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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
French Open: Swiatek and Sabalenka reach fourth round without dropping a set
Denmark's Holger Rune celebrates beating France's Quentin Halys following their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Italy's Lorenzo Musetti returns the ball to Argentina's Mariano Navone during their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts winning a point to Serbia's Olga Danilovic during their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts winning a point to Romania's Jaqueline Cristian during their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts winning a point to Romania's Jaqueline Cristian during their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Denmark's Holger Rune celebrates beating France's Quentin Halys following their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Italy's Lorenzo Musetti returns the ball to Argentina's Mariano Navone during their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts winning a point to Serbia's Olga Danilovic during their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts winning a point to Romania's Jaqueline Cristian during their third round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) PARIS (AP) — Defending women's champion Iga Swiatek joined No.1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the fourth round of the French Open on Friday and neither player has dropped a set so far. Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam winner who has only once reached the semifinals at the French Open, beat Olga Danilovic 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where Friday's hot weather contrasted with previous days. Advertisement 'The ball flies much faster,' Sabalenka said. 'The bounces are much higher.' Swiatek, who has won four of her five major titles at Roland-Garros, defeated Jaqueline Cristian 6-2, 7-5 on Court Suzanne-Lenglen to extend her French Open winning streak to 23 matches. But a second set lasting 1 hour, 16 minutes tested the 23-year-old Polish player, who yelled in relief after winning on her second match point. 'She used her chances and just went for it,' said Swiatek, who enjoyed temperatures which reached 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit). 'For sure I don't mind. On clay it gives the balls the extra bounce.' Sabalenka and Swiatek, who had 20 winners and 21 unforced errors in her win, have been in contrasting form. Advertisement The 27-year-old Sabalenka has reached six singles finals this year, the most for a woman entering Roland Garros since Serena Williams in 2013. But Swiatek is looking to reach her first final anywhere since winning her third straight French Open title, and fourth overall, here last year. Swiatek is looking to become the first woman to win here four successive times in the Open era. Her first title came in 2020. Her other major was in 2022 at the U.S. Open. Asked who was under the most pressure to win this year's French Open — her or Swiatek — Sabalenka said, jokingly: 'Let's just leave it on Iga since she won it, what, three times in a row?' Advertisement Defending men's champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain was in action later Friday. The No.2-ranked Alcaraz faced Damir Dzumhur, who hurt his left knee during a fall in his second-round win. What else happened at the French Open on Friday? In other women's play, Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen beat 18-year-old qualifier Victoria Mboko 6-3, 6-4, while No. 16 Amanda Anisimova and Liudmila Samsonova also advanced. In men's third-round play, No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti of Italy beat Mariano Navone, No. 10 Holger Rune of Denmark beat Frenchman Quentin Halys in five sets and 12th-seeded American Tommy Paul did the same against No. 24 Karen Khachanov, while No. 25 Alexei Popyrin of Australia also advanced. Advertisement Who is on the schedule at Roland-Garros on Saturday? Novak Djokovic plays in the night session Saturday, much to his frustration as he had hoped to play earlier so he could watch the Champions League final in Germany between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan on TV. The 24-time major winner, who recently won his 100th career title, faces qualifier Filip Misolic. If Djokovic wins quickly, though, he may be able to catch the end of the soccer final, which starts at 1900 GMT (3 p.m. ET). Or possibly extra time. In remaining third-round men's play, Alexander Zverev — last year's runner-up — takes on Flavio Cobolli on Court Philippe-Chatrier, while No. 1 Jannik Sinner — who beat Zverev in this year's Australian Open final — faces Jiri Lehecka on Court Suzanne-Lenglen. Over on Court Simonne-Mathieu, British hope Jack Draper plays 18-year-old rising Brazilian star Joao Fonseca. They are followed by Cameron Norrie vs. Jacob Fearnley, guaranteeing a British player in the fourth round. Advertisement In remaining third-round women's play, former U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff faces Marie Bouzkova on Court Philippe-Chatrier, and No. 3 Jessica Pegula, the runner-up at last year's U.S. Open, plays former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova earlier on the same court. There is an all-American contest on Court Suzanne-Lenglen between current Australian Open champion Madison Keys and former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, who won that major in 2020, the year she went on to lose in the French Open final to Swiatek. ___ AP tennis:
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
French Open: 2 of 36 night matches have involved women with Amélie Mauresmo in charge
Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic, top, returns the ball to Italy's Jasmine Paolini during their second round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Rafa Nadal, center, stands between French tennis federation President Gilles Moretton, right, and is Roland-Garros tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Fans watch on Court Philippe-Chatrier during a first-round match between Italy's Jannik Sinner and France's Arthur Rinderknech in the French Tennis Open at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Fans watch on Court Philippe-Chatrier during a first-round match between Italy's Jannik Sinner and France's Arthur Rinderknech in the French Tennis Open at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic, top, returns the ball to Italy's Jasmine Paolini during their second round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) Rafa Nadal, center, stands between French tennis federation President Gilles Moretton, right, and is Roland-Garros tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Fans watch on Court Philippe-Chatrier