Alex Zverev Says Scans of Foot Injury Revealed Torn Ligaments Ahead of Wimbledon
Jun 4, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Rafael Nadal of Spain checks on Alexander Zverev of Germany as he receives medical attention following an injury against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Alexander Zverev said initial
evaluation of the injury that forced him to withdraw from Friday's
French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal revealed multiple torn
ligaments in his foot.
"I am now on my way back home. Based
on the first medical checks, it looks like I have torn several
lateral ligaments in my right foot," Zverev wrote Saturday on
Instagram. "I will be flying to Germany on Monday to make further
examinations and to determine the best and quickest way for me to
recover."
The tournament's No. 3 seed was giving
Nadal, a 13-time French Open champion, everything he could handle
through two sets. The 25-year-old German lost a first set tiebreak 10-8 and had forced
another tiebreaker in the second set when the injury occurred.
Zverev dropped to the court after
appearing to roll over on his ankle and immediately screamed in agony. He was taken off the court
in a wheelchair and returned a short time later on crutches to confirm he needed to
retire from the match:
Following an injury, Alexander Zverev returned to the court to a standing ovation and a special embrace with Rafael Nadal. #RolandGarrospic.twitter.com/3VPqOAD31x
It was a disappointing end to the
season's second Grand Slam for Zverev, who continues to seek
his first major title. He did capture a gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo
Olympics last summer for his most prominent championship to date.
Now the question is whether he will
miss Wimbledon, which is scheduled to get underway June 27. He didn't provide a timetable for his return.
"I will try to keep you updated as
much as possible on further developments," Zverev wrote.
While the third-ranked player in the
ATP Tour rankings has reached at least the semifinals of the other
three majors, he's never advanced beyond the fourth round on the
grass courts of the All England Club.
He's appeared at every Grand Slam event since making his debut in 2014 US Open qualifying.
If further tests confirm a more
extended absence, the remaining key dates on the 2022 tennis schedule
are the U.S. Open on Aug. 22, Paris Masters on Oct. 28 and ATP
Finals on Nov. 12.
Zverev is a two-time champion of the Tour
Finals, winning the season-ending tournament in 2018 and 2021.
French Open 2022 Men's Final: Rafael Nadal vs. Casper Ruud Predictions
Jun 4, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand against Alexander Zverev of Germany during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal is the most decorated men's tennis player of all time, having won 21 Grand Slam titles. The 36-year-old Spaniard has racked up the majority of those championships at the French Open, a tournament he has dominated for nearly two decades.
Now, Nadal is again preparing to play in the men's singles final at Roland Garros. The No. 5 seed in this year's French Open, Nadal will face No. 8 seed Casper Ruud for the title on Sunday. If Nadal is victorious, he'll earn his 14th title at the tournament. His first 13 have all come since 2005, and there have been only four French Opens that Nadal hasn't won since his first.
Ruud, a 23-year-old from Norway, will be playing in the final of a Grand Slam event for the first time. He had previously never made it past the fourth round at a major tournament, and he didn't make it past the third round in any of his four previous French Open appearances.
Here's everything else you need to know about the 2022 French Open men's singles final.
Men's Singles Final Information
Date: Sunday, June 5
Start Time: 9 a.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: Peacock
Preview, Prediction
It's no surprise that Nadal has reached the French Open final considering the success he's experienced at this tournament. Coming into this year's tournament, it seemed likely that Nadal's biggest obstacle would be a probable quarterfinal matchup vs. Novak Djokovic, the reigning champion and No. 1 seed.
Nadal and Djokovic met in the quarters, but the match wasn't quite as close as some had anticipated. Nadal won in four sets, recording a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) victory.
Alexander Zverev, the No. 3 seed, was Nadal's semifinal opponent, and the 25-year-old German was capable of playing a close match. However, Zverev had to retire during the second set because of an ankle injury. Nadal had won the first set 7-6(8), and the second set was tied at 6-6 when Zverev ended it.
Now, Nadal and Ruud will face off for the first time. Although the two have never met on the court, Ruud trained at Nadal's academy in Mallorca, Spain.
"He's a perfect example of how you should behave on court: Never give up and never complain. He's been my idol for all my life," Ruud said, per Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press. "I guess this is perfect timing and worth the wait to finally play him in a Grand Slam final."
