What an enthralling, draining match. Naomi Osaka produced her best tennis after becoming a mum only 10 months ago. The powerful ball-striking we expect, but her movement on clay was dazzling. For Swiatek, she was not at her best, but she clung on after almost being blown off the court in that second set. A champion’s quality.
One thing of note: lots of empty seats in Paris. Perhaps it was the dinner-ish timing of this match, but that is a real shame. Those diners will be eating their fists when they realise they missed a contest of this quality! Right, that’s enough from me. Thanks for sticking with us during that epic.
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Swiatek, her voice wobbling, is full of praise for Osaka in her on-court interview. “Maybe she’s becoming a clay court specialist,” she says in tribute to her opponent’s excellence today.
She also wants to make a point to the French Open crowd over calling out during play: “When you scream during a rally, it’s really hard to focus … it’s hard to accept that, because the stakes are big. So if you could support us between the rallies but not during. I’m sorry.” She gets applause for that but adds that she hopes it doesn’t cause future crowds in Paris to boo her.
Iga Swiatek beats Naomi Osaka 7-6 (1) 1-6 7-5!
The champion goes through! How on earth did she stay in and win that? Swiatek was on the ropes throughout the second and third set but she dug in in the third, from 0-3 down and surviving a match point, she found her service game in that crucial game – Osaka the one making errors at the end.
What a terrific match. Osaka will feel she lost it, but that was a great display of grit from Swiatek and Osaka showed her class.
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Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 6-5 *Osaka (*denotes server) Swiatek will serve to win this match! Osaka starts with a double fault, she’s clearly wobbling here having missed out on a match point earlier in the set. Swiatek has a break point at 30-40 – but a perfectly placed Osaka forehand takes it to deuce (again). Back and forth they go, eventually Swiatek has a second break point. Another Osaka double fault – two bookending the game – hands it to her!
*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 5-5 Osaka (*denotes server) This riveting match is all-square! Some phenomenal shots mixed in with some mistakes you would not expect from players of this calibre mean you cannot take your eyes off it. This game goes to deuce once again but Swiatek has finally found some rhythm on her serve – she wins a vital point with a whipping forehand.
Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 4-5 *Osaka (*denotes server) We are back on serve! Osaka misses a forehand that would have led to a 40-15 lead. At 30-30, she makes another error – Swiatek has break point. Osaka keeps her cool to take it to do deuce. A serve and a blistering backhand and we’re at match point! The first serve goes long … and Swiatek holds her nerve to take it to deuce. Swiatek has a second break point. Osaka goes long at the net. Will she regret that?!
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*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 3-5 Osaka (*denotes server) At 30-30, Osaka just goes long with a shot and another, rare, error means Swiatek holds. Now: can the defending champion do anything on the Osaka serve?
Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 2-5 Osaka* (*denotes server) Another almost shockingly easy hold for Osaka. Her serve once again dictates play, and she is one game away from beating the World No 1 on her favourite surface in a tournament she has won three times already. Swiatek must hold to stay in the French Open.
*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 2-4 Osaka (*denotes server) Swiatek, at 30-15 up, declines to play a shot on a ball she thinks is going out … it is not; it’s on the line. A miscalculation you do not expect. The game reaches deuce, the advantage swings back and forth. But Swiatek is a battler! She digs in and, eventually, a whipped forehand seals a hard-earned hold.
Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 1-4 Osaka* (*denotes server) Osaka hurries her way to 40-0, her serve immaculate. Then, after an extended rally, produces a slide and scorching cross-court forehand to win the game without her opponent taking a point. Wow.
*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 1-3 Osaka (*denotes server) Swiatek is on the board in this set, breaking a run of five successive games lost. Her forehand has been malfunctioning but it stays true on two points in succession to give her a – relatively – comfortable hold. (What no deuce?) Now, can she make any inroads into the Osaka serve?
Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 0-3 Osaka* (*denotes server) A third game in this already epic third set goes to deuce. Swiatek has six(!) break points but cannot take any of them! Osaka just finds her best serves at the most vital times, keeps winning the must-win points and is now three games from victory (despite this set being far more even than the second). Incredible.
*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 0-2 Osaka (*denotes server) Osaka is all over Swiatek’s serve like ants on a chocolate bar. The world No 1 was 40-15 in this game but Osaka’s returns are absolute dynamite and Swiatek is increasingly cautious with her serves. Osaka goes a break up and has now won eight of the last nine games.
Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-6 0-1 Osaka* (*denotes server) Swiatek starts more confidently and, at 15-30, Osaka misses an overhead smash giving her opponent two break points. She takes it to deuce, however, with a well-won point and her sixth ace. Osaka nets to give Swiatek a third break point; saves it again. Swiatek goes long with a return … another unreturnable serve and Osaka is in the lead! A fascinating game.
