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Andreeva rips through Cirstea for return to Roland Garros semifinals

PARIS: Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva returned to the French Open semifinals with a 6-0 6-3 win over Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea on a rainy Tuesday to continue her run in a Roland Garros draw stripped of many big names. Now among the leading contenders for a maiden Grand Slam title with defending champion Coco Gauff and four-times winner Iga Swiatek out, the Russian next faces the winner ‌of the all-Ukrainian ‌clash between Elina Svitolina and ‌Marta ⁠Kostyuk. The 19-year-old wasted ⁠little time asserting herself with ultra aggressive tennis in front of a sparse crowd beneath the Court Philippe Chatrier roof, racing through the first set in only 24 minutes. “I’m super happy I was able to play aggressive,” said Andreeva, who became ⁠the teenager with the most Paris main ‌draw victories this century ‌with her 16th win. “The last time I played her, ‌it was a very tough battle. Every practice ‌with her is very tough.

Sabalenka overpowers Osaka to reach French Open quarter-finals

PARIS, France: World number one Aryna Sabalenka took down fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets in Monday’s night-session match to reach the French Open quarter-finals. Sabalenka produced an impressive display, hitting 39 winners and 12 aces, against a battling Osaka to win 7-5, 6-3 and reach the last eight for a 14th consecutive major tournament. The Belarusian is the only Grand Slam champion left in either the men’s or women’s singles draws at Roland Garros. “I was able to kind of separate myself from what’s going on this year at the Roland Garros,” Sabalenka said of the shock results elsewhere. “I have been around. Anything can happen.

Kalinskaya holds nerve to beat Potapova, reach Paris quarterfinals

PARIS: Anna Kalinskaya reached her maiden French Open quarterfinal with a 6-4 2-6 7-6(10-7) win over 28th seed Anastasia Potapova on Monday, marking only the second time the Russian has entered that stage of a Grand Slam.

French Open: Kostyuk knocks out former champion Swiatek in last 16

PARIS: Iga Swiatek’s 25th birthday celebrations turned sour at the French Open on Sunday as the former champion lost 7-5 6-1 to Ukrainian 15th seed Marta Kostyuk, her bid for a fifth title ending just when she had looked to be rediscovering ‌her rhythm. There ‌was little to separate ‌the ⁠duo in the ⁠early exchanges as they twice traded breaks, before Kostyuk came up with a tight hold in the 11th game and raised her level at the end ⁠to claim the opening ‌set with ‌a backhand crosscourt winner. It was the first ‌time that Kostyuk had taken ‌a set off the third-seeded Pole after three straight defeats in their previous meetings, and she sensed a ‌big upset when she went ahead 3-1 in the ⁠next ⁠set after a battling effort. The Rouen and Madrid champion held her nerve from there to take her record on clay this season to 15-0, and book a meeting with seventh-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina or 11th-seeded Swiss Belinda Bencic in the next round of Roland Garros.

Tiafoe to French Open opponent: ‘Don’t act like you’re tough. You’re not hard, bro. Just play’

PARIS: Frances Tiafoe had some strong words for his opponent during another grueling five-set victory at the French Open on Saturday. Tiafoe and Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria started arguing about a call early in the fifth set. “Don’t act like you’re tough. You’re not hard, bro.

Defending champion Gauff eliminated from French Open by Potapova

PARIS: Reigning French Open champion Coco Gauff lost in three sets to Austrian Anastasia Potapova to end to her Roland Garros title defense on Saturday. The fourth seed was defeated in the third round 4-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4 by the 28th seed after being a break up in the deciding set. “I think I’ve had a few (big wins) before, but I’d put it top three for sure,” Potapova said on court after earning a career third win over Gauff. Despite losing her first service game to open the match, Gauff struck back to break the Russian-born Austrian in the eighth and 10th games and take the lead. Potapova responded with two consecutive breaks of her own to race 3-0 ahead at the start of the second frame. The 25-year-old’s serve then deserted her as well, as the next five games all produced breaks, with Potapova passing up two set points behind her own delivery. Gauff responded to that reprieve by earning her first hold of the set to force Potapova to serve again for the frame. The two-time major winner broke the world number 30 to level at 5-5 before holding again. But Potapova then refound her own serve to force a tie-break. A double fault dropped Gauff 5-0 behind, before she finally got on the board when Potapova overcooked a backhand. It was too little, too late, however, as the Austrian powered to the next two points and sent the match into a deciding set. Gauff drew first blood in the decider, pouncing on Potapova’s serve in the third game to nose in front, before being pegged back to 3-3. A double fault in the next game brought Gauff two break-back points, but gutsy play allowed Potapova to hold. A booming backhand winner down the line and a miss-hit Gauff forehand from deuce put Potapova 5-4 ahead with the world number four

Shnaider beats Oliynykova at French Open

PARIS: Russian Diana Shnaider beat Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova at the French Open on Saturday in a match overshadowed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The 23rd-ranked Shnaider won 7-5, 6-1 to go into the fourth round after the build-up to the match had been dominated by Oliynykova, who is ranked 65th, accusing her opponent of “taking money” from a “company financing war crimes.” The players did not shake hands after the match. During her post-match press conference on Thursday after she had booked her meeting with Shnaider, Oliynykova brandished her phone to show photos of Shnaider playing in an event sponsored by Russian state energy company Gazprom and also some of the Russian’s social-media ‘likes’. “This is her on the picture on the Gazprom tournament,” said Oliynykova. “Gazprom is a company which is financing the war crimes...I think it’s the same as playing in Nazi Germany for Gestapo officers on the tournament organized by (the) company which built Auschwitz. There is no difference for me.” Shnaider played in a team exhibition tournament held last November in St.

Djokovic knocked out in French Open third round by Fonseca

PARIS: Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca knocked out Novak Djokovic in the third round of the French Open on Friday to scupper the Serbian great's latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam. The 19-year-old Fonseca rallied from two sets down for the second straight match to stun Djokovic, winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 after four hours and 53 minutes. Fonseca is through to the last 16 of a major for the first time.

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French Open Sport News

Andreeva rips through Cirstea for return to Roland Garros semifinals

Sabalenka overpowers Osaka to reach French Open quarter-finals

Kalinskaya holds nerve to beat Potapova, reach Paris quarterfinals

French Open: Kostyuk knocks out former champion Swiatek in last 16

Tiafoe to French Open opponent: ‘Don’t act like you’re tough. You’re not hard, bro. Just play’

Defending champion Gauff eliminated from French Open by Potapova

Shnaider beats Oliynykova at French Open

Djokovic knocked out in French Open third round by Fonseca