Latest news with #SimonBriggs
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Lorenzo Musetti vs Carlos Alcaraz: Score and updates from French Open semi-final
Latest updates Simon Briggs Tennis Correspondent, at Roland Garros. Tom Ward 06 June 2025 1:50pm 1:50PM Musetti* 1-1 Alcaraz It really is nice to see a one-handed backhand – a delightful throwback to an era more based on precision than power. Though you can see how it causes problems for Musetti on this surface, especially when Alcaraz is able to generate plenty of top spin to the Italians backhand. Alcaraz slaps a wonderful forehand winner – the sort of short he was looking for on break point in the previous game – en route to a relatively easy hold. *denotes next server 1:45PM Musetti 1-0 Alcaraz* Serving is going to key for Musetti this afternoon as getting into extended baseline exchanges with Alcaraz in unlikely to end all that well. A case in point there as Alcaraz gets on top early in a rally, forcing Musetti to go long with a backhand and getting to 30-30. Alcaraz then finds a wicket, kicking forehand to Musetti's one-handed backhand, drawing another error and the a first break point. He nets though with the point at his mercy and the Italian has another chance to get out of this first service game unharmed. He does by taking the next two points. *denotes next server 1:37PM A curious hush As I mentioned, there are still plenty of empty seats on Philippe-Chatrier at present and thus a rather strange hush has descended over the court. Not what you'd expect ahead of a Grand Slam semi-final but things will bubble up once we get underway. 1:34PM 'It is all about belief' Musetti has lost his last three meetings on clay against Alcaraz, including twice this season, but is has played some of the best tennis of his career at Roland Garros over the last week and a half. 'It is all about belief for Musetti,' says Tim Henman in TNT Sports. 1:32PM Here come the players The roof is closed on Court Phillipe-Chatrier this afternoon. There are still plenty of people yet to take their seats but there's plenty of noise for Musetti as he's introduced. The Italians are here and making themselves known. 1:26PM Nice little stat A little pre-match nugget for you all, this afternoon marks the first time that two Italian men have appeared in the semi-finals of a grand slam in the Open era. 1:15PM Olympics parallel Alcaraz and Musetti at last summer's Olympics with Novak Djokovic – who plays Jannik Sinner in the second semi-final later this evening. 2024 Olympic medalists 🤝 2025 Roland-Garros semi-finalists #RolandGarros — Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 6, 2025 1:11PM The best yet to come for Alcaraz If there were lingering questions about Alcaraz's ability to match the efficiency of top seed Jannik Sinner after a couple of unconvincing matches at Roland Garros, they were emphatically dismissed by the second seed when he crushed American Tommy Paul last time out. The four-times Grand Slam winner will head to Court Philippe Chatrier as the firm favourite on the back of five straight victories over Italian Musetti since losing a three-set thriller in the 2022 Hamburg final. 'Carlos has always had the level, the problem is it's hard to produce it in every match,' the Spaniard's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero said. 'We know when he plays positively, bravely, when he plays without fear, he's a player with a potential that is still yet to be realised. 'But you also have to see the other side of it: pressure, tension, fear, difficulties, opponents, a tournament you want to win more than others, the importance we all put on it ... all these things also come into play.' 1:09PM 'It's going to be a great watch' This will be their seventh meeting in what could blossom into a big rivalry. The 23-year-old Musetti beat Alcaraz on clay in the 2022 Hamburg final, but has lost five straight matches to him since then, including three on clay. The 22-year-old Alcaraz is chasing a second French Open title and fifth major overall. Alcaraz beat Musetti twice on clay this season — in the Italian Open semifinals and the Monte Carlo Masters final. 'He just joined a really short (list) that made at the least the semifinals of the big events in the clay season,' Alcaraz said. 'It's going to be great for the people to watch.'
