Latest news with #Queen's
The Star
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Tennis-Alcaraz was way too fast for me today, says Paul after French Open exit
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 3, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz after winning his quarter final match against Tommy Paul of the U.S. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse PARIS (Reuters) -Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz played too fast and too aggressively for American Tommy Paul on Tuesday as the defending champion raced through their French Open quarter-final in straight sets and 94 minutes. Paul was mauled by the Spaniard in an eye-popping near-flawless 6-0 6-1 6-4 performance with Alcaraz firing 40 winners in the process. "Not particularly fun," Paul told reporters. "He played some great tennis, returned very well, had me on my backfoot all the time, playing so fast. "Even on the changeovers he was getting up so fast with 20 seconds left. I thought I have got to slow down. He played some amazing tennis. "He was on offence and that was not what I needed tonight. I did the best I could." The world number 12, who had spent close to 11 hours on court in his previous rounds, said he had tried to slow the match down in an effort to shake his opponent out of his rhythm. "Just waiting for the chair umpire to say 'time'," Paul said. "I felt like I was sitting down and there were 20 seconds left and Carlos was already up." The American put up somewhat of a fight in the third set but had trouble with a nagging abdominal muscle injury and was also feeling pain in his adductors. "I felt better today. I want to win the match but pretty early on it was pretty obvious I was not moving amazing," Paul said. "Everyone bought tickets for the night session so I thought I try my best. Obviously I did not want it to go like that." Paul said he was still planning to defend his title at Queen's in London later this month ahead of Wimbledon after a check on the injuries. "That's the plan. It's my ab(dominal) and the adductors. A couple of things. We are going to figure that out in the next couple of days," he said. Alcaraz will face Lorenzo Musetti in the last four after the Italian downed American Frances Tiafoe in four sets. (Reporting by Karolos GrohmannEditing by Christian Radnedge)
Straits Times
19 hours ago
- General
- Straits Times
Alcaraz was way too fast for me today, says Paul after French Open exit
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 3, 2025 Tommy Paul of the U.S. reacts during his quarter final match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 3, 2025 Tommy Paul of the U.S. reacts during his quarter final match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 3, 2025 Tommy Paul of the U.S. in action during his quarter final match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 3, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz after winning his quarter final match against Tommy Paul of the U.S. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Alcaraz was way too fast for me today, says Paul after French Open exit PARIS - Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz played too fast and too aggressively for American Tommy Paul on Tuesday as the defending champion raced through their French Open quarter-final in straight sets and 94 minutes. Paul was mauled by the Spaniard in an eye-popping near-flawless 6-0 6-1 6-4 performance with Alcaraz firing 40 winners in the process. "Not particularly fun," Paul told reporters. "He played some great tennis, returned very well, had me on my backfoot all the time, playing so fast. "Even on the changeovers he was getting up so fast with 20 seconds left. I thought I have got to slow down. He played some amazing tennis. "He was on offence and that was not what I needed tonight. I did the best I could." The world number 12, who had spent close to 11 hours on court in his previous rounds, said he had tried to slow the match down in an effort to shake his opponent out of his rhythm. "Just waiting for the chair umpire to say 'time'," Paul said. "I felt like I was sitting down and there were 20 seconds left and Carlos was already up." The American put up somewhat of a fight in the third set but had trouble with a nagging abdominal muscle injury and was also feeling pain in his adductors. "I felt better today. I want to win the match but pretty early on it was pretty obvious I was not moving amazing," Paul said. "Everyone bought tickets for the night session so I thought I try my best. Obviously I did not want it to go like that." Paul said he was still planning to defend his title at Queen's in London later this month ahead of Wimbledon after a check on the injuries. "That's the plan. It's my ab(dominal) and the adductors. A couple of things. We are going to figure that out in the next couple of days," he said. Alcaraz will face Lorenzo Musetti in the last four after the Italian downed American Frances Tiafoe in four sets. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Fear school zone will affect Māori community