No surprise that Swiatek is taking time to regroup before the decisive third set. Her form wobbled at the end of the first set but really fell away in that second in alarming fashion. Of course, some of the unforced errors came via the pressure put on her by Osaka’s sublime play.
Osaka wins the second set 6-1 against Swiatek
What a display of accuracy, power and shot-making that was Osaka. She dominates the second set to level this match at one set all!
She was really reading Swiatek’s serve and getting the best of the rallies from the back of the court in the decisive game. Osaka goes 15-30 up, 15-40 up, two set points – and she took the first as Swiatek went wide with a backhand. Game on.
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Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-5 Osaka* (*denotes server) Osaka wins the first two points in rapid succession then goes 40-0 up with a sensational backhand down the line. What a shot. Then she wraps up the game in double-quick time without coming close to dropping a point. She’s one game away from levelling this intriguing match.
*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 1-4 Osaka (*denotes server) A much-needed hold from Swiatek as she finally gets on the board in this second set. She looked a bit more confident on her serve, attacking the net on the decisive point. As you’d expect, the pressure of being 4-0 down did not get to her.
Swiatek 7-6 (1) 0-4 Osaka* (*denotes server) Thanks Yara. What a champion-level fightback this is from Osaka after losing the first-set tie-break. She is near-flawless in this second set on her opponent’s favourite surface.
That’s all from me today. I leave you in the very capable hands of Alex Reid to take you through the rest of this thrilling game. Thanks for joining me!
*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 0-3 Osaka (*denotes server) A double break for Osaka! What a gamble from her in that final point. She takes a couple of steps to the left to put some pressure on Swiatek and she returns the serve with such ease and precision that the Pole can only watch as she goes three games down.
Swiatek 7-6 (1) 0-2 Osaka* (*denotes server) Stunning from Osaka. A massive forehand down on the line was the highlight of that game. There is so much strength and variety in her shotmaking.
In other news, Coco Gauff has walked out on the other court for her late game. The third seed takes on Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia.
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*Swiatek 7-6 (1) 0-1 Osaka (*denotes server) No lingering thoughts on that tie-break loss from Osaka. It is straight to business in the second set. She gets lucky with a double fault from Swiatek (her second of the match) and then hammers a backhand down the line to earn the two break points and take the game.
Rublev has won against Martínez 6-3 6-4 6-3.
Swiatek wins the first set 7-6 (1) against Osaka
Momentum slipped away from Osaka early on in that tie-break. The world No 1 managed to go 4-0 up and despite Osaka getting one back, Swiatek, once again, shows that she is the master at forcing an opponent to go corner to corner until they make a mistake.
Tough one for Osaka to take after really growing into the set but Swiatek is just so good on this surface (and overall!). She will need to find another level if she wants a chance. The question is, does she have one?
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*Swiatek 6-6 Osaka (*denotes server) We head to a tie-break after some great hitting from Swiatek. Osaka could not just deal with the precision in that game and a couple of her attempts to attack did not come off.
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Swiatek 5-6 Osaka* (*denotes server) Swiatek has some great returns. The world No 1 is at times staying stationary in her spot, while directing the ball to both ends of the court. But Osaka is moving better and looking so much more comfortable on the clay. She manages to take the game, and Swiatek will now serve to stay in the set for the second time.
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*Swiatek 5-5 Osaka (*denotes server) A double fault from Swiatek to start us off. And her troubles don’t stop there. Her usual shots that she was hitting earlier in the set are not coming off and after she nets an easy one under no pressure it is set point for Osaka. But the Japanese can’t make the most of it, with her forehand at the baseline just long.
Back at deuce, Osaka nets after she tries to heavily attack Swiatek’s second serve and the world No 1 just about survives after another long shot.
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Swiatek 4-5 Osaka* (*denotes server) Osaka’s third ace of the match starts off the ninth game of the first set. But some good hitting from Swiatek puts her at 40-30. She looks to close out the game but she nets and her face deadpans. The Pole does it again right after, the ball looking way to spinny, to give Osaka the advantage and she closes out the game to take the lead for the first time in this match.
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*Swiatek 4-4 Osaka (*denotes server) Swiatek goes up 40-0 but all of a sudden it is deuce after a couple of uncharacteristically long shots from the world No 1. She then nets after a short rally and all of a sudden it is a break point for Osaka … Will she do it? She does! Osaka breaks. She doesn’t attack the second serve but bides her time and Swiatek hits a shot well long. A loud ‘Come on!’ from the Japanese.
Osaka is up 7-3 in the last ten points and we’re all square in the first set!
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Swiatek 4-3 Osaka* (*denotes server) Fantastic game from Osaka. She ventures up to the net for a shot that tricks Swiatek before a forehand that is right on the line.
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An update on Rublev [6] v Martínez: The Russian leads 6-3 6-4 on Suzanne Lenglen.
