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Djokovic, Murray And Nadal On Deck For Tuesday At Roland Garros

  • Posted: May 24, 2016

Djokovic, Murray And Nadal On Deck For Tuesday At Roland Garros

The trio headline a busy Day Three of play

Rain on the first two days of play at Roland Garros is resulting in an action-packed Day Three, with Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal all scheduled for play on Tuesday.

Murray and qualifier Radek Stepanek are the second the match of the day on Court Philippe Chatrier, as they resume their encounter from Monday. Play was called off due to darkness with Stepanek leading 6-3, 6-3, 0-6, 2-4.

Immediately following that match is No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic, who begins his quest for the career Grand Slam against Yen-Hsun Lu. No. 6 seed and local favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will finish out play for the men on Court Philippe Chatrier when he takes on qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany.

View Tuesday Schedule

No. 4 seed and nine-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal opens his campaign on Court Suzanne Lenglen against Australian Sam Groth. No. 11 seed David Ferrer takes to that court later to face Evgeny Donskoy of Russia.

An intriguing first-round match opens up play on Court 1 as No. 7 seed Tomas Berdych goes up against Vasek Pospisil. No. 12 seed David Goffin is looking to make a deep run this year and starts his campaign off against French wildcard Gregoire Barrere, while No. 12 seed Dominic Thiem highlights play on Court 2 against Inigo Cervantes of Spain. 

Two matches suspended due to darkness are also scheduled to resume Tuesday. No. 15 seed John Isner is even with Australian John Millman at 6-7(4), 7-6(12), while No. 29 seed Lucas Pouille leads Julien Benneteau in their all-French battle 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.

In addition, two all-NextGen matches are scheduled for Tuesday. French wild card Quentin Halys takes on Hyeon Chung of Korea, while Borna Coric of Croatia squares off against American Taylor Fritz.

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Cilic Falls To Qualifier At Roland Garros

  • Posted: May 24, 2016

Cilic Falls To Qualifier At Roland Garros

Croat falls to World No. 166

Tenth seed Marin Cilic is out at Roland Garros. The World No. 11 fell to Argentine qualifier Marco Trungelliti 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. Trungelliti, No. 166 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, broke the Croat seven times to earn his second win at a Grand Slam.

The 26-year-old Buenos Aires resident, who was making his Roland Garros debut, had qualified and reached the second round of the 2016 Australian Open. He will face Horacio Zeballos or Albert Ramos-Vinolas in the second round.

Cilic seemed prepared to reach the second round at Roland Garros for the fifth consecutive year. The 27 year old made the final of the Banque Eric Sturdza Geneva Open on Saturday, losing to Stan Wawrinka in two competitive sets. Earlier in the season, however, the Grand Slam champion had struggled with an injury to his right knee that forced him to miss three clay-court ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments.

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Murray One Set From Defeat Against Stepanek

  • Posted: May 24, 2016

Murray One Set From Defeat Against Stepanek

The No. 2 seed is starting to rebound after dropping the first two sets.

No. 2 seed Andy Murray is rallying from a slow start to his opening round at Roland Garros against qualifier Radek Stepanek, but will have to wait until Tuesday to finish the match. Play on Monday was called off due to darkness with Stepanek leading 6-3, 6-3, 0-6, 2-4.

The oldest player in the draw at age 37, Stepanek belied his years in the first two sets of the match with crafty hitting and timely trips to the net that put Murray out of his comfort zone, winning both sets by a 6-3 scoreline. The British player rebounded strongly by recording a 6-0 shutout third set and grabbing an early break of serve to start the fourth set.

Should Stepanek win, it would be his first victory over a Top 5 player since defeating Murray at the ATP World Tour 500 event in London in June 2014. 

Murray last came back from two sets down in a Grand Slam at last year’s US Open, where he defeated Adrian Mannarino in the second round. He hasn’t lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam since the 2008 Australian Open and at Roland Garros since 2006. Murray has won his past 31 first-round matches at Grand Slams. 

Two other men’s matches, including No. 29 seed Lucas Rouille against Julien Benneteau and No. 15 seed John Isner versus John Millman, were also suspended due to darkness. Both of those matches are scheduled to resume on Tuesday.

