French teen Kouame reaches French Open third round in five-set thriller
(Refiles amending day in paragraph one)
Roland Garros Sport News
Sinner struggles with illness, low energy as Cerundolo shocks French Open favourite in second round
PARIS, May 28 : Jannik Sinner's bid for a maiden French Open title and career Grand Slam went up in smoke on a scorching Thursday as the world number one struggled with illness and a lack of energy in a 3-6 2-6 7-5 6-1 6-1 second-round loss to Juan Manuel Cerundolo.
Jannik Sinner suffers stunning French Open exit as heat takes toll
Title favourite Jannik Sinner dramatically succumbed to the Paris heat as his hopes of a first French Open title ended.
Naomi Osaka moves into French Open third round
PARIS: Naomi Osaka advanced to the third round of the French Open for the first time in seven years Thursday with a 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 win over Croatia’s Donna Vekic.Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka will next take on American teenager Iva Jovic as both players attempt to reach the last 16 at Roland Garros for the first time.Osaka, seeded 16th, retrieved an early break against Vekic and then broke back again when her opponent was serving for the first set.The Japanese star dominated a tie-break and came up with the decisive break late in the second set to put away the 72nd-ranked Vekic.Osaka’s run to the US Open semifinals last year is the only time she has made the second week of a major since her last Grand Slam triumph at the 2021 Australian Open.The former world number one returned to the courts in early 2024 after a year out following the birth of her daughter.
French Open day five
May 28 : Highlights of the fifth day at the French Open on Thursday (times GMT):
Davidovich Fokina left stunned as coach quits by text message during French Open
PARIS, May 27 : Alejandro Davidovich Fokina found himself without a coach at the French Open after his mentor Mariano Puerta abruptly quit via text message and flew to Miami without warning, leaving the Spanish 21st seed to fend for himself at Roland Garros.
Swiatek, Djokovic make steady progress as Rybakina slips up
PARIS, May 27 : Iga Swiatek stayed cool in sweltering conditions while Novak Djokovic was given a stern test before reaching the third round of the French Open, but world number two Elena Rybakina was unable to avoid an early exit on Wednesday.
Scorching heat, faster courts test players at French Open
PARIS: Sweltering conditions during the opening week of this year’s French Open have added a fresh challenge, with players including Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina saying success will hinge on who adapts best over the course of the tournament. Like much of Western Europe, France is experiencing higher-than-normal temperatures in May, with the mercury climbing past 30 degrees Celsius (86°F) in Paris and baking the red clay at Roland Garros on the opening four days. While the dry heat falls short of furnace-like conditions often seen at the Australian Open in January, it has quickened the courts and tested players by placing a premium on managing their bodies and constructing points carefully. In hot conditions, the ball travels faster through the air and bounces higher off the dry clay, shortening reaction times, quickening rallies and making control tougher, especially in longer exchanges as players adjust to the livelier surface. “I think in tennis you’re used to it,” seventh seed Elina Svitolina told reporters after her efficient 6-0 6-4 win over Kaitlin Quevedo in the second round. “Every single day is a different story. Even when you’re playing in the same tournament, you can play in the morning, you can play at night.