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*Swiatek 4-2 Osaka (*denotes server) Swiatek starts the game with ease but some great back-to-back points from Osaka make it 40-all: first, a forehand straight across and second, a backhand down the line.
But then two back-to-back shots that go out at the baseline leave the Japanese once again chasing.
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Swiatek 3-2 Osaka* (*denotes server) An ace from Osaka gets her on the board to make it 15-all but the world No 1 takes the lead in the game with a cross-court shot.
Amazing power from Osaka on a backhand and then another ace puts her up 40-30 and she closes out the game in style.
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*Swiatek 3-1 Osaka (*denotes server) So good from the Pole. The previous game was a master in receiving and this one was in serving. Osaka simply can’t handle the accuracy of the serves.
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Swiatek 2-1 Osaka* (*denotes server) Easy game for Swiatek as she breaks without dropping a single point. A masterclass on how to defend a strong serve on clay.
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We have gotten confirmation that all the games scheduled to play on the outside courts have been cancelled due to the rain. Spare a thought for the organisers who will have to reschedule all the matches from the last couple of days.
*Swiatek 1-1 Osaka (*denotes server) Osaka takes the first point with a an extremely powerful forehand, but Swiatek is able to redirect the ball so easily with a backhand down the line. She knows (as does everyone) that she breezes through this match by forcing Osaka move on her worst surface.
Still early days though, and the power behind her backhand forces Swiatek to net, making it 40-30. It looks like she takes the second game but the umpire takes a second look and deems her shot out. Swiatek takes advantage and then the game after saving the break point.
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Swiatek 0-1 Osaka* (*denotes server) Osaka begins with a double fault (not great) but quickly makes it 15-all with a speeding forehand right up at the net.
Swiatek then nets the next serve but makes it 30-all with a cross-court forehand. Osaka’s limitations with her movement on clay already on display.
But no matter her form, her serve will always be killer. And that is what wins her the first game.
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Here we go. Osaka to serve against Swiatek [1] in the second round of the French Open. Two four-times grand slam winners.
The two players are out on the court at Philippe-Chatrier and will begin their final warm ups.
Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka have faced each other twice.
In 2019, Osaka defeated the now world No 1 in Toronto in a close two set match. Three years later, it was Swiatek who got the better of her opponent in the final of the 2022 Miami Open.
Swiatek, of course, heads into this match up as the heavy favourite. Not only is she the best women’s tennis player in the word right now, but clay is her specialty. Three of Swiatek’s grand slam wins have come in Paris and she is currently unbeaten in her last 13 matched on red dirt.
Osaka, on the other hand, has never been past the third round at Roland Garros, nor has she reached the final of any clay-court event. She is currently ranked No 134 in the world and is attempting to make her way back to the top after time away to give birth.
A blockbuster of a match up next.
Coming up next on court Philippe-Chatrier 🍿#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/YDXCXhIz8M
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2024
Up next for Alcaraz, it will either be the American Sebastian Korda, who is seeded 27th, or South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo in the third round.
Carlos Alcaraz says that his match against Jesper De Jong shows that the rankings don’t matter on the court.
This kind of tournament, every player can give you trouble. You have to be focused in every match, every game and every point. It doesn’t matter that I am top of the rankings and you are playing someone outside of the Top 100. The work and the level you show is what matters. I am sure he will break the Top 100.
On when he realised during the match he could not have fun:
In the third set I had to forget about putting on a show and put myself a chance in the rallies. I was in trouble a little bit.
On if the long match was good for him given that he has not played much on clay this season due to his earlier arm injury:
I prefer not to spend too much time on the court but every match is different. It is good for me to get the time but I prefer to spend less hours on the court.
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Carlos Alcaraz [3] beats Jesper De Jong 6-3 6-4 2-6 6-2
A sigh of relief from Alcaraz before pumping his fists up once De Jong nets his shot on the match point. After three hours and nine minutes, he obviously did not want this to go to five sets.
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Thanks Daniel, and hello all. It has been a bit of a nervy one here for Alcaraz but he is now up 5-2 in the third set. De Jong tries to elicit some cheers after a drop shot (the crowd do love an underdog but I think they might love Alcaraz more) but the Spaniard makes him work defensively and it does not fall his way.
Righto, that’s it from me for now – here’s Yara El-Shaboury to chill with you through the next bit.
A moment ago I almost called De Jong “the youngster” by way of inelegant variation to avoid repeating his name, only to realise he’s a coupe of years older than Alcaraz. Which tells us what a freak of nature “the Spaniard” is, but that shouldn’t distract us from the poternial of “the whippersnapper”. If he can recapture this level, rather than make this the performance of his life, he can do plenty, but as I type an Alcaraz forehand winner not only raises two break points but shows us that De Jong is bushed – he tried chasing it, but without the conviction he might get it. And shonuff, another error follows, so Alcaraz now leads 6-3 6-4 2-6 4-2. Oh, and Rublev has just broken Martinez for 5-2 in set one.