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Live Aryna Sabalenka vs Iga Swiatek: Score and updates from French Open semi-final
Latest updates Simon Briggs Tennis Correspondent, at Roland Garros. Live updates. Rob Bagchi 05 June 2025 4:12pm 4:12PM Sabalenka* 7-6(1), 4-6, 1-0 Swiatek (denotes server) A good return from Swiatek has Sabalenka on her heels and she nets for 15-all. Swiatek again returns well but changes her mind at the last second with the open court at her mercy to net. 30-15. A long rally ensues and as Sabalenka comes to the net Swiatek creams a passing shot for 30-all. A glorious forehand pass down the line from Sabalenka brings up 40-30, and she blasts an unreturnable serve down the middle to win the game. 4:08PM Sabalenka 7-6(1), 4-6 Swiatek* (denotes server) Sabalenka gets the first serve back but nets a regulation forehand and swears at herself for such carelessness. Sabalenka hastens to the net after playing a drop shot but you have to execute better against the fastest player in the womens' game. A short exchange at the net follows which Swiatek wins. A lovely pass brings up three set points for Swiatek, the first of which she converts after sending Sabalenka scampering every which way, with a selection of perfectly places groundstrokes. It's one set all. 4:03PM Sabalenka 7-6(1), 4-5 Swiatek* (denotes server) Sabalenka moves 15-0 up but fails to do with a moonball from Swiatek, driving a volley a mile out of court. A very late out call on a searching long groundstroke from, Swiatek puts Sabalenka 30-15 up and then a lovely drop shot gives her 40-15. She takes the game by melting another serve down the T. It'll be Swiatek to serve to level the match. 4:00PM Sabalenka 7-6(1), 3-5 Swiatek* (denotes server) At 15-0 Sabalenka hangs in the point and forces Swiatek to the net with a brutal drop shot the Pole can't reach. That was a refreshingly long rally. Swiatek sends a winner perilously close to the baseline toi move 30-15 up and then, after a superbly placed serve, approaches the net to smash home another winner. If she keeps serving this well she will win the set. She takes the game thanks to another thunderous serve. That's three holds in a row to 15 from the four-time champion. 3:56PM Sabalenka* 7-6(1), 3-4 Swiatek (denotes server) At 0-30 Swiatek throws her racquet at a thunderous Sabalanka crosscourt backhand reminiscent of Carlo Alcaraz. Swiatek is then given a talking to by the referee for requesting he come down to check the mark of Sabalenka's winner. A heated exchange follows with Swiatex claiming 'it's not fair' but the referee holds his ground, refuses to come down, as Swiatek had taken too long to make the appeal. It turns out she was right and Sabalnka;s shot was out, but after much ado about nothing Sabalenka serves out the game. 3:52PM Sabalenka 7-6(1), 2-4 Swiatek* (denotes server) Swiatek is looking to preserve her two game lead and is serving well enough to do so. She pulls out a delightful passing backhand down the line too to move 40-15 up. And she then puts away a smash to take the game. 3:48PM Sabalenka* 7-6(1), 2-3 Swiatek (denotes server) Sabalenka gets back in her serving groove and takes the game with ease. That must have been the shortest game of the match so far. 3:42PM Sabalenka 7-6(1), 1-3 Swiatek* (denotes server) It's not easy for anyone to buy a hold of serve in this match. Infosys do a stat where they rate particular shots out of ten and they gave Sabalenka a 9.8 for her returning across the whole of the first set. Swiatek got 9.4. Sabalenka pulverises a return but Swiatek responds with an ace to level at 15-all. Sabalenka sends a crosscourt forehand wide and in the next rally Swiatek elects to comes to the net where she executes a delightful drop shot for 40-15. She then repeats the feat – another drop shot – this time from the baseline and that's game. Wonderful tennis from the reigning champion at last. 3:41PM Sabalenka* 7-6(1), 1-2 Swiatek (denotes server) Sabalenka is struggling with her serve and throws in two unforced errors to fall 0-40 behind. All of a sudden it's amateur hour and after forcing Swiatek behind the baseline again she inexplicably sends a backhand into the tramlines. It's another break of serve! 3:38PM Sabalenka 7-6(1), 1-1 Swiatek* (denotes server) After an exchange of points Swiatek crashes down a serve that Sabalenka can only just get a racquet head to, but Sabalenka hits some brutal long groundstrokes that keep Swatek pegged back, forcing the Pole to net twice and bring up break point. Sabalenka drills another ferocious forehand and Swiatek has no answer,an db breaks back. That's two breaks of serve in the first two games.