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Wawrinka: "I Found A Solution"

  • Posted: May 23, 2016

Wawrinka: "I Found A Solution"

The Swiss star was relieved to survive a five-set tussle over Lukas Rosol

No defending men’s singles champion at Roland Garros has ever lost in the opening round, but Stan Wawrinka looked like he might become the first after finding himself down two sets to one on Monday against Lukas Rosol.

The No. 3 seed admitted to struggling with his form and the inspired play of his opponent, but found a way to win when he wasn’t playing his best. He saved two break points at 2-2 in the deciding set and went on to prevail in the marathon encounter, 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

“I didn’t play my best tennis in general. A lot of mistakes. But he was playing really well and going for his shots,” said Wawrinka. “He didn’t miss much until he started to get a little tired in the fourth set. Before that, I was always under pressure. I’m still looking for my game because the conditions didn’t allow me to play the way I wanted to.”

The Swiss star has experience to draw from this fortnight in trying to defend a Grand Slam title, having experienced the same pressure at last year’s Australian Open. Although plenty of attention is focused on Wawrinka as he tries to win a second Roland Garros title, he said he doesn’t feel any added expectations this year.

“For me, it’s not a big deal to come back after winning. I come like it’s a new tournament, a new Grand Slam, a new year,” said Wawrinka. “When I entered the court, I had all the memories of winning from last year. But after that, I was there to beat Rosol and play a first round in tough conditions, so I was focused on my match.”

Wawrinka admits he will need to improve his form in order to continuing moving forward this year at Roland Garros. But by surviving his match today against Rosol, he’s happy to have the chance to try and do that. 

“It’s never the best to start with a five-set match and not play your best tennis. You always want to play good tennis and win matches in three sets,” he said. “It wasn’t easy for me to get into the match, but I found a solution. Now I have a chance to keep improving for the rest of the tournament.”

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Nishikori Overcomes Rain Delays, Moves Into Second Round

  • Posted: May 23, 2016

Nishikori Overcomes Rain Delays, Moves Into Second Round

Japanese looks for a deep run in Paris

It took two days and overcoming two rain delays, but Kei Nishikori earned his 50th Grand Slam win on Monday at Roland Garros. The fifth seed moved into the second round by fending off Italian veteran Simone Bolelli 6-1, 7-5, 6-3 in a continuation of their match that started on Sunday.

The Japanese erased three of four break points and hit 30 winners to advance in Paris. Nishikori is looking to surpass his career-best showing at Roland Garros, a quarter-finals appearance last year.

The 26 year old has experienced clay-court success, including two titles in Barcelona, but has yet to reach deep into the second week in Paris. The World No. 6 has reached past the second round only twice, last year and in 2013 when he made the fourth round.

Nishikori will face Andrey Kuznetsov in the second round. Kuznetsov, No. 40 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, beat German Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday. Nishikori was down 6-4, 3-1 when he retired from his only prior meeting against Kuznetsov, on grass at Eastbourne in 2010.

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Murray fighting to avoid shock defeat

  • Posted: May 23, 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.

Andy Murray was digging deep to avoid a shock first-round loss to veteran Radek Stepanek when their French Open match was suspended because of bad light.

World number two Murray, who beat Novak Djokovic to win the Italian Open in his last match, lost the first two sets to the 37-year-old Czech qualifier.

The Briton won the third set and was leading 4-2 in the fourth when the duo were called off at 20:22 BST, with Stepanek leading 6-3 6-3 0-6 2-4.

The match resumes at 11:30 on Tuesday.

  • Murray has not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament since the 2008 Australian Open
  • Murray has recovered to win from two sets down eight times in his career

It was after 18:00 when the players took to the court following a lengthy rain delay, and from the start Murray was on the back foot.

The 29-year-old lost his serve in third game of the first set and was broken again in the ninth as Stepanek, the oldest player in the draw, drew upon his vast experience.

The second seed broke to love to start the second set but then immediately lost his own serve and Stepanek, ranked 127 in the world, broke again at 4-3 to carve out a two-set lead.

Murray, though, showed his resolve and raced through the third set in just 18 minutes as former world number eight Stepanek began to lose his way in the fading light.

Stepanek, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 2006, seemed to be stalling for time and received a warning after taking a toilet break and then changing his shirt.