On Lenglen, Rublev leads Martinez – who’s beaten Casper Ruud on clay this season – 3-2 on serve.
Alcaraz makes 0-30 then, sent another drop – De Jong has hit loads, perhaps uncovering a weakness – he misses with his pick-up! I’m not sure I’ve seen the world number three play this miserably, and an ace brings us back to 30-all. So we wind up at deuce and De Jong serve-volleys only to dump into the net … then serve a double you coul see coming after the first delivery hit the tape. We’re back on serve at 2-2 in the fourth, but even if Alcaraz progresses, this is the kind of performance that makes you wonder if a player can win a tournament. And I’m certain others will be watching fancying themselves to try the drops that’ve brought De Jong so much joy.
De Jong had the trainer out between sets, working what looked like an ankle, but he seemed fine. And look at him now, breaking again – Alcaraz is struggling mentally here, no longer the happy boy who just enjoys tennis – for 2-1 before calling for help once more.
I wonder if Alcaraz assumed that at 2-0 up, the rest of the match would take care of itself – with good reason, it’s fair to say. But De Jong has maintained his level throughout though, as I type, he sends down a double at 30-all. He’s saved plenty of break points today too, but this time Alcaraz measures his return rather than going for the line, and it elicits the error. We’re back on serve at 1-1 in the fourth.
On Lenglen, Martinez and Rublev are under way.
What on earth is going on?! I’ve was more focused on Jabeur v Osorio the lastbit, for obvious reasons – a decider with a seed in serious trouble – but I did notice Alcaraz overhitting, perhaps sacrificing a set already half-gone to test out his forearm. But he’s not got his rhythm back yet, down break point and again going long on the forehand! De Jong leads 1-0 in the fourth and what a performance this is from him!
I was impressed with De Jong against Draper but playing like that on Chatrier, against Alcaraz is another matter entirely. He serves out the set superbly to 15, and now trails 3-6 4-6 6-2! Incredible!
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Alcaraz has dropped here – perhaps because the set is going away from him, perhaps because he’s saving himself physically, post-injury. De Jong leads 5-2 in the third, and will shortly serve for the set.
And don’t forget, when De Jong v Alcaraz is done, we’ll wade into Swiatek v Osaka. It’s not a bad old life.
Next on Lenglen: Andrey Rublev (6) v Pedro Martínez.
Back on Chatrier, De Jong has broken Alcaraz again! He trails 3-6 4-6, but leads 4-1 in set three!
Jabeur says it was an honour to play such a great player, but she was able to fight her way through. The love from the crowd gives her lots of energy, especially in these kinds of matches, and she hopes to see more Tunisian flag and Tunisian people.
Ons Jabeur (8) beats Camilia Osorio 6-3 1-6 6-3
Osorio unloads the suitcase at a cross-court return, missing, just, and that’s a brilliant win in a thrilling match for Jabeur; she meets Fernandez or Wang next. But well played Osorio, who gave her plenty, and at just 22, if she can build on this she can make rain.
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Dearie me, at 15-all Jabeur opens body only to wipe an inside-out forehand wide, but a loopy forehand cross-court to the corner facilitates the clean-up winner down the line; she’s two points away. And this time it’s her backhand that does the work, two heavy swings raising break point; what does Osorio have left?!
Oh Ons! An error from Osorio, a forehand that’s long, means yet another break point, and how well Jabeur plays it, a decent return into the backhand corner eventually allowing her a drop and pick-up winner! She’ll now serve for a tremendous match.
On Chatrier, De Jong isn’t just maintaining his level, he’s bettering it! A colossal forehand facilitates a putaway at net, his backhand volley pinging the tape and dropping over! He leads 2-1 in the third and what a performance this is; I wonder if Jack Draper is feeling a bit better about himself as a consequence.
De Jong secures a big hold for 1-1 in the third – he’ll have a suspicion the match has gone, but the way he’s played, he owes it to himself to maintain his level until the end. Jabeur, meanwhile, is serving at 4-2 in the third, and a high, deep ball, followed by a low backhand slice gives Osorio break-back point. And with a second serve at which to go, she lands a return on the line, Jabeur can’t deal, and this match is still bang in the balance!
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This time, Jabeur consoildates well, and at 4-1 might just’ve landed the decisive blow.
An inside-out forehand followed by a drop earns Jabeur two break points, and though Osorio saves the first, the second is claimed, and whatever else we can say about how the Tunisian is playing at the moment, she’s an arch competitor and leads 3-1 in the third. Meantime, De Jong finally yields, Alcaraz breaking him to pinch a belting set for a 6-3 6-4 lead.
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Osorio isn’t going away, fighting back from 40-0 to make deuce, and two sizeable forehands mean we’re back on serve at 1-2! Jabeur just can’t find any confidence or consistency!
