Murray set to face big-serving Isner

Posted: May 28, 2016

French Open: Murray v Isner
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Date: Sunday, 29 May Time: 14:30 BST approx
Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

Britain’s world number two Andy Murray faces big-serving American John Isner on Sunday for a place in the French Open quarter-finals.

Murray, 29, will be seeking a repeat of the form that saw him overcome Ivo Karlovic in the third round on Friday.

But Isner is a much stronger all-round player than Karlovic and has pushed Murray hard in previous meetings.

The match is scheduled third on Court Suzanne Lenglen but could be delayed because of rain.

Sunday’s order of play

Roland Garros weather forecast

The American, seeded 15th, accepts Murray would have benefitted from his match against Karlovic.

“He’s definitely got some reps in against a pretty big serve,” he said. “But my serve is a little bit different. I think I can back it up better, as well.

“He’s played the big points better than me, which is one of the reasons why he’s number two in the world. So I’m going to have to step up when I get opportunities – if I get them.

“It’s a match I would love to win, and a match I believe I can win.”

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Ferrer Finishes Strongly To Beat Lopez

Posted: May 28, 2016

Ferrer Finishes Strongly To Beat Lopez

May282016

Spaniard quick off the mark after rain delay

David Ferrer came out firing after a length rain delay on Saturday in Paris, reeling off four straight games to clinch a 6-4, 7-6(6), 6-1 third-round victory over fellow Spaniard Feliciano Lopez at Roland Garros.

In their 17^th meeting, Ferrer rallied from a 5-3 deficit in the second set to take a two-set lead. The Valencia native had just won a pivotal third game of the third set, converting his fourth break point to take a 2-1 lead, when a heavy and prolonged rain shower suspended play for several hours.

At the resumption, Ferrer was all business, racing through the last four games to improve to a 10-6 FedEx ATP Head2Head record over Lopez.

The 34-year-old Ferrer reached his only Grand Slam final at Roland Garros three years ago, finishing runner-up to Rafael Nadal. The right-hander has a 43-13 record on the Parisian clay, also reaching the semi-finals in 2012 (l. to Nadal) and the quarter-finals on four occasions, including last year (l. to Murray).

Ferrer, who is still searching for his first title of the season, goes on to face either seventh seed Tomas Berdych or No. 25 Pablo Cuevas.

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Djokovic ends Bedene run in France

Posted: May 28, 2016

French Open
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 22 May to 5 June
Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and app.

Top seed Novak Djokovic won 6-2 6-3 6-3 to end Aljaz Bedene’s hopes of joining fellow Briton Andy Murray in the fourth round of the French Open.

Bedene, 26, who had never won a match at Roland Garros until this year, played well but was outclassed by Serbia’s world number one.

Djokovic, seeking his first French Open title, won just before play would have been suspended because of bad light.

The 29-year-old will face Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut next.

Women’s report: Serena and Venus into last 16
Results: Saturday’s matches at Roland Garros
Report: McEnroe to join Raonic’s coaching team

With the match only starting at 19:25 in France (18:25 in UK) because of rain earlier on, Djokovic faced a race against time to finish the match on Saturday.

The 11-time Grand Slam singles champion won the first set in 37 minutes, and despite dropping his serve, continued to dominate in the second.

British number two Bedene, bidding for his first victory over a top-10 opponent at the eighth attempt, kept plugging away, but in gloomy conditions Djokovic just managed to wrap up victory at 21:30 local time.

Second seed Murray, who beat Ivo Karlovic on Friday, faces American John Isner in the fourth round on Sunday.

His match is scheduled third on Court Suzanne Lenglen after a men’s singles and a women’s singles match, but rain could delay play.

BBC Sport tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:
“Djokovic guaranteed himself a day off by wrapping up victory with the last drop of light.
“It was an achievement to beat the clock in a match in which Bedene made him do plenty of running, and the victory all the sweeter as Sunday’s weather forecast is shocking.
“For a man who admitted his confidence was very fragile at the start of the tournament, the world number 66 has had a very encouraging week.
“He is not the first man to play well against Djokovic but still lose in straight sets, and seemed to thrive on the opportunity to play in front of a 10,000-strong crowd.”

