Former Top 10 player Kevin Anderson looked like he’s well on his way to returning to his career-high Emirates ATP Ranking on Thursday at Roland Garros.
The South African dropped the first set against Nick Kyrgios but sprinted to the finish to advance to the third round 5-7, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. It’s only the second time Anderson has reached the third round of a Grand Slam since his breakthrough Grand Slam performance at the 2015 US Open, when he beat Andy Murray to advance to his first quarter-final. The next month, Anderson reached No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.
The 6’8” right-hander has struggled with a myriad of injuries. He had to retire from two matches and withdraw from nine events last season because of injuries to his groin, ankle, left knee and right shoulder. His ranking fell to No. 87 on 16 January 2017.
But this season, a healthy Anderson has been on the comeback path, and Anderson, whose big-hitting game thrives on hard and grass courts, has excelled on clay. He beat David Ferrer in Barcelona, defeated Richard Gasquet to reach the semi-finals at the Millennium Estoril Open and advanced to the last eight in Geneva last week, falling to Kei Nishikori 7-6(6) in the third.
Anderson will next face Brit Kyle Edmund, who ended Argentine Rezo Olivo’s magical Roland Garros run, 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 in just over two hours. Olivo had knocked out the 12th-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the first round.
Tsonga’s countryman 15th seed Gael Monfils reached the third round at Roland Garros the ninth time, dismissing Brazilian Thiago Monteiro 6-1, 6-4, 6-1. Monfils won 60 per cent of his return points and needed only 91 minutes to advance.
The 30-year-old Frenchman will face countryman Richard Gasquet or Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic.
Go inside the tournament at RolandGarros.com.
British star comes through dramatic tie on Court Suzanne Lenglen
World No. 1 Andy Murray fought hard to avoid at Roland Garros on Thursday when he knocked out the Slovakian Martin Klizan 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-2, 7-6(3) for a place in the third round.
Murray recovered from a 1-4 deficit in the fourth set against No. 50-ranked Klizan, who competed with strapping on his left calf, and last year’s finalist will next face Argentine No. 29 seed Juan Martin del Potro.
“In my opinion Juan Martin plays better than what his ranking is,” said Murray. “He’s come back from injuries and he’s had a lot of tough draws this year. I think he’s played Novak a couple of times. He’s played a lot of top 10 players very early in the tournament. But he’s playing well this year and it will be a tough match.”
Murray leads del Potro 6-3 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head, with Murray winning the gold medal match at last year’s Rio Olympic Games before del Potro won a five-set Davis Cup semi-final rubber.
Klizan, a player Murray had described as “unpredictable”, started off strongly, moving to a 5-3 lead courtesy of a service break in the third game. Murray regrouped and from 2-2 in the second set broke Klizan’s serve in four out of five service games to take control. World No. 50 Klizan capitalised on a dip in his opponent’s level and raced to a 5-2 lead in the fourth set. But Murray broke back taking the set to a tie-break and he closed out 18th match win of the season with a scrambled backhand volley.
“I expected it to be very tough,” said Murray. “He goes for huge shots. He can hit forehand winners from anywhere on the court. Sometimes you think you’ve hit a good shot and he comes up with unbelievable power from very defensive positions and makes winners. It’s very tough.
“I tried to play a solid match and as the match went on I started to hit the ball a little bit deeper and was able to dictate more of the points. But when he’s controlling with his forehand it’s very difficult.”
The 30-year-old Murray is now two match wins from the 650 victories milestone.
Go inside the tournament at RolandGarros.com.
| French Open |
|---|
| Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 28 May- 11 June |
| Coverage: Listen to live radio commentary and follow text coverage of selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online. |
Andre Agassi has attracted as many camera lenses as Novak Djokovic in the opening days of this year’s French Open, but the question remains whether this is a fleeting glimpse or the long-term return of one of the game’s greats.
The 47-year-old Las Vegan began working with Djokovic via phone calls to Madrid and Rome last month, and took up coaching duties in person last week in Paris.
There is no clear idea yet of how long the relationship will last.
“That’s a question for him, to be honest,” was all Djokovic would say on the subject before the tournament.
What we do know is that Agassi is scheduled to leave Paris at the end of the first week to carry out prior engagements, and there is no clue yet as to when, or if, he will be back in Team Djokovic.
“I will be very surprised if this relationship is going over the US Open,” said Fabrice Santoro, a former rival of Agassi now commentating at Roland Garros.