It's a great opportunity for Ruud, but he'll be a clear underdog in the match. And it seems highly likely that things will go in Nadal's favor.
In fact, the prediction here is that Nadal will win in three straight sets and not face much adversity during the match. He has a lot more experience than Ruud, particularly at the French Open. So it's hard to imagine Nadal not winning the final in dominant fashion.
Even though Nadal has dealt with left foot trouble in recent years, he continues to find his way back to Grand Slam finals. He won the Australian Open earlier in 2022, and now he'll have an opportunity to begin the year 2-0 in major tournaments.
"All the sacrifices, and all the things that I need to go through to try to keep playing really make sense when you enjoy moments like I'm enjoying in this tournament," Nadal said, per Fendrich.
There's one more enjoyable moment coming for Nadal this year at Roland Garros: Another French Open title.
Prediction: Nadal wins in three straight sets
Rafael Nadal Advances to 2022 French Open Men's Final After Alexander Zverev Injury
Jun 3, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Alexander Zverev of Germany receives medical attention following an injury against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Men's Singles Semi Final match on Day 13 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal is one win away from his
14th French Open title after Alexander Zverev was forced to withdraw because of an ankle injury suffered in the second set of their semifinal match Friday at Stade Roland Garros in Paris.
Nadal, who captured his record-setting
21st Grand Slam singles championship at the Australian Open in January,
already owns five more Coupe des Mousquetaires trophies than any
player in history as he heads into another French Open final.
Zverev was putting up a serious fight against The King of Clay before rolling over on his ankle deep in the second set. He left the court in a wheelchair for evaluation and returned with crutches to confirm he couldn't continue:
Following an injury, Alexander Zverev returned to the court to a standing ovation and a special embrace with Rafael Nadal. #RolandGarrospic.twitter.com/3VPqOAD31x
They engaged in two highly competitive
sets before the sudden end to the semifinal.
Everything that's made Nadal incredibly
difficult to beat on the clay courts of Roland Garros was on full
display in the opening set.
The 35-year-old Spanish superstar
dropped his opening service game and spent most of the set playing
from behind before finally getting back level at 4-4. He then fell
behind 6-2 in the tiebreaker before winning five straight points en
route to a 10-8 win.
His ability to defend and willingness
to fight for every point puts endless pressure on the opponent, and
few over the years have been able to solve the problems he presents at the season's
second Grand Slam.
The second set was a battle of the
return game as the players combined for eight breaks of serve, and
they were about to play another tiebreaker when Zverev suffered the
ankle injury on the final point of the 12th game.
He immediately screamed in agony as he fell to the court. Nadal crossed the net to check on his opponent and
lamented the "very sad" ending to the match in his post-match
interview:
Zverev had already recorded 40 winners
when the injury occurred. It was the second straight appearance in
the French Open semifinals for the 2021 Olympic gold medalist, who
continues to seek his first Grand Slam title.
Meanwhile, Nadal wasn't at his most efficient on
Friday, tallying more unforced errors (26) than winners (21), but his
clutch play on the most important points gave him the lead before the
match's unfortunate finish.
The tournament's No. 5 seed advances to face either No. 8 Casper Ruud or No. 20 Marin Cilic in
Sunday's championship match. He holds a 7-2 advantage over Cilic in
their prior ATP Tour meetings, while it would be his first matchup
with Ruud.
Nadal will be a sizable
favorite regardless of who wins the second semifinal.
French Open 2022 Results: Nadal's Win over Djokovic Highlights Tuesday's Scores
Jun 1, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal (R) reacts after winning against Serbia's Novak Djokovic (L) at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT/AFP via Getty Images)
Half of the French Open semifinal field is set after an exhilarating day of tennis at Roland Garros on Tuesday.
Here's a look at the day's winners, scores, notable stats, recaps and highlights alongside the latest draw.