Tsonga injury changes schedule

Djokovic and Bedene’s match was moved to Court Suzanne Lenglen after rain delayed play for more than two hours, but was switched back to Philippe Chatrier after Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired hurt while leading 5-2 against Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis.

The Frenchman, who reached the semi-finals last year, was leading 5-2 when a problem with his left leg forced him to quit in tears.

The sixth seed said: “I came on court feeling really good. The first game of the match I did a slide, and I just felt a pain.

“I continued a little bit and it was coming more and more painful. I knew it was over, because no chance I can play all match long like this.”

Gulbis will play 12th seed David Goffin, who came through a five-setter against Nicolas Almagro 6-2 4-6 6-3 4-6 6-2.

Also through is seventh seed Tomas Berdych, who saw off Pablo Cuevas 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-5.

Murray and Soares through to third round

Britain’s Jamie Murray and Brazilian partner Bruno Soares are safely through to the third round of the men’s doubles.

The fourth seeds defeated French pair David Guez and Vincent Millot 6-2 7-6 (7-5) having twice recovered from a break down in the second set.

Murray is currently ranked third in the world but has the chance to move back to number one with a good run at Roland Garros.

Since reaching the third round in Paris last year, the Scot has made the final at every Grand Slam, winning his first title with Soares at the Australian Open in January.

Fellow Scot Colin Fleming and Israeli partner Jonathan Erlich lost their third-round match, as did British pair Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith in the women’s doubles.

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Thiem Holds Off Zverev To Reach R4

Posted: May 28, 2016

Thiem Holds Off Zverev To Reach R4

May282016

Austrian into last 16 at Roland Garros

Dominic Thiem reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam championship for the second time on Saturday as he battled from a set down to beat #NextGen star Alexander Zverev 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 at Roland Garros.

The 22-year-old Thiem is the first Austrian to reach the last 16 in Paris since Jurgen Melzer was a semi-finalist in 2010. For a place in the quarter-finals, the Lichtenworth native will face Marcel Granollers, who received a walkover when nine-time champion Rafael Nadal was forced to withdraw due to a wrist injury.

Thiem reached his first Grand Slam fourth round two years ago at the US Open, falling to Tomas Berdych.

After a career-best start to the season, Thiem is sixth in the early standings for the Emirates ATP Race To London, which determines the Top 8 at the year-end Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. The right-hander has won three ATP World Tour titles, in Buenos Aires (d. Almagro), Acapulco (d. Tomic) and seven days ago in Nice, where he defeated Zverev.

Saturday’s clash marked Thiem’s third meeting with Zverev in the space of a few weeks. In addition to victory in the Nice final, Thiem had also beaten the 19-year-old German in the Munich semi-finals, going on to finish runner-up to Philipp Kohlschreiber in the final.

The 13^th-seeded Thiem was made to rue six missed break point opportunities in the 11^th game of the first set as Zverev went on to snatch the opener in a tie-break. But Thiem struck back in the second set, relinquishing an early break advantage before securing a 5-2 lead and taking the second set.

Thiem saved three break points to fend off Zverev’s advances in the second game of the third set before an injection of pace on his forehand helped him break the 6’6’’ German in the following game. Thiem saved break back points in the sixth and eighth games before breaking Zverev again to love in the ninth game to take the lead in the contest.

The Austrian made the decisive breakthrough in the fourth game of the fourth set, securing a 3-1 lead. He thwarted Zverev on a break back chance in the seventh game and went on to seal victory in the ninth game.

Thiem recorded an ATP-best 23^rd clay-court win of the season and improved to a 39-10 record overall in 2016.

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Delgado would welcome main Murray role

Posted: May 28, 2016

Jamie Delgado would be “over the moon” if he is appointed as world number two Andy Murray’s main full-time coach.

The Briton, 29, split from Amelie Mauresmo earlier this month after two years working with the Frenchwoman.

Murray said the presence of Delgado, on his team since February, meant there was “less rush” to find a replacement.

“I’m loving being involved with him, not just as a great player but also as a friend,” said Delgado, a former Great Britain Davis Cup player.

“I’d always be watching him and hoping for him to win every match, so to be involved is fantastic.

“As regards a new coach, I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen there – but if I were to do the job, I’d be over the moon.”

