Right, with that I am bringing down the curtain on our live French Open coverage. Tumaini Carayol’s report from Roland Garros will be available later on and Daniel Harris is first on duty for tomorrow’s live coverage. Thanks for following it with us today.
Tsitsipas speaks to Eurosport: “A lot of good rallies from my side. I have a lot of history with Mikael, playing from the juniors. We’ve played each other a lot. I’d like to congratulate him, he played his best and had a good run to the third round.
“I played really well and topped it off with some good patience.
“If there is one thing I’m going to ask for it’s a sunny French Open and a lot of great support.”
Tsitsipas beats Ymer 6-2 6-2 6-1
Easy in the end for Tsitsipas who wraps things up in little more than an hour and a half. Too good for his hitting partner Ymer in the end.
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Hurkaz beats Goffin 7-5 6-2 6-1
All over on Simonne Mathieu.
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Tsitsipas holds, can he get it done on Ymer’s serve?
The run of lost games is over for Ymer. He survives a horrible bounce at 40-30 to outlast Tsitsipas in the rally and get something on the board. Tsitsipas is surely just a few games from the fourth round but his lead is cut to 4-1.
In golf you would describe what Ymer is doing as scrambling, he is putting in a lot of effort just to stay in rallies and he gets a reward with a rare break point at 30-40. Tsitsipas responds with force, a couple of brutish serves and the Swede’s chance is snuffed out. A hold for 4-0.
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Tsitsipas is powering through this now. Ymer has a strange service action where his lifts up up his right arm like he is waving before the ball toss. The result is something lacking the power of the game’s top players and although the Swede can hang with his opponent in some rallies Tsitsipas is easily able to outmuscle him. The Greek bullies his way to another break, 3-0 up in the third now.
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And with Tsitsipas fully in the driving seat, I shall pass back over to Tom Bassam.
Tsitsipas goes three break points up on Ymer in the first game of the third set, only to miss the chance for a passing shot that was going begging. The Greek player then misses the next, his momentum slowing up, only for him to get the job done. He’s strolling to victory. Hurkacz is a game up on Goffin, though it’s going with serve, 1-0 in the third set.
Tsitsipas is going through the gears now, and breaks to go 5-2 up. He will serve for the second set. Hurkacz is made to wait against Goffin, taken to deuce by the Belgian, but gets it done, as does Tsitsipas. Both of them took the second set 6-2, and both lead 2-0 in sets. The remaining men’s singles on court do not look to have much left in them.
Hurkacz is 5-2 up and serving for the second set against Goffin, already leading by a set.
It’s going with serve in the second set, 2-2 between Tsitsipas and Ymer.
That leaves only the Tsitsipas match and that between David Goffin and Hubert Hurkacz. It’s currently 1-0 to the Pole on sets and going with serve in the second set. Gilles Simon meanwhile, is still saying his goodbyes to the Roland Garros crowd.
Tsitsipas, by the way, is a set up on Ymer, winning it 6-2, and he’s 1-0 down in the second set, though it’s going with serve.
A presentation is made to Simon, who now has a big smile on his face, as he receives a plaque to remind of his final appearance at Roland Garros. He’s joined by Amelie Mauresmo and someone who may well be Guy Forget as, like a Big Brother contestant, he gets to enjoy his best moments.
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Cilic speaks to Fabrice Santoro. It seems that Simon told him that he will keep on playing. Simon won his 500th ATP match in the second round. “We first played in 2007,” says Cilic. “He’s an incredible player.” He speaks a bit of French, maybe even Franglais when he says “incroyable atmosphere” and “je suis désolé pour Gilles”.
Cilic beats Simon 6-0 6-3 6-2
Huge serving from Cilic takes him to 30-0 up, then a glimmer of resistance for 30-15 as the home fans sing for Simon. Then a bullying forehand hands Cilic two match points. Simon, baked in sweat, looks a beaten man. Cilic crashes an ace home, and c’est ça pour Simon. Big hugs at the end, real respect and Simon gets a huge ovation from the home crowd as he waves his au revoir.
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Good afternoon. Gilles Simon is trying to hang on for dear life in his final ever Roland Garros, and he’s serving to save himself against Cilic. The Croat, a veteran himself, and the 2014 US Open winner, takes three break points and it’s looking terminal for a limping Simon, who now trails 2-5 in the third set, two sets down.
John Brewin is returning to oversee things for the next phase of this match. I shall leave you in his very capable hands.
Ymer won his first service game without too much fuss and goes 0-30 up on the Tsitsipas serve. The Greek stays cool and reels off three straight points to level things up at 1-1.
Ymer v Tsitsipas is now underway on Suzanne Lenglet and that will be our focus.