No. 20 Daria Kasatkina vs. No. 29 Veronika Kudermetova
No. 1 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 11 Jessica Pegula
Women's SemifinalsDraw (Thursday)
No. 18 Coco Gauff vs. Martina Trevisan
Swiatek/Pegula winner vs. Kasatkina/Kudermetova winner
Men's Scores
No. 5 Rafael Nadal def. No. 1 Novak Djokovic: 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4)
No. 3 Alexander Zverev def. No. 6 Carlos Alcaraz: 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7)
Men's Draw QuarterfinalsDraw (Wednesday)
No. 7 Andrey Rublev vs. No. 20 Marin Cilic
No. 8 Casper Ruud vs. Holger Rune
Men's Semifinals Draw (Friday)
No. 3 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 5 Rafael Nadal
Rublev/Cilic winner vs. Ruud/Rune winner
Stats, Recaps and Highlights
Coco Gauff's remarkable, astounding run to the round of 16 at Wimbledon in 2019 as a 15-year-old foreshadowed future success, and the time may be now as she advanced to the semifinals with a straight-set win over Sloane Stephens.
Gauff has found herself in great company thanks to her efforts:
Coco Gauff becomes the 3rd American woman 18 or under to advance to a Grand Slam semifinal since 2000 (Serena Williams, Amanda Anisimova).#RolandGarrospic.twitter.com/XioC8afJh0
Gauff will face Martina Trevisan, the only unseeded player remaining in the women's draw. She defeated 2021 U.S. Open finalist Leylah Fernandez to get the job done.
Trevisan is the first Italian women to make a Grand Slam singles semifinal in seven years.
FORZA!
Martina Trevisan is the first 🇮🇹 woman to make a Grand Slam singles SF since Pennetta & Vinci in our '15 final. pic.twitter.com/4LgKsAL6ox
This marks the first time Trevisan has reached a Grand Slam semifinal round. Roland Garros has been good to Trevisan in the past, as she reached the quarterfinals in 2020.
On the men's side, Rafael Nadal looked like he would cruise, up a set and a double break, but Novak Djokovic battled back to win the second set. Undeterred, Nadal took the third set and won the fourth with a tiebreaker after finding himself down 5-2.
INCREDIBLE in Paris... again!
13 times champion Rafael Nadal comes back from 2-5 down in the 4th set to beat #1 and defending champ Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) in 4h10 and reach the semifinals at #RolandGarros for a 15th time.
Nadal, who turns 36 on Friday, is going for his men's record 22nd Grand Slam singles title and his 14th French Open. His longevity, frankly, is unmatched on the men's side.
when nadal reached his first roland garros quarterfinal they were:
alcaraz 2 years old rune 2 years old sinner 4 years old ruud 6 years old tsitsipas 6 years old rublev 7 years old hurkacz 8 years old zverev 8 years old medvedev 9 years old pic.twitter.com/bdIvkppruZ
— enrico maria riva (@enricomariariva) May 29, 2022
Nadal has set up a date with Alexander Zverev, who beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to reach his fifth-ever Grand Slam semifinal and second at the French Open.
Alexander Zverev is into the #RolandGarros semifinals for a 2nd consecutive year, beating Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7) to reach the top 4 in Paris.
- First career top 10 win in a Grand Slam. - 4th man to beat Alcaraz in 2022.
Nadal is 6-3 lifetime against Zverev, but Zverev is 3-1 in his last four matches in that matchup. However, Nadal is also 4-1 on clay against the 25-year-old German.
Zverev will be a tough test, though, especially after a big win against an excellent opponent in Alcaraz:
Zverev is also the reigning Olympic gold medalist in men's tennis, having beat Karen Khachanov in Tokyo last summer.
Novak Djokovic Says Rafael Nadal 'Deserved' to Win French Open Quarterfinal Match
May 31, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal (R) shakes hands with Serbia's Novak Djokovic (L) after winning at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
It was a quarterfinal fitting of a final, and Novak Djokovic felt Rafael Nadal deserved to win.
"He was just able to take his tennis to another level in those particular moments in the beginning of all sets, except the fourth," Djokovic told reporters after Nadal's four-set victory on Tuesday. "...I had my chances … he showed why he's a great champion, staying mentally tough ... he deserved it."
While Nadal won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4), it seemed as if the two legends would trade sets on the way to a decisive fifth.
After all, Nadal took the first and third, while Djokovic took the second and held a 5-2 lead in the fourth. That's when the 13-time French Open champion reached "another level" and rallied back to force a tiebreak that he won with relative ease.