“I think it’s going to be a very short relation between Andre and Novak,” the Frenchman told BBC Radio 5 live.
“Andre Agassi knows the game very well, he loves the game, he likes Novak, but it’s not his life at the moment.
“He has his own life at home with his foundation, with his family, and I’m not sure he’s happy to spend much time in the locker room.”
It was in Paris 12 months ago that Djokovic finally cemented his place among the very best by completing the career Grand Slam, and holding all four major titles at once – something that has eluded Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
But with 12 Grand Slam titles to his name and seemingly set to dominate for the foreseeable future, the Serb’s form deserted him.
“I think Novak needs to be back as a warrior, like he was a few months ago,” said Santoro.
“It’s not like 10 years ago – when he won the French Open last year he was not giving one free point to the opponent, he was sliding all over Paris to win a point. You could see in his eyes how big his ambition was. He’s lost that.”
“Private issues” contributed to Djokovic’s early exit at Wimbledon, he later revealed, while a wrist injury curbed hopes of a quick return to form.
But by his own remarkable standards, the fact that he has since lost his grip on three of those Slams and seen the number one ranking go to Andy Murray is little short of a disaster.
“Shock therapy” was what he felt necessary, and it came with the surprise announcement late last year that he was parting ways not only with ‘super coach’ Boris Becker after three years, but his entire team, including long-time coach and confidante Marian Vajda.
“All these beautiful memories we shared with each other on and off the court cannot be forgotten just like that,” said Djokovic. “We are still very close.”
Djokovic won six Grand Slam titles over three years with Becker, and all 12 since starting work with Vajda in 2006.
The Serb’s employment of Becker in 2013 was seen by many as a response to the success Andy Murray had after taking on another legend of the past in Ivan Lendl.
But even in his current, second coaching spell, Lendl is likely to spend up to 18 weeks of the year working with Murray, with Jamie Delgado alongside the Scot throughout the season.
“I think Andre Agassi’s help could be enough if Marian Vajda was still there, but he’s not,” Santoro said of the fledgling Djokovic arrangement.
“So Novak needs someone to replace Vajda first, and then find a super coach like Andre.
“I know that if Andy Murray was travelling only a few weeks a year with Ivan Lendl, but without Jamie Delgado, he would be in trouble. This is the situation now with Novak.”
Murray himself was a huge Agassi fan growing up, although he has never approached the American on a coaching basis.
“He was always really, really nice to me, which is great,” said Murray.
“I’m sure he’ll help Novak as well. I’m not sure exactly what their deal is or the situation is, but having someone with that much experience around can only help.”
Djokovic is currently just working with his brother, Marko, a former professional but with no coaching credentials, and Pepe Imaz, a former world number 146 who now runs a tennis academy that preaches a philosophy of love, peace and meditation.
“I’m not convinced that this person helps Novak Djokovic a lot,” said Santoro. “Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m right. On court, for sure not.”
For all the scrutiny that his relationship with Imaz has come under, the lack of a settled fitness trainer and physio is incongruous for a player who wrote a book on the value of physical and mental well-being.
“I have certain people and methods that I have been trying out lately,” said Djokovic on Monday. “I am working on something, for sure, but still not ready to be shared.”
So what can Agassi bring that will rejuvenate and enhance the Djokovic game?
Djokovic turned 30 a few weeks ago, and Agassi won two of his eight Grand Slam titles in his 30s.
He also returned from the depths of 141 in the world in 1997 to regain the number one spot and complete the career Grand Slam in 1999 – a mountainous challenge compared to Djokovic’s relatively minor slide.
Technical changes are rarely the major issue when elite players call upon greats of the past, and Djokovic is sure to look more for emotional support from Agassi, with neither man averse to a bout of introspection.
“On the first day we had two practice sessions, and then we had a very, very long conversation in the evening,” the Serb said of their first day together in Paris.
Becker, the man who used to provide that support, gave Agassi a very public welcome to the role in the stands of Philippe Chatrier Court during Djokovic’s opening match at the French Open.
“I think it’s an excellent choice,” Becker told the BBC. “Andre’s personality fits with Novak’s.
“Ideally you don’t want to start a new relationship at a Grand Slam because you have to get to know each other but that was their decision, so I wish them luck.
“Ideally you have to spend a lot of time together – even in smaller tournaments to really get to know each other and trust each other – but it is what it is and hopefully successful.”
| French Open |
|---|
| Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 28 May- 11 June |
| Coverage: Listen to live radio commentary and follow text coverage of selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online. |
Juan Martin del Potro consoled opponent Nicolas Almagro after the Spaniard quit their French Open match in tears with a knee injury with the scores level.