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De Jong is starting to believe he can nick this set, a lovely drop making 30-40. Yeah, good luck with that old mate: Alcaraz unleashes a weapons-grade forehand that breaks the sideline – what an angle! – saving the 10th break point of the set. And from there, he closes out for 4-5, the pressure placed firmly back on to his opponent, he must now serve to stay in the second set.
Eeesh again, there’ll now be no play on outside courts before 3pm BST.
Eeesh, a double from Osorio hands Jabeur a break point, and a gigantic forehand down the line secures a 2-0 lead. Is class telling, or will Osorio break back as she has done several times today already.
Jabeur holds at the start of set three – she needed that – while De Jong saves more break points before punishing a glorious forehand winner down the line for 3-6 4-4. He’s turned up on Chatrier and man is he making the most of the opportunity.
Osorio needs two goes to do it but she gets there: a 6-1 set, and all the momentum going into the decider.
Osorio quickly breaks again, and will now serve for a decider at 5-1 in the second. And you worry for Jabeur because, though she can raise it, she looks a lot less happy on court than her opponent.
Jabeur hammers away and eventually finds a shot that’s too good, a backhand down the line to earn her deuce. For all the good it does her, a long forehand consolidating Osorio’s break and at 4-1 she’s close to forcing a decider. Meantime, De Jong fights back from 0-40 to eventually secure a hold for 3-6 3-3, and even if we know how this’ll end, he’s giving Alcaraz loads.
An error from Jabeur, overhitting a high-bouncer, means she’s down break point, but a big forehand elicits the error that brings deuce. Another monstrous forehand then saves another opportunity, but a gorgeous drop from Osorio means another advantage and this time, the Colombian finds a huge forehand and follows it up with a putaway volley! Jabeur leads 6-3 1-3, but her opponent is in the ascendancy now!
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Lovely work from De Jong, opening body and shoulders to massacre a forehand winner cross-court that breaks the sideline. It gives him a hold for 2-2, after a serious ruckus, and I hope he can hit this level when he’s back playing Challengers.
I’d not seen De Jong play until he despatched Draper in round one, but he looks decent: power, hands, creativity and moxie. But he’s struggling to hold at 3-6 1-2, Alcaraz just netting a leaping backhand tickle-overhead when up advantage.
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This time, Jabeur consolidates, which means she takes the first set 6-3. This is actually a good match for her: one she should come through but one that’s testing enough to fortify her with confidence.
Mac reckons Shelton is a potential major-winner, saying he’s got a big game and a great personality – he was evaluating Sinner and Alcaraz at the time. And the Spaniard leads De Jong 6-1 1-1, while Jabeur breaks Osorio yet again – this time to love – for 5-3. She’ll now serve for the first set.
Osorio, though, isn’t going away, a tentative forehand followed by a wilder one returning the break a second time. This is developing into a really fun match.
Lovely stuff from Ons, forcing another break point before unleashing a succession of punishing groundstrokes before one allows her into the net, whereupon she seizes her break back with an overhead. She leads 4-2 in set one.
Alcaraz is grooved now and he breaks De Jong again for a 6-3 set. I’m afraid, though, that it’s still raining and our earliest restart time has been put back again, to 2.30pm BST.
Osorio is on the board, holding – just – to trail Jabeur 1-3. But our Ons is playing well, so stopping her will take something. And has Osorio found it? A lovely backhand pass down the line raises break point, a double follows, and that can happen when you’ve been out of form: it doesn’t take much for doubt to set in. We’re back on serve at 2-3.
Again, Alcaraz is lost in the supermarket, flicking through his options before netting a weak slice. That hands De Jong 0-40, but it’s soon 30-40, and when he misses a Hollywood forehand cross-court, you know where this is headed. Or not, De Jong ending a terrific point with a sliced drop … but the kid is inevitable and eventually secures the hold for 5-3.
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It was coming. Alcaraz earns two more break points and this time he doesn’t hand De Jong a pressie, a netted backhand taking him to 4-3.
Jabeur was only alright in round one but already looks dialled-in here, perhaps on account of the step-up in competition. She breaks to love, Osorio helping her out with a double at 0-40, and the number eight seed leads 2-0 in the first.
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On Lenglen, Osorio and Jabeur are under way.
Oh man, up break point at 2-2, Alcaraz loses the ball – perhaps in the lights – as it drops short, forced to let it bounce rather than hammer down an overhead. It may also be he had too many options to decide what to do but either way, De Jong holds on.
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Yeah, play on outside courts has now been bumped a further half-hour to 2pm BST earliest. I hate to say it, but i’d be surprised if we get a restart even close to then.
Yeah, Alcaraz breaks De Jong back to love. They’re 1-1 in set one.
On Chatrier, De Jong – conqueror of Jack Draper – holds … then breaks Alcaraz, hitting it as hard as he can and going for his shots, securing 2-0 with a big forehand followed by a drop … Alcaraz style.