It was more of the same at Roland Garros for the Spaniard, who also defeated Djokovic in the 2020 final. While the Serbian won in the 2021 semifinals, bragging rights are now back on the side of the King of Clay.
He also extended his record to a stunning 101-1 at the French Open when winning the first set.
Nadal already passed Djokovic and Roger Federer with his 21st Grand Slam title when he won the Australian Open in January. He is two victories away from adding to his overall legacy and record at the French Open, but things won't come easy even after defeating a fellow great.
He will face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals after the No. 3 seed defeated Carlos Alcaraz in four sets in another quarterfinals match.
Nadal holds a 6-3 advantage in head-to-head matches, although Zverev has won three of the last four.
Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic Praised for 'Breathtaking' 4-Set French Open Thriller
May 31, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after winning against Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the end of their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris early June 1, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Maybe it's time to rename it Rafa Garros.
Rafael Nadal bested longtime rival Novak Djokovic on Tuesday in French Open quarterfinals action, moving one step closer to a 14th Roland Garros triumph behind yet another absolutely classic match.
13 times champion Rafael Nadal comes back from 2-5 down in the 4th set to beat #1 and defending champ Novak Djokovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4) in 4h10 and reach the semifinals at #RolandGarros for a 15th time.
Nadal does it again, still alive for his 14th French Open title. 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 in a bruising match of four-plus hours. After needing five sets to beat Auger-Aliassime two days ago, does he have enough gas left to reach the finish line one more time?
How good is this rivalry? The all-time series is now 30-29 in favor of Djokovic.
It's incredible that Nadal, at 35 years old and clearly battling through the lingering effects of several ongoing injuries, can still play at this level against elite competition.
But it was just as incredible to watch Djokovic, himself 35, push the greatest player in the history of the French Open to such lengths, never giving an inch.
"Against Novak there is only one way to play, at your best from the first point to last," Nadal said after the match.
It is rare, if not unparalleled, to see the three greatest players in the history of their sport play at the same time. But such has been the case for men's tennis in the past two decades, as Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer have wrestled for the crown.
It is Nadal, with 21 Grand Slam triumphs, who holds the lead over his rivals, with Djokovic and Federer just behind at 20 apiece. Perhaps it will be 22 soon enough.
Who will bet against Nadal at this point?
Rafael Nadal Defeats Novak Djokovic to Advance to 2022 French Open Semifinals
May 31, 2022
Spain's Rafael Nadal reacts after a point against Serbia's Novak Djokovic during their men's singles match on day ten of the Roland-Garros Open tennis tournament at the Court Philippe-Chatrier in Paris on May 31, 2022. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)
They don't call him the King of Clay for nothing.
Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic in Tuesday's thrilling four-set match between two of tennis' ultimate titans in the 2022 French Open quarterfinals, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(4).
This match felt inevitable from the moment the men's singles draw was released, and it took on the atmosphere of a championship bout from the opening point. After all, Nadal is a 13-time French Open champion, but Djokovic just defeated him in the 2021 semifinals and broke a stretch of three losses in four matches against the Spaniard.
Djokovic is also the top-ranked player in the world and held a 30-28 head-to-head advantage entering Tuesday's match.
Yet the French Open has historically belonged to Nadal, and he won the 2020 final against Djokovic. He also passed his counterpart and Roger Federer's mark of 20 Grand Slam titles when he won his 21st with his Australian Open victory in January.
The resumes and recent history between the two all-time greats served as the backdrop, and Nadal wasted little time seizing momentum with a 6-2 win in the opening set.
He won two of the four break points he created and also prevented Djokovic from consistently generating similar opportunities by winning eight of 10 second-serve points.
Yet the No. 1 seed ensured this would be anything but a quick match by breaking Nadal three times in the second set in a much-needed returning performance since the 13-time French Open winner also broke him twice in the same set.
Nadal bounced back in the third set, and it appeared as if Djokovic would have no trouble forcing a decisive fifth when he jumped out to a 4-1 and 5-2 lead in the fourth. However, Nadal rallied back with a break and timely serves to force a tiebreak.
The momentum was firmly on his side at that point, and he never looked back.
In all, the victor won 71 percent of his first-service points and capitalized on seven of the 17 break points he created. That was enough to prevail on the stage he has enjoyed so much success, and he is just two wins away from a 14th French Open title.