Englishman Delgado’s first tournament as sole coach ended with Murray beating world number one Novak Djokovic to win the Rome Masters and the Scot has progressed to the fourth round of the French Open.

“Tactically, on the clay, the past couple of months we’ve talked about a few things,” said 39-year-old Delgado.

“The beginning of the clay is a tricky little moment when you’re getting used to that surface again and we went through a few things that worked well for him last year and tried to improve that this year.

“He’s quite clear about what he’s trying to do on the court and I think that’s shown in the past few weeks.”

Delgado insists he is not looking to change Murray’s often fractious on-court demeanour.

“He’s had that side to his game and his competitive spirit all his life – so it’s not something that you’re looking to change really,” he said.

“I understand how stressful it can be on the court in those tight situations when things aren’t going well for you and whatever it might be on that day not working.

“But one thing he does do, he keeps fighting and very often finds a way to win so we just keep supporting as much as we can and we’re with him all the way.”

The two-time Grand Slam winner has been known to berate his coaching team during matches and Delgado is happy to deal with any flak coming his way.

“We take it sort of tongue in cheek as well,” he said. “He sometimes says things in the heat of the moment.

“It’s been absolutely fine and he’s been competing and playing really well recently – so it’s been great.”

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Heavy rain interrupts Serena's progress

Posted: May 28, 2016

French Open
Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 22 May to 5 June
Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, the BBC Sport website and app.

Defending champion Serena Williams must wait to seal a place in the French Open last 16 after torrential rain stopped her match against Kristina Mladenovic.

Top seed Williams won the first set 6-4 and was a tie-break away from beating her French opponent when they were forced off Court Philippe Chatrier.

The American, playing 30th seed Mladenovic for the first time, is aiming for her 22nd Grand Slam title.

Meanwhile, Venus Williams was leading Alize Cornet 2-1 when play stopped.

Roland Garros officials said there would be no play before 15:45 BST at the earliest.

British number two Aljaz Bedene faces top seed Novak Djokovic later on Chatrier.

They are due on court after French sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has played unseeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis, a contest which follows the conclusion of Williams’ match.

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Wawrinka: ‘It's All Up To Me'

Posted: May 28, 2016

Wawrinka: ‘It's All Up To Me'

May272016

Defending champion describes winning mindset

Third seed Stan Wawrinka, the defending Roland Garros champion, provided an interesting perspective on the mental side of the game after his win over Jeremy Chardy on Friday to set up a fourth-round encounter with Viktor Troicki.

“When I’m playing against Troicki or a player like today, it’s all up to me. A few years back it wasn’t just up to me,” said Wawrinka, who added that the difference between contenders and the rest of the field can be fleeting.

“The margin [between top players and the rest of the field] isn’t that huge. Between playing a five-set match and a three-setter that’s easier, sometimes there’s not that much of a difference, unlike what the score would seem to indicate,” said Wawrinka, who saw off Lukas Rosol in five sets in his opening match in Paris. “Rosol was playing really well. My legs were not so good. It perhaps wasn’t my best tennis. But in the end, I had to fight for these five sets. He played well.”

While Wawrinka can count himself among the men to beat at the second Grand Slam of the year, it wasn’t always so. He failed to clear the fourth round in his first eight trips to Roland Garros, then lost in the first round of the 2014 edition before going all the way last year.

“What makes a difference between me a few years back and me now, is that everything is much stronger,” Wawrinka said. “My level of play is much stronger. Physically things are much stronger. I’m much more confident.

“I have defeated all these guys over the past few years. So I can play anyone. If I just come along and I move physically and I feel the ball, I have the match under my control. Then of course I need to win it. But it’s already great to be able to think like that.”

The Swiss will hope to count on that sense of serenity as he sails into the second week. If the seeds hold, he will face Milos Raonic in the quarter-finals and Andy Murray in the semi-finals.

“When there are days when I’m not playing too well, I know that there is always a way out. It makes a huge difference when you’re not playing your best tennis but you can still win a five-set match in a Grand Slam tournament.

“Maybe the top-seeded players have this in common. There are days when we accept the play isn’t going to be as nice as usual. I’ve lost five-set matches in my life, too. There is no guarantee.

“But maybe we are a little bit calmer than the others.”

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