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Tag: French Open

  • Olympic moment of the day: The love story between Rafael Nadal and Paris

    Olympic moment of the day: The love story between Rafael Nadal and Paris

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    Roland Garros, Paris (CNN) — It’s a love affair that began almost 20 years ago and the passion clearly hasn’t fizzled out at all.

    Paris and Rafael Nadal are a match made in heaven. And for a brief spell in the second set of the Olympic men’s singles tennis tournament’s most anticipated match between the Spaniard and his longtime rival Novak Djokovic, it seemed like it might be enough to spur the 14-time French Open champion to a comeback that seemed impossible just minutes before.

    What started out as the most highly-anticipated match of these Olympics quickly threatened to turn into a snoozer. Djokovic wildly outplayed Nadal in the opening set and the beginning of the second, looking unstoppable with a 6-1 first set and going up 4-0 in the second.

    The roars from Court Philippe-Chatrier in support of Nadal winners and the chants of “Rafa! Rafa!” had gone from a roar to a plea. Sweat poured from the King of Clay’s brow in between games and he looked no match for the Serb’s power and speed.

    But when Nadal took the fifth game of the second set, time seemed to suddenly roll back.

    When Djokovic sent the ball into the net, the crowd cheered. Djokovic double faulted in the next game to give Nadal a break point, the crowd roared. And as Nadal took the next two games, Roland Garros exploded in unison as it tried one more time to carry its favorite champion.

    “I always feel like playing at home when I play here,” Nadal said afterward. “It’s so special for me. I enjoyed the fans, and they gave me the advantage at the moment that things started to change a little bit, so I can’t thank enough all the people here who, you know, made me feel so special.”

    It’s a relationship developed over the years and covered in glory. Nadal’s performances on the red Parisian clay are the stuff of legend and he dominated the French Open like no other man in history.

    Over those 19 years of playing at this famous stadium, a relationship has been built between the Spaniard and the Paris crowds who pack the stands. On Monday, Djokovic was cheered.

    But Nadal? He was loved.

    “This, for me, is amazing to have and to have the feeling that I feel very, very well supported and loved. It’s the most important place of my career,” the 22-time grand slam champion said.

    In the end, it wasn’t enough. Djokovic took the final two games of the second set and continued his quest in search of his first gold medal: the one honor his extraordinary career lacks.

    Nadal will still be playing in the Paris Games, teaming with fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the doubles competition.

    The Spanish legend is reluctant to say that he’s done playing at Roland Garros or playing against Djokovic. When asked about retirement after the match, he seemed frustrated with the question.

    “Every day? Every day you want me to retire, every day, guys,” Nadal said.

    “You know, I am trying to do my best every single day, you know? … I cannot live every single day with the feeling that it’s going to be or not going to be my last match,” Nadal said.

    “I come here, I try my best, I play my best, and when I decide to stop playing or when I decide to keep going, I will let you know. I don’t know, I just try my best every single day trying to enjoy a thing that I have been enjoying for so much time.

    “I have been suffering a lot of injuries the last two years, so if I feel that I am not competitive enough to keep going or physically I’m not enough ready to keep going, I will stop and I will let you know, you know?”

    A prolonged standing ovation for the Spaniard marked his exit from the court on Monday. It certainly seems that Paris isn’t ready for its romance with Nadal to fade away just yet.

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  • Olympic moment of the day: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis’ new favorite double act

    Olympic moment of the day: Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz, tennis’ new favorite double act

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    Roland Garros, Paris (CNN) — After all these years, Rafael Nadal is still finding new ways to win matches on his favorite tennis court.

    His latest victory on the French clay came alongside Carlos Alcaraz at the Paris Olympics, and together they formed a dream pairing – a two-for-the-price-of-one ticket for tennis fans and a moment that could only really happen at the Olympics.

    For close to two hours on Court Philippe-Chatrier – the site of Nadal’s 14 French Open titles and Alcaraz’s first just last month – the crowd fell hard for “Nadalcaraz,” providing frenzied support during the Spanish duo’s 7-6(7-4) 6-4 victory over Argentina’s Máximo González and Andrés Molteni.