Now that Nadal dispatched one of his fellow greats, he will face Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. Zverev outlasted Carlos Alcaraz in a four-set match that ended in a tiebreak in the quarterfinals and is also 3-1 in his last four matches against his next opponent.
*All stats are courtesy of the tournament's official website.
French Open 2022 Results: Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal Set for Quarterfinals
May 29, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada during the Men's Singles Fourth Round match on Day 8 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on May 29, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
headlined one of the most star-studded days of tennis fans will see
all season Sunday as the fourth round of the 2022 French Open got
underway.
Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and
Felix Auger-Aliassime were the other top-10 seeds in the men's draw
to step on the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros in Paris.
While a series of upsets have left a
limited number of seeded players in the women's bracket, it was a
busy day for Americans as Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens and Amanda
Anisimova all attempted to reach the quarterfinals of the season's
second Grand Slam.
Below is a full list of singles scores
from Sunday's schedule, which will be updated through the conclusion
of play. That's followed by a recap of some notable matches.
Men's Results
(1) Novak Djokovic d. (15) Diego
Schwartzman; 6-1, 6-3, 6-3
(3) Alexander Zverev d. Bernabe Zapata
Miralles; 7-6 (11), 7-5, 6-3
(5) Rafael Nadal d. (9) Felix
Auger-Aliassime; 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
(6) Carlos Alcaraz d. (21) Karen
Khachanov; 6-1, 6-4, 6-4
Women's Results
(17) Leylah Fernandez d. (27) Amanda
Anisimova; 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
(18) Coco Gauff d. (31) Elise Mertens;
6-4, 6-0
Sloane Stephens d. (23) Jil Teichmann; 6-2, 6-0
Martina Trevisan d. Aliaksandra
Sasnovich; 7-6 (10), 7-5
Day 8 Recap
While most of Djokovic's highly seeded
counterparts have faced some level of resistance in the tournament's
early rounds, the French Open's defending champion has arrived to the
quarterfinals without dropping a set.
It wasn't the most clinical performance
from the 20-time Grand Slam champion against Schwartzman as he recorded more unforced
errors (31) than winners (29). He made up for it by defending well,
winning 51 percent of points on the return and securing six breaks,
and securing 26 of 31 points at net (84 percent).
"I've got a lot of respect for Diego, and he's specialist for this surface, so it wasn't easy in these
conditions, but I did well. I found my serve in important moments," Djokovic told reporters.
He's now reached the quarterfinals at
the French Open in 13 straight years dating back to 2010.
Nadal showcased his trademark
resilience after dropping the opening set to Auger-Aliassime by
storming back to win a five-set, four-hour marathon set up a
quarterfinal showdown with Djokovic.
The King of Clay, who's looking to
extend his own record of 13 titles at Roland Garros, was forced to
fight for every game as the players combined to tally 97 winners. His
biggest advantage was defending his second serve, winning 66 percent
of those points compared to 47 percent for the 21-year-old Canadian. That led to a 6-4 edge in breaks for Nadal.
Now he heads toward his 59th career ATP
Tour meeting with Djokovic. His record in the previous encounters
stands at 28-30, illustrating the tightly contested nature of the
rivalry.
Gauff enjoyed her Grand Slam breakout
party at last year's French Open, reaching a singles quarterfinal at
a major for the first time, and now she's matched that result with
the potential to make a much deeper run in the week ahead.
The 18-year-old Atlanta native was
downright dominant in the second set against Mertens. She won 72
percent of points on both the serve and the return (each 13 of 18),
struck eight winners with just two unforced errors and tallied three
breaks of serve.
She's dealt with some inconsistency
since last year's run in Paris, including a first-round exit at the
Australian Open earlier this season, but when she plays at the level
on display late in Sunday's match she can contend with anybody in the
world.
"I feel like every match I'm
getting better," Gauff said. "I think today even though I had
some tough moments I was able to tough it out. I really do feel like
I'm progressing with each match."
It sets up an all-American clash with Stephens, who was equally impressive as she breezed past Teichmann, in the quarters.
The fourth round is scheduled to conclude Monday at Roland Garros with women's top seed Iga Swiatek and men's contenders Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in action.
