ATP
Roland Garros 2024 Men’s Day 6
Jannik Sinner moved closer to a possible rise to world No. 1 as the second seed produced a third consecutive straight-sets victory which took him into the fourth round of the French Open on Friday.
The Australian Open champion dominated Pavel Kotov, winner in the second round over 2015 Paris champion Stan Wawrinka, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on the Chatrier showcase court.
According to ATP calculations, Sinner would need to reach next Sunday’s Roland Garros final to replace Novak Djokovic on the top spot and become the first Italian to stand atop the ranking table.
Sinner sealed two of his three winning sets against Kotov with aces as he repeated a spring victory from Madrid against the No. 56.
“I was happy to get through, and let’s see what I can do in the next round,” Sinner said.
“Tennis-wise I felt quite good today on court. Physically I feel like I still
have to improve a couple of things.
“I’m trying to be ready for the next round.
“I know that there are tough moments on the court, but, you know, you have to accept it and see the general view.”
Fellow Italian Matteo Arnaldi led the way for his Sinner earlier in the afternoon as he shoved sixth seed Andrey Rublev to the exits as the first Top 15 men’s seed to lose after six days of play.
The No 35 outsider kept up the pressure to eliminate a frustrated Rublev 7-6 (6), 6-2, 6-4 in two and a half hours.
The emotional seed who was DQ’d last February in Dubai for a similar outburst against a linesman, seed melted down in the second set after going down a break, slamming his racquet onto the clay and screaming at his player box to no avail.
His level-headed opponent simply stayed steady to grind out the straight-sets win in heavy conditions with the Lenglen court roof both open and closed during the contest.
“This was incredible, I played the best match of my life for sure,” the winner said. “To do it in three sets at a Slam…I was not expecting.
“He was not playing his best tennis but I was able to find the tactics to put him under pressure and that worked well.”
Arnaldi, who produced nearly 50 winners in his upset victory, said winning the opening-set tiebreaker was key.
“It gave me a lot of energy and confidence, so I continued to push.”
Rublev expressed regret for his meltdown: “Completely disappointed with myself the way I behaved, the way I performed.
“I don’t remember behaving worse in a Slam ever.”
Andry Rublev (xxx) loses second round match in straight sets to Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) Photo Roger Parker International Sports Fotos Ltd
He added: “I had a lot of chances, and I didn’t make it. Then in one moment, if I completely lose it.
“I was keeping it inside, and when I lost the break second time in the second set, I lost it completely.”
Ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas eliminated China’s “Treble Zed” Zhang Zhizhen 6-3, 6-3, 6-1, with the 2021 finalist form Greece moving into the fourth round here for a sixth straight edition.
Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.
After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.
“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.
“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.
“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”
Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.
Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.
“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].
Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.
Alexander Zverev marked his new status as sure-thing year-end No. 1 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday by posting a fighting 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) victory over Alexander Bublik..
The 29-year-old German whose two Grand Slam titles this season and the absence of injured Jannik Sinner helped him into the top spot for the first time, needed to save four early set points and deal with an ank;e issue on his journey into the last eight.
Zverev moved through in just under two and three-quarter hours to set up a match with last week’s Beijing finalist Alex de Minaur, The Australian booked his spot over Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4.
Zverev will be playing in his 40th quarter-final in a Masters 1000 and is on the hunt for an eighth trophy this season.
He said his ankle was giving problems – but not enough to affect the match outcome.”It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well.
“I’m starting to feel my body more and more but happy to get through. It was a difficult match because he has been playing amazing tennis,” he said after coming from a break down in the deciding set.
De Minaur has bounced back nicely in Shanghai after quitting the Tokyo final against Carlos Alcaraz with an adductor muscle injury.
Stefanos Tsitsipas willed himself to a 401st Tour win on Monday, with the Greek advancing to the Shanghai Masters 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, over world No. 12 Taylor Fritz to reach the fourth round.
The win leaves the Greek with a 5-2 record against the American in a series dating back nine years.
The cerebral Tsitsipas credited the victory to some simple mental gymnastics.
“I was manifesting today’s match and trying to put myself in a victorious situation,” he said.
“I’ve always had big fights against him. Some of my biggest matches were played facing him on the other side of the court. I had to up my level.
“Once I started doing that, a lot of doors were open and I was really able to unleash my biggest potential out there.”
The match ended on an unusual note as the ball twice fell from the pocket of Fritz, causing each of the points in question to be replayed.
Tsitsipas missed on three match points in the mistake-marred game but secured the fightback victory a game later after two and a quarter hours.
Zverev scratches 7-year itch with return to Shanghai SF
Tenth time lucky as Li knocks out Sabalenka
Zverev celebrates No. 1 status with Shanghai QF
-
Beijing2 weeks agoNo. 1 and 2 seeds ousted in Beijing WTA
-
ATP2 weeks agoBu hoo for China as Djokovic outlasts a local
-
ATP3 weeks agoItalian media fear Sinner may need surgery
-
ATP2 weeks agoDjokovic reaches 7th Beijing final as Medvedev DQ’d
-
ATP2 weeks agoDjokovic untouchable after 30th win in Beijing
-
ATP1 week agoAlcaraz beats Lehecka to triumph in Tokyo
-
ATP1 week agoDjokovic backs into 7th Beijing title as injured de Minaur quits
-
Billy Jean King Cup3 weeks agoCzechs charge to BJK Cup title