The Argentine helped a sobbing Almagro from the court and will now face Andy Murray in the third round.
Del Potro is playing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2012 having suffered a series of injuries.
“I told him that tennis is important, but health matters more than tennis in this case,” Del Potro, 28, said.
“He was in agony. It was tough.”
Former US Open champion Del Potro, who is now ranked 30th in the world, took the first set 6-3 only for Almagro to level with the same score. The third set was tied at 1-1 when the Spaniard was forced to concede.
Del Potro injured a groin in the opening set, which affected his movement, but he said it was “not a source of concern” for his match against Murray.
“Today I think I got lucky, because I don’t feel good enough with my body,” he added.
“It’s not new. Last year I had some problems with my groin. This is something that I have experienced already.”
Elsewhere, third seed and former champion Stan Wawrinka progressed to round three with victory over Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov.
The Swiss, 32, won 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 7-5 against the world number 89.
But 13th seed Tomas Berdych has been knocked out, losing 7-5 6-4 6-4 to world number 53 Karen Khachanov.
Controversial Australian 18th seed Nick Kyrgios, who has never gone past the third round at Roland Garros, is also out after he was beaten 5-7 6-4 6-1 6-2 by South African Kevin Anderson.
Kyrgios, 22, destroyed two rackets – including one that he smashed six times on a cooler – and was given a penalty point at the end of the second set.
World number 56 Anderson goes on to play Britain’s Kyle Edmund, who has reached the last 32 in Paris for the first time.
Seventh seed Marin Cilic, the 2014 US Open champion, reached the third round with a 6-3 6-2 6-2 win over Russia’s Konstantin Kravchuk.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the eighth seed, progressed by beating Jeremy Chardy 6-3 6-0 7-6 (7-5).
France’s 15th seed Gael Monfils beat Thiago Monteiro 6-1 6-4 6-1 in just 91 minutes, while it took Spain’s Feliciano Lopez almost four hours to beat compatriot David Ferrer in five sets.
Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova is into the third round of the women’s singles for the first time after a 6-2 4-6 6-3 win over Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Third seed Simona Halep eased through with a routine win against Germany’s Tatjana Maria.
The 25-year-old Romanian, a beaten finalist at Roland Garros in 2014, progressed in an hour and 22 minutes.
Elsewhere, fifth seed Elina Svitolina came from behind to beat Tsvetana Pironkova 3-6 6-3 6-2.
Ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska also dropped the first set but recovered to win 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-3 against Alison Van Uytvanck.
| French Open |
|---|
| Venue: Roland Garros, Paris Dates: 28 May-11 June |
| Coverage: Listen to live radio commentary and follow text coverage of selected matches on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online. |
World number one Andy Murray came from a set down to beat unseeded Slovakian Martin Klizan in the French Open second round.
The Briton won 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-2 7-6 (7-3) and goes on to face Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro.
It was Murray’s 18th win of a season that has been interrupted by illness and injury.
British number two Kyle Edmund also progressed after beating Renzo Olivo 7-5 6-3 6-1.
The 22-year-old Yorkshireman will next play South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, who beat Australian Nick Kyrgios 5-7 6-4 6-1 6-2.
Del Potro, seeded 29th after his own injury struggles, went through when his opponent Nicolas Almagro retired at one set all.
Asked about facing former US Open champion Del Potro as early as the third round, Murray said: “It’s a tough match. In my opinion he’s one of the best players in the world.”
Murray needed three hours and 34 minutes to see off Klizan, the world number 50, and claim his second four-set win of the week.
The Scot, 30, could again be heard to complain he was struggling with his movement, but once again his form improved as the match wore on.
“I’m playing way better than I was two weeks ago, and today’s match will have done me a lot of good,” said Murray.
“Physically I pulled up well and felt good, so I will gain a lot of confidence from that. And also, I hit a lot of balls out there today, more than the first-round match.”
It could have been a much quicker afternoon on the Suzanne Lenglen Court had Murray completed a comeback from a break down in the first set.
Having weathered the expected early storm from his big-hitting opponent, Murray drew level at 5-5 only to play a poor tie-break and fall a set behind.
Klizan, 27, began the match with his left calf heavily strapped and it was no surprise that his level dropped in the second set.
Murray raced through seven straight games and when he made it 11 out of 13 to take a two-sets-to-one lead, there looked no way back for the Slovakian.