The umpire is out of his chair again as Čilić chases the break. Again Simon is not the beneficiary and Čilić closes in victory, securing the break with a forehand past the Frenchman on the backhand side. Trainer now on to treat Simon.
Great point at 30-30 as Simon and Čilić cover all parts of the court, eventually the Frenchman’s lob runs long to reward his opponent’s chase down. On the next point a generous Simon hands Čilić the point by correcting an erroneous call that the Croatian’s return was long. Incredible sportsmanship but it costs Simon the game.
Gutsy hold from Simon to start the third set, Čilić appears to be trying to whack the cover of the ball but dumps a backhand into the net and Simon leads a set for the first time in the match, 1-0.
Čilić has now sealed the second set against Simon, holding serve to to take it 6-3. On Simmone Mathieu, David Goffin is taking on Hubert Hurkacz.
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Next up on Suzanne Lenglet, Mikael Ymer takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Badosa retires! Kudermetova wins 6-3 2-1
Just when it looks like the Spaniard is rediscovering her game a break of serve prompts a quick nod to the chair and with that the match is over. The third seed is out and Kudermetova will now face Madison Keys or Elena Rybakina in the fourth round.
Simon has finally won a game on Chatrier but his final French Open looks to be coming to an end. The home favourite is down 1-4 in the second.
Much more like it Badosa as she opens up her shoulders to whip a perfect forehand deep into the corner on Kudermetova’s backhand side. The Russian holds with a fierce serve into the body. It is 1-1 in the second.
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Pegula beats Zidansek 6-1 7-6 (7-2)!
Zidansek’s challenge is halted in the tie-break as Pegula pulls away to move into the fourth round.
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Giorgi beats Sabalenka 4-6 6-1 6-0!
Some fightback from the Italian who gave up the first set but then lost just one more game to dump out the seventh seed.
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Badosa slaps herself across the face as she slaps a forehand winner past Kudermetova to take the opening game of the second. She is clearly trying to wake herself out of this funk.
Routine hold for Kudermetova means she takes the first set 6-3.
Kudermetova is all over everything Badosa is sending over the net. The Spaniard looks a little forlorn after that break for treatment on her knee and her opponent smells blood. However, a couple of sloppy errors from Kudermetova and Bardosa gets a much needed win to stop the rot at 3-5.
Zidansek has fought back against Pegula and they are now at 5-5 in the second. Giorgi’s resurgence also continues, she now leads 3-0 in the third against Sabalenka.
Seven games in and Čilić is yet to drop a game against Simon. The 20th seed won the first set 6-0 and leads 1-0 in the second.
Kudermetova screams as she hits a backhand winner down the line, but she should never have had the chance. Badosa misses a big opportunity to change momentum as the ball sat up mid-court. Kudermetova holds to go 5-2 and the trainer comes out for Badosa.
Badosa is now having to fight hard for every point on Lenglet and has lost her second service game in a row. After a ding-dong battle in game five, Kudermetova finally triumphed and now, facing break point, Badosa can only hit a tame backhand into the net to lose her fourth game on the trot. The Spaniard led 2-0 but now trails 2-4.
Giorgi has forced a third set against Sabalenka, with the Italian winning the second 6-1.
Čilić looks to be on his way to winning the first set. He is now 4-0 up against Simon and the last remaining Frenchman in the men’s draw is facing an uphill battle.
We are back to all on Suzanne Lenglen. Kudermetova has found her rhythm and is striking a fierce ball. It is not always pretty, but it is starting to prove very effective and the Russian breaks back to make 2-2.
Kudermetova is on the board, winning a 16-point game to hold serve. Elsewhere Giorgi is fighting back against Sabalenka, the Italian leads 4-0 in the second. Things a more routine for Pegula, the American has already got a break to lead the second set 3-0.
Gilles Simon has played some incredible tennis to reach the third round at 37 but Marin Čilić is a step up in quality. They are in action on Chatrier, where the Croatian is already a break up and serving for a 3-0 lead in the first.
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Kasatkina beats Rogers 6-3 6-2!
All over on Court Seven as the American’s unforced backhand error on serve completes a routine win for Kasatkina.
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Badosa is wasting no time. Kudermetova sprays a forehand wide to her opponent’s forehand and the Spaniard has a 2-0 lead after a break in the very first game.
A few more women’s singles updates... Sabalenka has taken the first set 6-4 against Giorgi, Pegula won the first set of her match against Zidanzek 6-1, and Kasatkina is on the verge of victory against Rogers, with the Russian leading 5-2 in the second.
Now getting underway on Suzanne Lenglet is the third seeded Paula Badosa against 29th seed Veronika Kudermetova. The Russian will present the toughest challenge for Badosa so far.