during a first-round match between Italy's Jannik Sinner and France's Arthur Rinderknech in the French Tennis Open at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, May 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) PARIS (AP) — For the fourth French Open in a row, tournament director Amélie Mauresmo was asked about a lack of women's matches during the tournament's night sessions — there was one in 2022, one in 2023, zero in 2024 and, as of Friday, zero in 2025. And for the fourth French Open in a row, Mauresmo dismissed the issue, saying at a news conference Friday, when she also was pressed about placing women's matches in the noon slot at Court Philippe-Chatrier, when attendance tends to be sparse: "The funny thing is that it's the same questions, year after year." Advertisement At the other Grand Slam tennis tournaments that sell separate tickets for night sessions, the U.S. Open and Australian Open, the main stadiums tend to feature two singles matches for that part of the daily schedule, one involving women and one involving men. Wimbledon has an 11 p.m. cutoff for competition and doesn't sells tickets for a night session. Roland-Garros added night sessions starting three years ago and the French federation has a contract with a streaming service for viewers in the home country that calls for one daily match in European primetime for the first 1 1/2 weeks of the event. Only two of the 36 contests at night in that stretch were women's matches. Mauresmo, a former player who was ranked No. 1 and won two Grand Slam titles, took over as tournament director ahead of the 2022 tournament. She repeatedly has offered similar explanations for why the night match has almost always been a men's match, including that their best-of-five-set format is likely to offer more time on court for ticket-buyers than the best-of-three setup for women. Advertisement In recent years, some female players have argued that's a mistake and hurts the growth of their sport, although Mauresmo said Friday that no current or former athletes have complained to her about it or offered their thoughts. Ons Jabeur, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, was asked about the topic this week and called the current setup 'a shame.' 'It's still sad that we are still seeing this," Jabeur said. 'In Europe, in general, it's unfortunate for women's sports. ... Not for tennis, but in general. ... Whoever is making the decision, I don't think they have daughters, because I don't think they want to treat their daughters like this.' 'It's a bit ironic," Jabeur added. "They don't show women's sport, they don't show women's tennis, and then they (say), 'Mostly, (fans) watch men.' Of course they watch men more, because you show men more.' Advertisement Iga Swiatek, the three-time defending champion in Paris, said it doesn't bother her. 'Every year, we talk about it. My position didn't change: I like playing days, so I'm happy that I'm done and I can have a longer rest,' she said. Mauresmo said that having just one night match hasn't changed, 'So for me, the message is not changing, and has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night.' When a reporter tried to return to matters such as night matches and scheduling women first in Chatrier, asking Mauresmo how big a deal she considers those matters, she replied: 'You know what? I would like to change the subject.' ___ Howard Fendrich has been the AP's tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: More AP tennis:
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How a free Nadal tribute T-shirt turned into a $500 resale frenzy
Spectators wear a shirt reading thanks Rafa, ahead of a farewell ceremony for Rafa Nadal, on day one of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Rafa Nadal is cheered by the crowd during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Rafa Nadal is cheered by the crowd during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Spectators wear a shirt reading thanks Rafa, ahead of a farewell ceremony for Rafa Nadal, on day one of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Rafa Nadal is cheered by the crowd during a farewell ceremony at center court Philippe-Chatrier, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Sunday May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) PARIS (AP) — A day after the French Open honored Rafael Nadal on court, dozens of spectators began selling the clay-colored 'Merci Rafa' T-shirts handed out at Sunday's tribute — with some listings reaching up to €500 ($540). The shirts, marked with the French phrase for 'Thank You Rafa' and the date '25.05.2025,' were given to fans attending the ceremony on Court Philippe-Chatrier to celebrate the 14-time French Open champion. Distributed in varying shades of clay, the T-shirts were part of a coordinated tribute. Fans were asked to wear them, creating a giant mosaic in the stands that spelled out 'RG14' — a nod to Nadal's 14 titles in Paris. Advertisement Within minutes of the event, listings began appearing on resale platforms, including the clothing marketplace Vinted, which had 30 shirts listed as of Monday. One seller, Maxime Berthuis, listed his shirt for €500, shipping fees excluded. 'I'm not going to wear the T-shirt anyway,' Berthuis told The Associated Press, adding he bought a ticket to the ceremony for less than €40 ($43). 'Honestly, I don't know how I'll spend the money yet.' He said he had received several offers since posting the listing yesterday — along with a slew of angry messages from Nadal devotees. Another user who listed a 2XL size T-shirt for €150 (170$) said it was simply much too big for her. Advertisement The president of the French Tennis Federation, Gilles Moretton, said he was stunned by how much the T-shirts were being sold for. 'Some of the prices I saw scared me,' he said on Monday. 'It's a bit sad to see people profit off the 'Merci Rafa' shirts. We weren't going to collect them after the ceremony. We created something unique — and maybe that uniqueness explains why this is happening.' Moretton said he had not received a shirt himself, despite standing just a few feet from Nadal during the tribute. 'I'm also looking for a T-shirt, but I'm not about to go on Vinted,' he said. ___ More AP tennis:
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
AP PHOTOS: How a Chinese delicacy got caught in the crossfire of Trump's trade war
By LINDSEY WASSON and NG HAN GUAN Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] An escalating trade war with the U.S. is now crippling an entire industry that hand-harvests geoducks, leaving Washington state divers without work, Seattle exporters without business and Chinese aficionados with fewer of these prized clams. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison in New York.