French Open 2022 Results: Medvedev, Swiatek Highlight Saturday's Winners
May 28, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 28: Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates winning a point against Danka Kovinic of Montenegro during the Women's Singles Third Round match on Day 7 of The 2022 French Open at Roland Garros on May 28, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images)
Upsets have dominated the women's draw
at the 2022 French Open, but No. 1 ranked Iga Swiatek continued to
breeze through the early rounds with a straight-set victory over
Danka Kovinic on Saturday at Roland Garros in Paris.
Swiatek is now the only top-10 seed
remaining on the women's side at the season's second Grand Slam
tournament after Paula Badosa was forced to withdraw because of
injury and Aryna Sabalenka suffered an upset loss during Saturday's
action.
It's been the polar opposite story in
the men's bracket, where all of the pre-tournament favorites are still active in
pursuit of the major championship. Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos
Tsitsipas were among the notable winners as the third round wrapped
up.
Let's check out all of the singles
results, which will be updated through the day's end of play. That's
followed by a recap of the most noteworthy matches.
Women's Results
(1) Iga Swiatek d. Danka Kovinic; 6-3,
7-5
(29) Veronika Kudermetova d. (3) Paula
Badosa; 6-3, 2-1 ret.
(28) Camila Giorgi d. (7) Aryna
Sabalenka; 4-6, 6-1, 6-0
(11) Jessica Pegula d. (24) Tamara
Zidansek; 6-1, 7-6 (2)
(22) Madison
Keys d. (16) Elena Rybakina; 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3)
(20) Daria Kasatkina d. Shelby Rogers;
6-3, 6-2
Qinwen Zheng d. Alize Cornet; 6-0, 3-0
ret.
Irina-Camelia Begu d. Leolia Jeanjean;
6-1, 6-4
Men's Results
(2) Daniil Medvedev d. (28) Miomir
Kecmanovic; 6-2, 6-4, 6-2
(4) Stefanos Tsitsipas d. Mikael Ymer;
6-2, 6-2, 6-1
(8) Casper Ruud d. (32) Lorenzo Sonego; 6-2, 6-7 (3), 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
(11) Jannik Sinner d. Mackenzie
McDonald; 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-3
(12) Hubert Hurkacz d. David Goffin;
7-5, 6-2, 6-1
(20) Marin Cilic d. Gilles Simon; 6-0,
6-3, 6-2
Holger Rune d. Hugo Gaston; 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Day 7 Recap
Swiatek won her first Grand Slam title
at the 2020 French Open, and with most of her top-tier WTA Tour foes
now eliminated, she's the clear favorite to add another major trophy
to her collection.
The 20-year-old Polish sensation wasn't
at her best Saturday, tallying 23 unforced errors against 13 winners,
but she still managed to advance thanks to winning 48 percent of
points on the return en route to five breaks of serve.
"I changed the tactics in second
set a little bit to play less risky, but then I did some mistakes," Swiatek told reporters. "I lost my breaks. I'm not perfectly happy
with that, but overall I'm happy with the performance, and that I
came back in the second set."
She's reached the fourth round without
dropping a set despite only playing her best in spurts, which is a
promising sign for the remainder of the event.
Sabalenka put together an impressive
first set, winning 94 percent of the points on her first serve and
tallying 12 winners, but then the match flipped toward Camila Giorgi in a
monumental way.
A loss of efficiency on serve was the
biggest problem for the No. 7 seed, who failed to win a single point
on her second serve over the final two sets (0-of-11). It set the
stage for her Italian counterpart to secure six breaks to pull off
the upset.
It's the first time Giorgi has reached
the fourth round of a major since 2018 Wimbledon.
While most of the attention on the
men's side has been focused on the star-studded top half of the
bracket, Medvedev is quietly coasting his way through the bottom
half.
The No. 2 seed has yet to lose more
than four games in any set and once again managed to get off the
court in less than two hours Saturday. He overwhelmed Miomir Kecmanovic with
42 winners and six aces while winning 72 percent of points on serve.
"Everything I wanted to do today
worked," Medvedev said. "I was serving great. I feel like I was
almost putting all the returns in and I made his life tough. Maybe he
didn't play his best level, [but] I managed from my side to make his
life as tough as possible, and it was enough to win today."
His draw gets tougher starting against Marin Cilic in the fourth round, but his level of play so far makes him the
player to beat in the bottom half.