The Māori community at a Dunedin secondary school says its looming enrolment zone will diminish the roots of an important cultural partnership. Queen's High School has turned its roll around so drastically, the Ministry of Education is proposing an enrolment zone to limit its growth. One of the reasons for that growth has been the success of the combined Queen's and King's High Schools' kapa haka group, He Waka Kōtuia, which has drawn Māori students from across Dunedin. Now, group leaders Komene Cassidy, Cherie Ford, Angelina Kiore and Paulette Tamati-Elliffe fear Māori students outside the enrolment zone will miss out on a cultural experience they cannot experience elsewhere. Mr Cassidy said no other school could presently provide the culturally informed experience the group offered. Queen's had a strong connection with Ōtākou Marae and a lot of Māori peninsula whānau wanted to send their children to the school. If the proposed home zone came into effect, it would take away an option Ōtākou Rūnaka whānau had had for years, Mr Cassidy said. "That then becomes an issue for mana whenua and for us, and our ability to continue to support." There was a concern that the relationship between the Ōtākou Rūnaka and the school was being overlooked and not valued as it deserved. A line had been drawn in the sand that did not fit with the existing relationships between the school and its community, Mr Cassidy said. "There's a lack of forethought about what the effects are going to be." Mrs Ford said North Dunedin Māori whānau were also concerned their children would not be able to continue their learning down a te ao Māori pathway in a mainstream setting. She had two sons who had grown up attending the bilingual classes at North East Valley School and Dunedin North Intermediate School. "[Families] are very concerned that the students have had eight years in a te ao Māori-focused setting and then where do they send them from there. "For many of them, they already have connections to He Waka Kotuia and they would like their students to come out this way." Queen's High School Māori prefect Jade Taani stands centre stage in front of He Waka Kōtuia as they pūkana. Photo: Peter McIntosh The support from the school for the He Waka Kotuia programme had enabled it to grow and be successful, she said. The school had one of the biggest Māori rolls in Dunedin, with 142 enrolled Māori students in 2024. Queen's High School Māori prefects Jade Taani, 17, and Mahinārangi Maihi, 18, both chose to go to Queen's because of He Waka Kōtuia. Mahinārangi said growing up, it had been a goal for her to go to Queen's and be a part of the group. "If it didn't work out I would be like extremely upset." The connections the students in the group made with each other were different from the ones they made in class, she said. "It's more than just a kapa haka group. "It's a safe space to be Māori." During her time at Queen's the group had grown into a big family, Mahinārangi said. "If I didn't have this I wouldn't be who I am today." Jade said the group had helped her stay in school and stay connected to her culture. She used to attend a bilingual class with Mr Cassidy every Tuesday and he helped her develop a passion for kapa haka. The group helped her understand what was happening in politics from a Māori perspective, she said. It would be a lot harder for her to connect with the Māori side of her identity without being a part of the group.
2 days ago
- Sport
Alexander Bublik credits Las Vegas bender after booking French Open last 16 berth
Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik is through to the fourth round of the French Open after dispatching Portuguese qualifier Henrique Rocha 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 in 1 hour and 41 minutes on court Simonne-Mathieu. After the match, Bublik was asked whether the world ranking next to his name is a motivating factor for his performances. 'I got to 17 in the world, which was a big thing for me. You know, I never thought I could make it to the top 20. I made it to 17. 'Then, you know, I'm, like, okay, I have to do this and that, I have to practice harder. I mean, work on my diet, stop drinking, stop partying. 'Have to be a more professional soldier, I would say, as we are in a game. Like right now everybody is like robots, and they're just crazy, crazy performance guys. 'Then I did it. Unfortunately, to be honest, unfortunately my fall was not linked with lack of attitude and lack of practicing. It was the exact opposite. I just burned out because I was waiting for the results to come. 'So, I'm 17. I was looking at, you know, like points, a race thing. So, I was like, okay, if I do this, this, and that, which I'm capable of, if I practice more, if I hit better forehands, it will come. 'It didn't, and then I got to the point, like, okay, why am I sacrificing so much? For what? Then it was the other way around. I am 80 in the world. 'I'm, like, okay, my coach suggests a trip to Vegas in between Indian Wells and Phoenix. He's like, man, if you play like this, we're just going to be out of tennis, of the conversation by Wimbledon because that's where my points are – I mean, after Wimbledon I made, like, 50 points. 'I said, okay, let's go to Vegas. We enjoy. We change the racquet. We did many things.' When asked whether his trip to Las Vegas was to help improve his tennis or for the sole purpose of letting off steam, Alexander Bublik was very frank in his reply. 'No, Vegas, Vegas, like a hangover thing Vegas, yeah. So, it was a good three days in Vegas.' One can only imagine what Bublik got up to in those three days in Las Vegas! Next up for Bublik in the fourth round is Great Britain's Jack Draper. Bublik was gushing in his praise for Draper. 