Next on Lenglen: Camila Osorio v Ons Jabeur (8).
“La cerise sur la gateaux” says Tsitsipas of the atmosphere on Lenglen. “Did you get it?” It felt amazing, he said, “getting to play such marvellous tennis at the end – I really enjoyed it.”
He thinks it’s more fun playing another one-handed backhand, so it’s like “getting a taste of my own tennis … a type of ID.” He thinks it can be very effective on clay, “opening up the court, creating much more topspin – especially if you get good timing on it, I feel like it can do miracles.”
Finally,he says he was down on the score, he didn’t give up, and the times he’s come back before inspired him here.
Hold tight Daniel Altmaier, though, who found himself when 2-0 down and gave Tsitsipas loads. It’s still hard to see him winning her – or at any other major – because that backhand is a nonsense – but he’s playing well and looks confident.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (9) beats Daniel Altmaier 6-3 6-2 (2)6-7 6-4
That was a really enjoyable match that ended abruptly, Tsitsipas turning it up when he needed to to repel an inspired opponent. Next for him it’s Sonego or Zhang.
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Wow! Up 15-30, Tsitsipas annihilates a forehand winner cross-court to raise two match points; did he need jeopardy to get himself going? Well he’s going, and another serve just the wrong side of the line, again checked by the umpire, gives him a look at a second delivery…
Vex on Lenglen as Altmaier is called for a fault when down break-back point; perhaps distracted, he then botches a forehand before remonstrating with the umpire at change of ends. So Tsitsipas breaks back for 4-4 in the fourth and might momentum have switched his way?
Ah this is nice, the first bit of Mac on my screen this tournament. He loves Alcaraz – he said last year that Boris is the best teenager he’s ever seen but this is the best 20-year-old he’s ever seen, and that he’d have loved to have similar joie de vivre when he played.
Next on Chatrier: Jesper De Jong v Carlos Alcaraz (3).
Kenin is “super-happy” and says she sorry she had to win, thanking the crowd for the atmosphere. She loves Chatrier, feeling like she has “some kind of connection” to it, she’s playing good tennis, the hard work is paying off, and she’s very happy. It’s special to be back after her injuries but if you put in the work the work pays off.
Now then! Altmaier hooks a forehand return on to the line for 0-30 … but two banging forehands from Tsitsipas halve the deficit. An ace out wide follows – I really enjoy the way he attacks pressure – but when his backhand is attacked next point, he yields, and Altmaier has an opportunity to break at 3-3 30-40! And have a look! Tsitsipas drops, Altmaier retrieves … and the backhand overhead drops into the net! The German dances a jig and after watching his opponent play beautifully for two sets, he’s now two holds away from forcing a decider! What a match this now is!
Sofia Kenin beats Caroline Garcia (21) 6-3 6-2
That’s a brilliant performance form Kenin. She served like god, returned almost as well, and Garcia looks disappointed but will know she’s been beaten by a fine player playing close to her best. Next for Kenin it’s Ostapenko or Tauson.
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A love hold for Garcia, forcing Kenin to serve for the match…
Meantime, deep this from David Goffin courtesy of Reuters!
David Goffin accused partisan fans at the French Open of “total disrespect” and said he was spat at by a spectator during his marathon first-round victory over local favourite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
On a raucous Court 14, Goffin kept his cool to defeat wild card Perricard 4-6 6-4 6-3 6-7(4) 6-3, before the former world number seven held his hand to his ears as he left the venue to loud jeers.
“When you are insulted for 3-1/2 hours, you have to tease the public a little,” Goffin told Belgian media. “Clearly, it goes too far, it’s total disrespect.
“It’s really too much. It’s becoming football, soon there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and fights in the stands. It’s starting to become ridiculous. Some people are there more to cause trouble than to create an atmosphere.
“Someone spat out their chewing gum at me. It (the match) was getting complicated. That’s why I wanted to stay calm. If I started to get angry about it, it could have destabilised me.” Goffin then urged the organisers of the year’s second Grand Slam to take action.
“A lot of people are complaining, a lot of umpires feel that there is a lot of disrespect,” Goffin added. “This is repeated a lot in the locker room and among the ATP authorities. We’re going to have to do something about that.
“I think it only happens in France. At Wimbledon, obviously, there’s not that. Or in Australia either. At the U.S. Open, it’s still rather quiet. Here, it’s a really unhealthy atmosphere.”
Kenin is now at 8o% first serves and Garcia, the second-best server on tour this year according to the numbers, just can’t match her. She’ll now serve to stay in the match at 3-6 2-5.