Tsitsipas needed a quick match Saturday
after a hard-fought start to the tournament. He needed to come back
from two sets down against Lorenzo Musetti in the first round and
survived a four-set, three-tiebreaker encounter with Zdenek Kolar in
the second round.
His win over Mikael Ymer was far more
straightforward as he played controlled tennis, finishing with
just 15 unforced errors, and came through in key situations with
seven breaks in 12 opportunities. He also saved the only break point
he faced.
Tsitsipas continues to search for his
first major title. The closest he's come so far is last year's French
Open, where he reached the final before losing to Novak Djokovic in
five sets.
The fourth round of the tournament gets
underway Sunday.
French Open 2022 Results: Djokovic, Nadal Wins Highlight Friday Singles Results
May 27, 2022
PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 25: Rafael Nadal of Spain is seen in action against Coretin Moulet of France in their second round match during day four at Roland Garros on May 25, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal
headlined the players in action Friday at Stade Roland Garros as the
third round of the 2022 French Open kicked off in Paris.
Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz
were also on the schedule as part of a star-studded top half of the
men's draw at the season's second Grand Slam tournament.
It's a different story on the women's
side, where a series of upsets left no top-10 seeds in the bottom
half of the bracket, creating a path to the final for some unexpected
contenders. Notable names to take the court included Victoria
Azarenka and Coco Gauff.
Let's check out the complete list of
singles results, which will be updated through the conclusion of Friday's play. That's followed by a recap of some of the day's top matches.
Men's Results
(1) Novak Djokovic d. Aljaz Bedene; 6-3, 6-3, 6-2
(3) Alexander Zverev d. Brandon
Nakashima; 7-6 (2), 6-3, 7-6 (5)
(5) Rafael Nadal d. (26) Botic van de
Zandschulp; 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
(6) Carlos Alcaraz d. (27) Sebastian
Korda; 6-4, 6-4, 6-2
(9) Felix Auger-Aliassime d. Filip
Krajinovic; 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), 7-5
Gauff reached her first Grand Slam
quarterfinal at last year's French Open, which remains her best
singles result in a major, and now she's one win from matching that
feat.
The 18-year-old Atlanta native has
reached the fourth round without dropping a set, and she was highly
efficient in Friday's win over Kanepi. She recorded just 13 unforced
errors, 16 fewer than her Estonian counterpart, and registered 20
winners.
"I knew going into it, it was
going to be a tough match," Gauff said. "I've been
coming to France since I was 10 years old, so I think that helped me a
lot. I guess it makes me a clay-court—I don't want to say
specialist, but, you know, good at it."
Djokovic, the tournament's defending
champion and No. 1 seed, continued to roll through the men's bracket
with his straight-set triumph over Bedene.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion won 85
percent of the points on his first serve and compiled terrific ratios
for both aces to double faults (9-1) and winners to unforced errors
(30-18). He added five breaks of serve in a mostly drama-free
victory.
His draw starts to get a lot tougher, starting with Schwartzman in the fourth round.
Nadal also continued to cruise through
the early rounds with a win over Van de Zandschulp.
The King of Clay's defensive prowess
was on full display once again as he finished with only 13 unforced errors. He won 48 percent of points on the return and
secured six breaks of serve.
It's the 17th time Nadal has advanced
to at least the fourth round of the French Open in 18 appearances.
The only exception came in 2016 when he was forced to withdraw after the second round because of injury.
Azarenka became the latest major
champion eliminated from the women's draw courtesy of an impressive
comeback from Teichmann.
The 24-year-old Swiss lefty had already
established a new career-best by reaching the third round of a Grand Slam, and the
triumph over the two-time Australian Open champ was her latest
marquee win as part of a breakout 2022 season.
It wasn't the cleanest match as they
combined for 101 unforced errors, but Teichmann was able to grab
control with 44 winners over the last two sets.
Zverev wasn't at his best on Friday,
tallying 50 unforced errors and converting just two of his seven
break-point opportunities, but he still managed to push past
Nakashima in three tight sets.
The No. 3 seed has been overshadowed
given the strength on the bracket's top half, but he still has the
potential to play the role of spoiler if he can cut down on the
mistakes moving forward.