It did not disrupt Murray’s rhythm and the Scot extended his run of games to nine before the Czech held his serve.

The British number one was next to serve and seemed well placed to force a decider when play was called off for the evening.

Murray is bidding to join fellow Britons Kyle Edmund and Heather Watson in the second round, while compatriots Johanna Konta, Laura Robson and Aljaz Bedene are due to start their campaigns on Tuesday.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller:

“Lacking timing – and looking a shadow of the player who had produced such dominant tennis in Rome two weeks ago – Murray found himself two sets down to Stepanek in no time at all.

“The 37-year-old, with three qualifying wins under his belt, adapted to the slow conditions superbly, and only by winning 10 of the last 12 games of the night did Murray drag himself back into the match.

“The world number two will have to start so much better on the resumption, as after a good night’s sleep and with nothing to lose, the Czech still poses a serious threat.”

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Live: Wawrinka In Trouble Vs. Rosol

  • Posted: May 23, 2016

Live: Wawrinka In Trouble Vs. Rosol

Defending champion trails Czech in first round

Defending champion Stan Wawrinka is in trouble in the first round at Roland Garros on Monday. After rain delayed the start of play by over three hours, Wawrinka finds himself in a hole against Lukas Rosol, with the Czech leading 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Wawrinka and Rosol meet again just four days after they played in the Geneva semi-finals, when the Swiss prevailed before going on to win his first ATP World Tour title on home soil with victory over Marin Cilic in the final.

The 30-year-old Rosol is no stranger to pulling off huge Grand Slam upsets, having shocked Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon second round in 2012. The Czech broke for a 3-2 lead before going on to seal the opener against Wawrinka.

Wawrinka looked to be back on track when he raced through the second set to level the match, but Rosol again took an early lead in the third set and did not allow Wawrinka back in contention as he assumed a two-sets-to-one lead.

The 31-year-old Wawrinka won his second Grand Slam championship in Paris last year, when he denied Novak Djokovic the career Grand Slam by beating the Serb in an enthralling display in the final.

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Watson wins rain-hit match in Paris

  • Posted: May 23, 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.

Britain’s Heather Watson beat Nicole Gibbs 5-7 6-2 6-2 in her rain-delayed match to book her place in the second round of the French Open in Paris.

Gibbs was serving at 2-1 up in the third set when the players were called off on Sunday because of heavy rain.

Following a further delay on Monday, Watson twice broke the American’s serve as she won five games in a row to seal victory and her place at the Olympics.

Compatriots Andy Murray, Kyle Edmund and Naomi Broady are in action later.

Murray takes on 37-year-old Czech Radek Stepanek, Edmund faces qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, while Broady is scheduled to play American Coco Vandeweghe.

Rio qualification delights Watson

Qualifying for Rio has been at the forefront of Watson’s mind all season, with the British number two describing the London Games as the best experience of her career.

She arrived at Roland Garros with points to defend having reached the second round last year and a first-round loss would have left the world number 54 vulnerable.

The cut-off comes immediately after the French Open, with the 56 top-ranked eligible players qualifying. Given only four players from any one country can compete, a ranking in the low 60s will be good enough.

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Kyrgios Advances At Roland Garros 2016

  • Posted: May 23, 2016

Kyrgios Advances At Roland Garros 2016

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Rain delays play at French Open

  • Posted: May 23, 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.

Poor weather has disrupted the French Open at Roland Garros for a second day.

Tournament organisers were already facing a backlog of matches after only four hours of play were possible on Sunday because of rain.

And the wet conditions meant play could not start until 12:30 BST – a delay of two-and-a-half hours.

British number two Heather Watson is waiting to resume her round one match, poised at one set all, with American Nicole Gibbs.

British number one Andy Murray is scheduled to face 37-year-old Czech Radek Stepanek in the fourth game on Philippe-Chatrier Court, but it is now likely they will play on Tuesday, along with world number ones Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic.

Fellow Brit Kyle Edmund was due to start his campaign on Sunday but must now wait for the weather to improve before he faces qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, while compatriot Naomi Broady is set to play American Coco Vandeweghe on court four.

When play eventually commences on Monday, defending champion Stan Wawrinka will be first up on Philippe-Chatrier Court.

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