Zheng wins 6-0 3-0 as Cornet retires
The injury the French player picked up in the second round proved too much to overcome and Cornet has cut the match short.
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A couple more women’s singles matches underway. Camila Giorgi and Aryna Sabalenka are 3-3 in the first, while Jessica Pegula is 4-0 against Tamara Zidansek in the opening set of their match.
Medvedev beats Kecmanović 6-2 6-4 6-2
Another preposterous backhand from Medvedev finally puts his opponent to bed. The world number is playing some his best ever tennis on clay and showed it when it mattered against Kecmanović. This will put the other big guns at Roland Garros on notice.
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And just like that is all comes crumbling down for Kecmanović. Two games gone in an instant and Medvedev is now serving for the match at 5-2.
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Kecmanović’s stand could be coming to an end. Medvedev finally takes his fourth break point to go 3-2 up in third. Can he back it up on serve? On this form it would be a major surprise if he did not.
In the battle of Russia v America on Court Seven, Katasina has taken the first set 6-3.
On Chatrier, Zheng has bageled Cornet in the opening set.
Kecmanović is giving this everything but Medvedev always seems able to come up with something special when it is needed. It is still on serve at 2-2 but Medvedev is applying pressure and an outrageous backhand drop shot from behind the baseline stumps his opponent. This feels like a crucial service game for Kecmanović.
Rublev beats Garin 6-4 3-6 6-2 7-6 (13-11)!
We have a winner on Court 14 as Rublev finally triumphs in the tie-break.
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Rublev and Garin’s match is now past the three-hour mark and in a tie-break. Nothing to separate those two, it is 11 apiece in the decider.
Kecmanović is not going to go away here. The Serbian forces a break point but the men’s world number raises his level to come up with two big serves, not to mention a wonderful backhand to win the game. On serve at 1-1 in the third.
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Zheng has raced into an early 2-0 lead against Cornet, while 20th seed Kasatkina is 4-1 up against Rogers.
Kecmanović is still striking it well out there. He gets over the disappointment of losing the second set by winning a 23-shot rally and closes out the service game with a decisive move into the net.
Remember when I said Kecmanović was playing well? It turns out Medvedev noticed. The Russian pounced on the only service game in second set that his opponent did not win to love and is now 6-4 6-4 up.
We have also got women’s singles matches to keep an eye on. Over on Chatrier home favourite Alizé Cornet is taking on Qinwen Zheng, meanwhile on Court Seven Shelby Rogers is up against Daria Kasatkina.
Rublev and Garin match on Court 14 has gone deep into the fourth set after Rublev won the third 6-2. We could be headed for a tie-break there with Rublev leading 6-5 but the set currently on serve.
Thank you John and hello all. As I log the focus switches over to Daniil Medvedev’s third round match against Miomir Kecmanović, with the Russian leading 6-2 4-3 on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The second set is currently on serve, but the 22-year-old Serbian is fighting hard here and just won his latest service game to love.
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Right, I shall pass over to Tom Bassam to cover the latest, with Medvedev in action, and plenty more to follow.
Swiatek beats Kovinic 6-3 7-5
Swiatek races to 40-0 on her service, setting up three match points, the first saved at the net by Kovininc. No such chance on her second. Swiatek claims that 31st successive win.
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Swiatek, at 5-4 down in the second set, seems to recover her step, and then serves out to level. This is a test, and she is being made to work for her 31st successive win. A drop shot from Kovinic catches her out but we go to 30-30, and Swiatek swats a winner home, then seizes the break.
Daniil Medvedev is now on court, and he’s 4-2 up on Miomir Kecmanovic in the third set, though the main focus must go on Swiatek, who has just been broken to love in the second set, and it’s 4-4 with Kovinic. There’s a wobble happening here.
Swiatek, at 4-1 up, is taken to break point from Kovinic, and then gives it up easily. It’s 4-2, and the Montenegrin has a way into this. Rublev meanwhile blasted Garin to take the third set 6-2, and now leads 2-1 on sets. It’s 2-0 on sets that McDonald is trailing Sinner, the second having gone to a tie-break.
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Swiatek, while not quite at her dominant best, is now a break up on Kovinic, and 2-1 and a set up. Meanwhile, in the third set, Rublev has broken Garin and leads 4-2.
Going with serve in that third set between Rublev and Garin in the third set, while the only other singles match being played on this sleepy Saturday lunchtime sees America’s Mackenzie Mcdonald and Jannik Sinner of Italy level at 5-5 in the second set, Sinner having won the first set 6-3.
Swiatek gets the job done, taking the first set from Kovinic at 6-3, though it took over 45 minutes.