Japan Today
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Today
The rise of women's soccer has led to more professional options for athletes
FILE - Seattle Reign forward Emeri Adames celebrates after scoring a goal against North Carolina Courage during the second half of an NWSL soccer match, Aug. 25, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson, File) By ANNE M. PETERSON As the popularity of women's soccer grows, so have the opportunities for players looking to make the sport a career. The National Women's Soccer League was once the lone professional women's league in North America. But others have more recently jumped into the market, including the USL's Super League and the Northern Super League in Canada. And now it appears lower-tier leagues are forming, too. The NWSL has asked U.S. Soccer to sanction a second-division league that would include at least six teams and possibly launch in 2026. The WPSL Pro also will launch next year as a second-tier league. 'I think this is what progress looks like,' said Amanda Vandervort, president of the USL Super League. "I think the more options there are, whether it's owners, investors, players, or fans, the better it is for everyone. And competition is good for the development of the game.' The Super League sits on the top tier of women's professional soccer in the United States alongside the NWSL. The eight-team league plays on a fall-to-spring calendar like many international leagues, and is currently in the stretch run of its inaugural season. A ninth team will join next season. Although the Super League doesn't share the same national profile, level of competition or attendance as the NWSL, the two leagues aren't necessarily built to be rivals. Growing the game is good business. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman believes there's room for everyone. 'There are countless examples of players who were unsigned in our league who ended up going to some of those other leagues, who are still able to play the sport of soccer and continue their careers. And maybe there's a world where they find their way back to the NWSL," Berman said. "If they didn't have a place to go and play in the interim, they might not have continued to play." There are signs of the mutually beneficial relationship. The NWSL's Washington Spirit has loaned several players to the Super League's Dallas Trinity this season. The NWSL's Gotham FC played a pair of preseason friendlies against the Super League's Fort Lauderdale United and Tampa Bay Sun. Jumping into the fray is the Northern Super League, which kicked off last month in Canada. The league has long been a dream of former national team star and co-founder Diana Matheson. It has been boosted by Christine Sinclair, international soccer's all-time leading goal scorer. Canada was one of just two countries that played in the 2023 Women's World Cup without a domestic professional league. The other was Haiti. While a majority of the players in the league are Canadian, 20 other countries are represented, too. The league minimum salary is $50,000. "It's a global industry and we're competing with leagues all over the world, which is the reality. But I think in North America specifically, I think us, the NWSL, Liga MX Femenil in Mexico, also know that we have the opportunity to really build women's soccer in our region,' Matheson said. "I think we've got three very competitive tier-one women's pro leagues in our region that can work together to build that landscape." Liga MX Femenil is the most established of the women's professional leagues in North America outside of the NWSL. It has 18 teams, all associated with men's teams. 'The interest in women's soccer is growing, we are in the conversation now and changing narratives, and that allows us to talk about how much the game has been developing in the country,' league President Mariana Gutierrez told The Associated Press last fall. More options are coming. Should U.S. Soccer sanction the lower-division NWSL league, it will serve to develop players as part of the greater soccer ecosystem, bridging the gap between amateur soccer and the top tier. Cleveland Soccer Group, which had bid in the latest round of NWSL expansion, pivoted to joining the division 2 WPSL Pro. Cleveland's group, which will also have an ownership stake in the league, will join teams from Atlanta, Dallas, North Carolina, Oklahoma City, Sioux Falls and the San Francisco Bay Area in the league's first season next year. 'Rising demand calls for more options, not fewer,' Vandervort said. 'And if you look at the landscape today, we still don't have as many options for women to go pro, even with the addition of these leagues, as the men do. If you look across the landscape, across the cities, the communities, the towns, that don't have access to women's pro soccer today, there's a huge gap. So the more women's soccer we have, the greater our sport will become, the more dynamic, the more exciting for fans, the more opportunity for players and coaches and staff, and everyone involved in the game.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