'Jack for me is insane. I saw him first day here. I'm like, are you getting ready for UFC?' 'I mean, last year the guy is 40 in the world. This year he is top 4, top 5 in the world. That's a crazy achievement. 'Jack is a great sportsman, great person. I know him since – I mean, I played him in the quallies of Queen's in 2018 or something.' 'He was a little kid. Then when he beat me in Queen's, and he told me – I didn't remember that. He told me, 'I finally got you'. I said, 'Let's speak when you are in top 50', because he was like 300 in the world striking everything, and now he's top 10. 'So, now I have to have some courage to play, and we'll see how it goes.' Alexander Bublik stated that he feels like his way of being a professional sportsman is normal and everyone else is maybe unusual in their approach. 'I'm the guy you can see me having a nice time down the street in Paris in the evening before the match. Not to go crazy, but I'm social. 'I can skip the practice if I don't feel, and I think it's pretty normal. In my opinion I'm super normal, and they make me feel different. 'Now, you know, with being in the conversation with the top guys, you know, I have a couple of top-10 wins and won a couple of tournaments, so I'm familiar with those guys. 'I'm friends with most of the top-10 guys. They make me feel different.' 'But in the end, I think I'm very, very normal. I'm a very normal guy outside of the court, which people laugh about. 'When I'm speaking to the top guys, like, how did you do that? What do you mean? That's normal. You wake up. You do this.' 'Not normal' Alexander Bublik described not always training hard. Especially if he doesn't feel the urge. 'You don't feel like practicing. You go still to practice, but maybe you don't give 100% because you're tired.' Bublik was, however, able to admit that his style of play on court is not normal. 'I have to work different way, with different approach, with a different mindset because if I just go a kick serve to the backhand, I'm going to receive 100% return. 'What am I supposed to do? I'm not going to be able to stay there and rally for hours and hours, so I have to be different. I'm just more forced to be that than I actually want to be that.' Bublik mentioned that in his view social media creates a dilemma for players who are striving for outcomes that are not possible. 'When you see the guys that were never going to make it, I can tell them that they're never going to make it. 'This craziness that social media in a way put in us that we have to be the best version of ourselves. 'No, we just have to be ourselves. It's very simple in my opinion.' Bublik is living his life authentically and that he trusts his way of doing things even if they are different to those of most players on tour. Bublik's style on and off the court is certainly unique, and his matches are always entertaining. His fourth round match against Draper on Monday is guaranteed to be anything but normal. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Jack Draper's rise up the rankings branded ‘insane' by French Open opponent
Jack Draper's next French Open opponent Alexander Bublik says the British star's rise to the top is 'insane'. Fifth seed Draper takes on Kazakhstan's world number 62 in the fourth round on Monday. 'Jack for me is insane. I mean, last year the guy is 40 in the world. This year he is top five in the world,' said Bublik. 'That's a crazy achievement. He doesn't seem to stop, so I mean, what do I have to do to beat him? I don't know. 'I will just go there, enjoy the time, show what I'm capable of showing, and we all know what I'm capable of doing on court and then we see how it goes. 'This is the approach I have now, and Jack is a great sportsman, great person.' Draper, 23, has played Bublik twice on the ATP Tour, beating him at Queen's Club in 2021 and in Adelaide last year. 'I know him since I played him in the qualifiers of Queen's in 2018 or something (a three-set win for Bublik in 2019). He was a little kid,' added Bublik. 'Then when he beat me in Queen's, and he told me 'I finally got you'. I said 'let's speak when you're in the top 50', because he was like 300 in the world, and now he's top five. 'So now I have to have some courage to play, and we'll see how it goes.' There will be a likely quarter-final meeting with world number one Jannik Sinner for the winner. Cameron Norrie has ticked off a career milestone having reached the fourth round of every grand slam. Loving the fight @cam_norrie 🦾 Into the @rolandgarros last 16 for the first time! #BackTheBrits 🇬🇧 — LTA (@the_LTA) June 1, 2025 The 29-year-old has beaten Daniil Medvedev, Federico Gomez and Jacob Fearnley in Saturday evening's battle of Britain to set up a meeting with 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic. Norrie, who has endured a rough couple of years which has seen his ranking drop from top 10 to 81, said: 'To make the second week for the first time is so, so good and at a time where I was not really stringing a lot of matches and a lot of wins together. 'I was able to build from the momentum that I've really struggled to get from the last year and a half, for different reasons. 'So I think it was really fun and a really good week so far, and there's still plenty of tennis to be played, which I'm excited for. 'I've just been enjoying my tennis, and I think I wanted to do that again. Another chance to play a really competitive match against one of the best players in the world at the moment.'