He was offered a lifeline early in the fourth thanks to a wayward Murray forehand and made it through to 5-3, only to fail once again when trying to serve out the set.
Klizan was broken for the sixth time when he framed a smash over the baseline and, despite brilliantly saving one match point, saw his challenge end in another tie-break.
Murray lunged to his right to send a superb volley past the Slovakian on the second match point.
“Consistency is definitely what I’m looking for,” Murray told BBC Sport.
“I felt a little bit more in control of the first-round match than I did today. At times today I played some very solid stuff.
“The most positive things for me are physically I felt good after a pretty long match in tough conditions, and also I made some quite significant changes during the match to my tactics.”
Edmund’s progress was considerably easier as he beat Argentina’s Olivo, ranked 91st in the world, in straight sets.
It is the first time the 22-year-old has progressed to the third round of the French Open after being knocked out in round two in 2015 and 2016.
The world number 49 dropped just nine games, hitting 30 winners along the way, 18 on his impressive forehand side.
“There was a stage when I really felt the match turn in my favour and helped me get on top,” said Edmund.
“Olivo had beaten Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the last round and I knew I had to play well today. I am pleased I got it done.”
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent
Murray expended more energy than is ideal in a first-week Grand Slam match, but time on the match court is important right now – and every win valuable. He is starting to play very well for periods of a match and now seeks to add the consistency required.
Edmund knows he has a formidable game when he is on song and is learning to trust his instincts in the Grand Slams. He beat Richard Gasquet and John Isner in his run to the fourth round of the US Open last year and will emulate that with a victory over the slightly lower-ranked Kevin Anderson on Saturday.
Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova has renewed her call for the Margaret Court Arena to be renamed – describing the Australian as a “racist and a homophobe”.
Court, 74, has said she would not fly on Qantas “where possible” in protest at its support of same-sex marriage.
She then told a Christian radio station “tennis is full of lesbians”.
In an open letter, Navratilova said: “We should not be celebrating this kind of behaviour.”
The 60-year-old addressed her letter to the Margaret Court Arena, one of the main show courts at the Australian Open.
She said: “It is now clear exactly who Court is: an amazing tennis player, and a racist and a homophobe.
“Her vitriol is not just an opinion. She is actively trying to keep LGBT people from getting equal rights (note to Court: we are human beings, too).”
In 1990, Court said Navratilova was a poor role model for young tennis players because of her homosexuality.
Navratilova said she had forgiven Court for those comments, but had only just been made aware of remarks the Australian made about South Africa’s apartheid regime.
In 1970, Court said: “South Africa has the racial situation rather better organised than anyone else, certainly much better than the United States.”
Court won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, 11 of them in the Open era, which began in 1968 and allowed professionals to compete alongside amateurs.
Navratilova described Court’s actions as “bullying” and said sporting venues are named after athletes for “who they are as human beings” and “not just for what this person did on the field”.
“The platform people like Margaret Court use needs to be made smaller, not bigger,” she said.
Navratilova believes the Margaret Court Arena should be renamed after Evonne Goolagong, a 14-time Grand Slam winner of Australian Aboriginal descent.
“I think the Evonne Goolagong Arena has a great ring to it,” she added. “Now there is a person we can all celebrate. On every level.”
BBC Sport tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:
Freedom of speech is one thing, but Margaret Court has caused widespread offence within tennis with these most recent remarks.
Tennis Australia has so far tried to separate Court’s views from her achievements as a player to argue the name of the arena does not need to change. But they will find it very hard to withstand such pressure from figures like Martina Navratilova. And the current generation of players have much influence, too.
Andy Murray, who is a member of the ATP Player Council, says it would be difficult for players to boycott a particular court during a Grand Slam. But he points out they could collectively agree a position before the tournament, which would make life very difficult indeed for Tennis Australia.
Kyrgios/Thompson defeat Herbert/Mahut on Wednesday
It’s anyone’s guess who will take the doubles title at Roland Garros after a wild first round filled with upsets. For the first time in the Open Era at this event, the top two seeds have not passed the opening hurdle. The last time this happened at a Grand Slam was at the 2015 US Open.
Third seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan avoided an early-round casualty on Wednesday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Philipp Petzschner and Alexander Peya. The Bryan brothers, finalists in the past two years at Roland Garros, are looking to win their third crown at this event. They’ll next play Sam Groth and Robert Lindstedt, who survived Brian Baker and Nikola Mektic 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3).
