slam crown under way with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 win over veteran Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Vinolas. In the women's section, Swiatek said last year's Olympic loss proved she is not unbeatable at Roland Garros, as she launched her bid for a fourth straight title with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova. Swiatek extended her winning run at the French Open to 22 matches, but she has dropped to fifth in the world after a year-long trophy drought and has looked unusually vulnerable on clay lately. The 23-year-old has yet to reach a final this season and is no longer the overwhelming favourite at a tournament she has dominated since capturing the trophy for the first time as a teenager in 2020. Asked whether stepping on to the main Phillipe Chatrier court filled her the same sense of invincibility as it did for Rafael Nadal, Swiatek pointed to her straight-sets defeat by Zheng Qinwen at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 'No, I mean, I literally lost a match in the Olympics, so it's not like you can't lose,' she said. 'But for sure I feel a lot of good energy, and I feel like I'm ready to fight. I am willing to fight, and it's great to be pumped up before the match because of that, so I'm using it, for sure.' Swiatek faces Britain's Emma Raducanu in the second round after the Briton overcame China's Wang Xinyu in three sets in her first match at the French Open since her debut in 2022. But Raducanu, making only her second appearance at the tournament, needed a lengthy medical timeout before coming through after a gruelling match that lasted two hours and 44 minutes. 'I don't feel great, I was struggling from the start,' she said. 'I can take positives in the fact a lot of top players, in the first round, have struggled but got through and given themselves another opportunity. My heart and fight came through today and I'm very proud of that.' Meanwhile, Egypt's Mayar Sherif lost in the opening round after being beaten in straight-sets against Liudmila Samsonova. Sherif took the opener to a tie break before losing the contest 7-6, 6-2.
RTÉ News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
French Open favourite Carlos Alcaraz advances with ease
Carlos Alcaraz got the defence of his French Open title up and running with a straight-sets win over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri. The 22-year-old Spaniard, looking for a second Roland Garros crown and a fifth grand slam title, won 6-3 6-4 6-2 in just under two hours. Alcaraz was consigned to play on Court Suzanne-Longlen, presumably because he prefers not to play later in day, which he may have had to on the main court, Phillipe-Chatrier. He also had to deal with a late change in opponent, having originally been drawn against former world number four Kei Nishikori. "I think it was really, really solid," he said. "The first round for every tournament is never easy and probably coming here as defending champion, it could be even tougher. "But I just started pretty well, I kept my good pace during the match, which is great. "I tried to be really focused on my game "Hopefully I'll keep going in the next round but I'm just really, really proud about my start here in Roland Garros." Former finalist Casper Ruud also got off to a flying start, the Norwegian seventh seed disposing of Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3 6-4 6-2.