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Email! “What can you say about the weather?” wonders Olga. “Maybe it is still mourning for Nadal. Lovely job by you and others on Rafa’s last match. I am a diehard fan and wish he could play forever, but Father Time is undefeated. I wish Roger could have had his retirement wishes fulfilled. Speaking of Roger, there’s been a surprise choice for the next Laver Cup Captain: Yannick Noah will replace Borg next year and will be in Berlin.”
Who could fail to be inspired by that legend?
Monstrous hitting from both men when Tsitsipas earns a break point, Altmaier outlasting him and accepting the forehand error. The Greek consoles himself by bellowing “Shut up!”, presumably at his box; I wonder if his brother is re-evaluating his opinion. Anyroad, Altmaier quickly tidies up the game while, on Chatrier, a forehand winner gives Kenin anothrr break and at 6-3 4-2, she can smell the finish line.
And she does, breaking back to 30! This match is hitting a rolling boil now! Meantime, Tsitsipas leads Altmaier 2-1 2-1.
A double then an unforced forehand error mean Kenin has a third break point … and this time she takes it, a similar return to the one that went close last time, hooked line on the forehand, this time is good. She leads 6-3 3-1 and Garcia needs to find a solution and fast.
Garcia finds herself break-point down at 3-6 1-2 and she just can’t get any momentum; Kenin won’t let her get any momentum. She saves it, but a lovely flick down the line from the American, running in, means she’s to defend another … and a nice forehand return lands fractionally wide.
What a set (of tennis) from Daniel Altmaier! He went for a break after the second, changing his clothes, and returned like Superman! Tsitsipas had to fully extend to make the breaker, but what difference did that make? None! The German takes it 7-2 and if he keeps this up we’re in for something very special.
Of course, as soon as I hit send, Tsitsipas goes wide on the forehand to cede the mini-break at 0-2; Altmaier sustains it with a tremendous drop-riposte, then annihilates a backhand down the line for 4-1. And have a look! A glorious return on to the tootsies it too good, and this breaker is due reward for the excellence of Altmaier’s play this set. he’s opened shoulders and everything he hits is going where he wants it to.
Tsitsipas does indeed hold, and though Altmaier is hitting it well enough to take the odd point you need to win a breaker, it’s hard to look past the excellence of the Greek’s serve-forehand combo.
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On Tsitsipas – now serving for a breaker at 5-6 in third third – I receive an anecdote in which someone asked Petros, his brother, the most annoying thing about him. “Nothing,” came back the reply. “He doesn’t annoy me. I love him so deeply.”
I’m not sure there’s anyone in the world who isn’t annoying, so that’s a remarkable testimony.
Kenin raises two set points, Garcia saving the first with an ace. but a second serve is clobbered back and though the home favourite makes her play another shot, and booming forehand down the line secures a 6-3 set!
Garcia plays two lovely points to get the crowd going, but a poor return on deuce cedes advantage and Kenin, who’s playing the pressure points well, holds on for 5-3; Tsitsipas is now serving at 6-3 6-2 4-5.
Absolute sake latest: our time without play on outside courts has been extended by an hour to 1.30pm BST.
Altmaier is in the zone here, Tsitsipas fully extending to avoid dropping serve. But so far, he’s repelling the assault, holding for 4-4 in the third, while Kenin is delivering beautifully, up 4-3 30-0 and forcing Garcia through deuce to avoid the double-break.
Kenin consolidates to love for 4-2 and is starting to assert herself from the back.
Altmaier’s enjoying himself now, forcing another break point with ferocious hitting and a no-look drop-retrieval … for all the good it does him, Tsitsipas saving it and holding for 6-3 6-2 2-2. Meantime, Garcia is struggling to hold in a 10-minute game, missing various volleys then, with the court open, hammering an overhead that Kenin shouldn’t have smelt but somehow sends back. And it affects Garcia too; she loses the rally with an error, then cedes the game with another, so Kenin will now serve at 3-2 in the first.
Garcia makes break point, but Kenin responds with a serve out wide that’s too good; another first serve gives her advantage and then a forehand winner cross-court secures the hold for 2-2. Meantime, Altmaier is now going for his shots, earning a break point … quickly extinguished with a big serve … and though he hangs in there, Tsitsipas’ forehand is just too much, eventually polishing off the game. He leads 6-3 6-2 1-1.
Garcia leads Kenin 2-1 on serve, the players still settling. Kenin leads the head-to-head 2-0, but she’s had a poor season so might not respond well to pressure.
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A benefit of the rain: Calv Betton is off court so can report on Ben Shelton. “His raw materials are great but his backhand is proper rubbish,” he says. “But I don’t think he wins a slam. There’s some mad stat that if you make him play a BH on the first shot of the rally he only wins 15% or something like that. He’s a top-15 player coz his serve and forehand are huge but I don’t think he goes higher by much. He’s defending a load of points and he doesn’t beat the top players.”
This is a very fine performance from Tsitsipas, who clinches the second set to lead 6-3 6-2. I’m still not sure his backhand is good enough to hold up when targeted by the best, but this is the best I’ve seen him play in ages.