Second seeds and local favourites Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut weren’t as fortunate, falling to Aussie duo Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-3. Kyrgios/Thompson saved three set points at 4-5 in the opening set and another in the tie-break at 7/8. They’ll face off in the second round against Jan-Lennard Struff and Mischa Zverev, who defeated wild cards Gregoire Jacq and Hugo Nys 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Fourth seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo overcame a spirited challenge from local favourites Julien Benneteau and Jeremy Chardy to advance 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. The win also gives Melo his 400th career ATP World Tour doubles victory. The in-form Kubot/Melo will square off against Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus for a spot in the round of 16.
Seventh seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers eased past Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demoliner 6-4, 6-4. Next up for them are Malek Jaziri and Andreas Seppi, who needed two hours and 20 minutes to defeat Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 6-4.
Ninth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Pablo Cuevas had a much easier time, requiring just 53 minutes to move past local duo Mathias Bourgue and Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-1, 6-1. They’ll play Treat Huey and Denis Istomin in the next round.
Other seeded duos to advance on Wednesday include 12th seeds Marcin Matkowski and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, and 15th seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic.
Go inside the tournament at RolandGarros.com
American reaches Roland Garros third round after family tragedy
It would be understandable to anyone if Steve Johnson decided to take time away from tennis after the unexpected and tragic passing of his father, Steve Johnson Sr., on May 11 at age 58. Instead, the American bravely returned to competition last week in Geneva, and completed a dramatic 6-2, 7-6(8), 3-6, 7-6(6) second-round victory over #NextGenATP Croatian Borna Coric on Wednesday to match best result at this event. The events of the past three weeks and tension of the match boiled over after the final point, as Johnson dropped to his knees and burst into tears after the win.
“I just miss my dad. I wish he was following along. I know he is upstairs,” said a visibly emotional Johnson in his on-court interview with Tennis Channel. “I know he was looking down on me on that last point and gave me the strength to finish it off.
“Physically, I’m okay. Emotionally, I’m a mess,” he added. “[My dad] always taught me to be a fighter and competitor, so that’s what I’m going to do day in and day out. That’s all I can do.”
It was standing room only on Court 6 by the end of the match, with the vocal Parisian crowd adding to an already electric atmosphere. Johnson saved two set points in the second-set tie-break, at 5/6 and 7/8, and another pair of set points in the fourth-set tie-break at 7/8. He converted on his fourth match point at 7/6 after nearly four hours of play.
Johnson’s path to the third round would have been considered treacherous under normal circumstances. Johnson prevailed on Monday in a five-set win over Yuichi Sugita that spanned two days. The American won the first two sets on Sunday, but darkness halted the match midway through the fourth set. He regrouped strongly after Sugita forced a decider the next day and powered through the final set.
Johnson Sr. worked as a tennis coach and was known as a true devotee of the sport, happy to talk about tennis with anyone who was willing. Even though Johnson has devoted his life to the sport as an ATP World Tour player, he said his father was even more dedicated to the game than him.
“Tennis was his life and his passion, so much more than mine in different ways. He loved tennis and loved to talk about it. I’ll admit it got a little old for me because sometimes I like to get away from tennis,” smiled Johnson during his post-match press conference. “I’ll always look back on these memories and these times we were able to share together tennis-wise.
“He meant a lot to me, but you don’t necessarily realise what he was able to do and who he was able to touch beyond his family’s life,” he added. “I could have told you bits and pieces, but now I’m getting stories of what he was able to accomplish through tennis and how he was able to help a lot of kids. He’s just a remarkable man.”
Johnson will try to channel his emotions as best he can for his next match against sixth seed Dominic Thiem. The match will likely be held on one of the stadium courts at Roland Garros, adding further motivation for what would have been a memorable moment for his dad to witness.
“I’m proud to say he was able to live out some of his dreams. He got to see me on Centre Court at Wimbledon and Arthur Ashe Stadium at the US Open. The last match he saw me play live was against Roger Federer at the BNP Paribas Open, which was a great match,” said Johnson. “There are some fun memories that I can look back on and know he was there.”
But regardless of the final score against Thiem, Johnson has gained plenty of new fans over the past two weeks for his courage and bravery in the face of adversity.
“A tremendous heart on him,” noted Tennis Channel commentator Mary Carillo. “He’s always wanted to be like his dad and guess what? He’s just like his dad. What a special man.”
Go inside the tournament at RolandGarros.com