ATP
Roland Garros Men’s Day 13
Novak Djokovic put nearly two decades of big-match experience to best use on Friday as he defeated cramping young gun Carlos Alcaraz 6-4, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 to set up a French Open final with Casper Ruud.
Djokovic pounced in a tense, taut match with world No. 1 Alcaraz, who will lose the ATP top ranking if Djokovic prevails on Sunday by winning an all-time best 23rd Grand Slam singles title.
Ruud, 2022 Paris runner-up to Rafael Nadal, has reached his third-Grand Slam final in his last five events as he beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 in their first meeting on clay.
The Norwegian winner was the first to reach back-to-back semi-finals here since Robin Soderling in 2009-2010.
He has lost all four of his meetings against Djokovic; Zverev dropped to 1-13 against Top 10 opponents at the Grand Slams.
“I went out and tried to play my best without a lot of emotion. the Scandinavian said after setting up two match points with an ace.
“I played well, I’m very content to win this match.
“I didn’t come to Roland Garros thinking that I could get to the final again. But I’m hoping that the third time will be the charm for me,” added the 2022 finalist here and in New York.
The 36-year-old Djokovic went shot-for-shot with Alcaraz over their first two sets before the 20-year-old’s accumulated nerves led to the cramps which eventually erased any victory dreams.
Djokovic, treated on court for his own existing – if mysterious – elbow and arm problems, was pleased to move into his 34th Grand Slam final.
“It was not the best way to end the match for him, but respect for him for hanging in there until the last point,” the winner said.,
“It was obvious that he was struggling with his movement. It’s unfortunate for the
crowd, it’s unfortunate for a match of this importance for both of us.
“You know, it happens when you play at extremely high intensity as we both did
“For the first two sets, it was so even. It was very demanding physically for both of us. Cramps whatever he was struggling with, can happen.
“I wish him a fast recovery. I’m sure he will be back strong.”
Djokovic strolled through the final two sets as his under-done opponent won just two games.
“The beginning of the third set was key for me to hang on, and something unexpected happened,” the veteran said..
“Nobody really expected him to experience these cramps – from that moment onwards it was a different match
“I just tried to stay there, stay present, make him play. He couldn’t move as well as in the first two sets.”
Djokovic started strong, breaking Alcaraz for 3-1 in the first set and saving three break points against his serve to hold for 5-2.
Alcaraz saved a set point in the eighth game as he fought to stay in the set, but Djokovic wrapped it ; the Serb claimed the opening set after nearly an hour on his second chance, 6-3.
Djokovic was seen by the trainer after the seventh game of the second set for treatment on his right arm and elbow.
The Serb was then broken upon resumption, only to re-break with a backhand winner to the cornet, putting the set back on serve, 4-5.
Saving three more break points in a dramatic 10th game drew the scoreline level, 5-5,
But Alcaraz had the last word, winning the set with a break of Djokovic in the final game, 7-5, to square the contest at a set each after nearly two and a quarter hours.
After losing serve to trail 1-2 in the third set, Alcaraz took treatment for cramping in his right leg but was penalised under the rules as that affliction is not eligible for a time out.
The medical pause drew a round of trademark jeers from the tetchy Chatrier showcourt crowd.
Djokovic took full advantage of his compromised opponent, breaking to love for 4-1 and racing away to 5-1 as the momentum shifted decisively.
Main photo:- French Open 2023 Novak Djokovic celebrates as he beats Carlos Alcaraz Men’s Semi-Final by Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
Two-time champion Casper Ruud had to work for more than two and a half hours to overcome Jaime Faria, the Portuguese who put out Stan Wawrinka in the first round at the Gstaad Swiss Open on Thursday.
Faria was riding the momentum from Tuesday’s defeat of three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, set to retire this season and beaten in an opening match at his home venue.
Faria had his eye on a second upset as he faced Ruud, who lifted the trophy at this elite alpine village in 2021 and 2022.
Ruud ahd to dodge a bullet and mount a comeback to get through the second-round test against the Portuguese.
After dropping the opening set in a tiebreaker, Ruud played patiently as Faria saved five break points in the sixth game of the second set before failing on the sixth.
Ruud then pulled away for a 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-2 victory, his first since Roland Garros.
“Sometimes it is hard to say when you get a good feeling and you start to win some games in a row,” the winner said.
“You try from the first game to the last, but suddenly something clicked in the middle of the second for me, luckily.”
He added: “I had to really fight hard and if I played one bad game in the second and he serves well, it could be over and it would be time to go home. But luckily I can extend the stay.”
The Scandinavian could join Spaniards Sergi Bruguera and Alex Corretja as three-time winners in the Alps, with Ruud now standing 10-1 here over his career.
Stefanost Tsitsipas said he slept soundly prior to finishing off a darkness-interrupted match on Thursday as he eliminated local Jerome Kym at the Gstaad Swiss Open.
The Greek who once cracked third in the world and the 186th-ranked Swiss returned to the clay after darkness on Wednesday night left them hanging at 5-all in the third set.
Tsitsipas revved up his game from the resumption to emerge into the quarter-finals 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5).
The second seed now standing 85th in the world after several poor seasons and a split with his father as his coach, said getting his rest was not a problem after the interruption.
“It was strange going to bed and not being finished. I visualised what I wanted to do, my shot patterns.
“It worked out pretty well.
“I had a good night’s sleep, I was not too stressed and I recovered to get ready for the continuation.”
After saving break points in the first game on Thursday, Tsitsipas triumphed in the final-set tiebreaker
“I’m relieved I was able to save a couple of break points.. I put my game together and made it )victory) happen again.”
The Greek now faces off against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech for a semi-final spot.
“I’m expecting a lot of big serves, the altitude (1050m) helps. I’ll try to build consistency around my own serve.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas was handed a reprieve due to fading light with his second round match at the Swiss Open Gstaad stopped with the Greek deadlocked with local Jerome Kym 6-4, 6-7 (2), 5-5.
The math had to be halted as night fell and electronic linecalling computers could not read the path of the ball on the clay in contrast to humans who could have carried on for a few additional minutes..
The 27-year-old Tsitsipas was taking the worst of it in the concluding stage after a promising start.against a journeyman opponent ranked 186.
Tsitsipas, his ranking down to 85th after once standing third in the world, lashed out verbally in the last few games, apparently frustrated with his racquet reactions.
The Greek was quick to make his point of an overnight stoppage to the chair umpire while Kym – who reached 5-all with a love service hold – left the court with a defiant fist pump for his public in this alpine resort village.
The cutoff came after just over two hours of play, with the contest to be concluded on Thursday. The winner reaches the Friday quarter-finals.
Tsitsipas produced his last notable result in April with a fourth-round showing at the Madrid Masters,
He is aiming for his second quarter-final of the season after Doha in February and his 2025 Barcelona 15 months ago.
Tsitsipas stands 10-1 vs. players ranked outside the top 100 this season with a sole loss to No. 104 Italian Matteo Arnaldi at the Roland Garros second round.
History repeats for Argentine spoiler in Gstaad
Ruud survives a scare to secure Gstaad quarters
Tsitsipas finishes off Kym after overnight pause
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