Kenin and Garcia have started on Chatrier, and i wonder if this match will be defined by the latter’s serve or the former’s return.
Strong tracksuit game from the young man.
Off to work with @carlosalcaraz 👋#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/q98InY7XKY
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2024
Altmaier is on the board in set two, trailing Tsitsipas 6-3 5-1, and we’ve just been advised that there’ll be no play on outside courts before 12.30pm BST.
And here they come. This should be a terrific contest, with a proper atmosphere.
We will, at least, soon have a second match to go with Altmaier 3-6 0-4 Tsitsipas, because Kenin, the 2o20 Aussie Open champ and French Open runner-up, is due on Chatrier to take on Caroline Garcia, the home favourite and number 21 seed.
So I guess now is a good time to round up scores around the courts: Nakashima leads Hurkacz 6-5 on serve; Arnaldi leads Muller 5-3; Fernandez leads Wang 5-3; Zhang leads Sonego 4-3 with a break; and Korda leads kwon 5-4 with a break.
Tsitsipas is enjoying himself now, spiriting a lush forehand down the line from way out of court, and he breaks again to lead 6-3 3-0. Elsewhere, Vondrousova has broken again too – Volynets is maybe the only person in the grounds pleased it’s expletive raining again, the score 6-0 1-4. On 7, it’s Shelton 5-5 Nishikori, but of course they’ve gone off.
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Vondrousova has woken up, breaking and consolidating for 0-6 3-0. You get the feeling that Volynets needs to get this done in two, but women’s tennis remains the least predictable sport in the world, so.
I really like how Tsitsipas is playing here – the weight of shot is immense – and when he makes 15-40 at 6-3 0-0, Altmaier spanks an ace out wide before netting. Or, in other words, if his serve doesn’t go a long way towards securing the point, he’s got a problem.
We’re still on serve on Court 7, Shelton and Nishikori locked at 4-4. It’s Shelton looking the likelier, but if the set – and the match – come down to a point here and there, the wily veteran will fancy himself.
Vondrousova is on the board, holding in the first game of set two, while Tsitsipas takes the first set of Altmaier 6-3.
So Volynets has only gone and bagelled Vondrousova in set one, and in fairness she’s been steadily improving the last couple of years. She made round two of this competition in 2022, then round three in Melbourne a year later, and at 22 is settling into her style. She’s doing really well to hang in long rallies – Vondrousova isn’t known for her power – and she’s going for winners whenever she can.
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Elsewhere, Sonego leads Zhang 2-1, Korda and Lwon are 2-2. and Shelton, who’s hitting winners, leads Nishikori 3-2 on serve.
Gosh, Volynets is now 4-0 up on Vondrousova. I’m not certain how as there’s no commentary and I’ve mainly had eyes elsewhere, but I’ve just seen Volynets find a lovely angle at the end of a long rally – the kind of angle i’d expect her opponent to create.
Tsitsipas is hitting it hard on Lenglen, but it’s a drop that looks to have given him 0-30. But Altmaier does superbly to run around a lob that wasn’t quite clean enough, slamming a forehand winner cross, with his opponent stranded at the net. Tsitsipas, though, sticks at it, his returning right there, and when he raises two break points, a backhand into the tape means he only needs one. Altmaier 1-3 Tsitsipas.
Can Ben Shelton contend seriously for majors? We’ll need our resident coach calv Betton to rule on that one and one of his lads, Luke Johnson, is playing in the men’s doubles currently so we’ll need to wait on him. But I really like what I see, physically, technically and mentally – he believes. He leads Nishikori 1-0 on serve, while Volynets has broken Vondrousova – who I think is a serious threat here – in game one.
I’m also watching Ben Shelton (15) v Kei Nishikori and Katie Volynets v Marketa Vondrousova (5) – for now.
We’re tossing up on Lenglen and this should be a decent match – Altmaier beat Jannik Sinner in last year’s competition and at 25 is round about his peak, while Tsitsipas is improving with every match on clay.
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Preamble
Salut tout le monde et bienvenue à Roland-Garros jour quatre!
And it’s another absolute rippeur. The highlight of our day should be Iga Swiatek v Naomi Osaka, but we’ve to wait for that one; no matter. Because between now and then, we have Daniel Almaier taking on the resurgent Stefanos Tsitsipas, Sofia Kenin meeting Caroline Garcia, Denis Shapovalov v Francis Tiafoe and Ben Shelton v Kei Nishikori.
Nor is that all – or anything close to it. We’ve also got Carlos Alcarax, Ons Jabeur v Camila Osorio, Andrey Rublev, Coco Gauff v Tamara Zidansek, Jelena Ostapenko, Marketa Vondrousuva, Felix Auger-Aliassime and yet more. On y va!
Play: 11am local, 10am BST