Philippe-Chartrier is far quieter than Suzanne Lenglen, where so many fans were supporting Jeanjean, though Swiatek is not having it all her own way, with Kovinic stopping her usual dominance. It’s 4-3 in the first set. In the men’s singles, Andrev Rublev, the seventh seed, is 1-1 on sets with Chile’s Cristian Garin, 6-2 6-3, 1-1 in the third.
Begu beats Jean 6-1 6-4
Allo Allo! Jeanjean gets to 0-30 on the Begu serve. Tumultuous noise greets that glimmer of hope, only for Begu to get to 15-30 with a smash. Then Jeanjean overhits a baseline shot to set up 30-30. Then, a drop shot allows her to crash a winner home to land match point. A short rally ends in Jeanjean overhitting down the line. The French, er, resistance, comes to an end, and showed up a little too late to stop Begu.
Back in the fourth round for the first time since 2016 👋@irina_begu puts an end to Leolia Jeanjean's dream run 6-1, 6-4.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/uwdrKF4rcS
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2022
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Swiatek meanwhile blasted her service game home, to lead 3-1, with Kovininc holding her serve.
Begu does not allow herself to be put off by the partisanship around her, some fine returning taking her to break- and match-point, only for Jeanjean to revive herself. It goes to deuce, to loud roars. Even louder roars when Begu goes long to offer up a game point. Then Jeanjean claims it first time out. Begu, after a sit down, will have to hold her nerve on serve. It’s 5-4 now.
Iga Swiatek, whose two matches so far have come in under a collective two hours, is not finding it quite so easy against Kovinic, who eventually gets broken to go 2-0 down in the first set but is putting up severe resistance. It took a while, almost as long it took to win a set in those opening matches. Kovinic needs to sort her first serve, but there’s a way into this game, as dominant as the Pole is.
Jeanjean serves out to take it to 5-2 in the second set. Begu is forced to serve, and to the approval of the French commentators, “le break” happens - and to love - and Jeanjean has signs of life. “Allez les bleus”, sing the fans, too.
Jeanjean keeps choking on break points on Begu’s serve, but she is playing for her life now, thwacking a winner down the line to claim another. Begu hits her own winner to level it up. The home crowd are partisan, loud for this time of day, though there’s a groan when a trademark drop shot hands Begu the advantage. Then Jeanjean nets and at 5-1 up in the second set, the Romanian is one game away from winning the match.
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Begu is now 4-1 up, and Jeanjean is heading out, the glory of her second-round win over Pliskova washed away. The player who missed six years with a knee injury had made a glorious comeback but now she’s struggling. She nearly gets it back to 4-2, but there is agony as she misses a big winner on a break point.
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The early news is not good for the home contingent, with Leolia Jeanjean already staring down the barrel of defeat from Irina-Camelia Begu, she lost the first set 6-1, and is a break and 2-1 down to the Romanian right now.
Tumaini Carayol profiles Carlos Alcaraz, the latest hottest new thing, and maybe the one to take down the aforementioned old guard. He destroyed Sebastian Korda yesterday.
His vast hand skills and shotmaking talents are strung together by his supreme athleticism and defence, qualities that have produced innumerable incredible points that have further underlined his talents. Since his triumph in Madrid, the hype surrounding Alcaraz has gone into overdrive, and he arrived in Paris tipped by some bookmakers as the tournament favourite.
The two biggest guns got their stuff done yesterday and we may soon see them do battle, though rather earlier than usual.
Preamble
Bonjour, tout le monde. Back to Roland Garros we go, and the stands may well be swelled by Liverpool and Real Madrid fans picking up returns ahead of the big one later tonight. Those paying attention on Thursday will recognise most of the cast, with Iga Swiatek, the no 1 seed, in devastating form so far. Can Danka Kovinic of Montengero halt the Pole’s charge? Léolia Jeanjean became France’s darling when beating Pliskova in the second round, and now she faces Irina-Camelia Begu, whose main moment of note so far has been to launch a racquet that made a small child cry. Qinwen Zheng, the Chinese player, delivered one of the shocks of the tournament in beating Simona Halep, even allowing for Halep’s panic attacks, and Zheng will take on Nice’s Alizé Cornet.
To the men’s singles for today, and the headliners are Gilles Simon, the oldest homme in the tournament, who takes on Marin Cilic, and Daniil Medvedev, the Russian still a struggler on clay, who faces the young Serb, Miomir Kecmanovic. Mikael Ymer, the Swede, who beat plucky Brit Dan Evans, will take on Stefanos Tsitsipas, the Greek another who doesn’t quite look comfortable on the surface.
All that and much more throughout the day.
Get ready for some weekend action! 🇵🇱 No.1 @iga_swiatek kicks things off at Chatrier on a Saturday filled with French fire🔥
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 28, 2022
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