    Saturday’s match was a rare opportunity to see two of the game’s biggest names, each at opposite ends of their career, on the same side of the net: Nadal with all the experience and sparkle of his 22 grand slam titles, and Alcaraz with his flourishing career and high-octane style of play.

    The victory against two seasoned doubles players was by no means easy, likely a sign of the limited time that Nadal and Alcaraz have spent training and playing together. But it was nonetheless an entertaining introduction to tennis’ new favorite double act.

    “It’s been an emotional night, an electrifying night, an amazing crowd,” Nadal told reporters. “Playing with Carlos on this court has been so special. We’re just super happy about the victory, that it’s given us the chance to keep going.”

    Nadal had already taken center stage at this year’s Olympics, chosen as one of the final torchbearers for Friday night’s opening ceremony.

    Less than 24 hours later, he was out on court putting on a different kind of show alongside Alcaraz, displaying sharpness and a deft touch at the net. The crowd in Philippe-Chatrier chanted his name throughout the contest, and one of the loudest roars came when he celebrated winning match point by pumping a ball into the stands.

    “Yesterday was a super emotional moment for me too and I can’t thank Paris and France enough for giving me that honor,” said Nadal. “The emotion’s still very high, so just enjoying every single moment.”

    The teams traded breaks of serve at the start of the Saturday’s match before becoming locked in a tight and lengthy first set. It wasn’t until midway through the first-set tie-break, following chants of “allez Les Blues” with the news that France had won gold in the rugby seven, that Nadal and Alcaraz edged ahead.

    Three straight points gave them a 6-3 lead, and Nadal seized the opening with a powerful backhand return down the line to conclude the set.

    That advantage looked to be disappearing as González and Molteni broke Nadal’s serve to take a 3-0 lead, but the Spaniards responded in style, reeling off the next 12 points in a row to get back on level terms at 3-3.

    Another break of serve followed two games later, which Alcaraz had engineered with a cross-court backhand, before Nadal was able to serve out for the match.

    The 21-year-old Alcaraz, playing alongside one of his childhood idols, is on a stunning run of form having won titles at the French Open and Wimbledon in the past two months. He kicked off his Olympics singles campaign by defeating Lebanon’s Hady Habib 6-3 6-1 earlier on Saturday.

    That was his first taste of competing at the Olympics, while Nadal is hoping to add to the two golds he has won previously – singles in 2008 and doubles in 2016. Now entering the final stage of his career, it’s as much about enjoying the experience as it is winning titles for the 38-year-old.

    His all-star partnership with Alcaraz has only been a couple of weeks in the making, while González and Molteni, who have played and won titles together multiple times in their long careers, provided a difficult early test.

    “You see Rafa with his experience and charisma,” Nadal’s coach, Carlos Moyá, said before Saturday’s match. “And then you see Carlos, kind of like Rafa was aged 20 or 21, very expressive and effusive … hopefully they can keep going because it’s a partnership that tennis fans can fall in love with.”

    Nadal is still scheduled to play against Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics on Sunday, despite uncertainty around whether he will compete in the singles draw. If he does, he could face Novak Djokovic in the second round, and had a quick response when asked if he was ready for a last dance against his great rival.

    “Who said last dance?” he shot back. And who can blame him when he’s still winning on his favorite court, all to the applause of thousands of fans?

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    CNN

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  • Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alexander Zverev in the French Open final for his third Grand Slam title

    Carlos Alcaraz defeats Alexander Zverev in the French Open final for his third Grand Slam title

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    Carlos Alcaraz won his first French Open championship and third Grand Slam title by coming back to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday.Alcaraz is a 21-year-old from Spain who grew up watching countryman Rafael Nadal win trophy after trophy at Roland Garros — a record 14 in all — and now has eclipsed Nadal as the youngest man to collect major championships on three surfaces. Nadal was about 1½ years older when he did it.Sunday’s victory allowed Alcaraz to add the clay-court championship at Roland Garros to his triumphs on hard courts at the U.S. Open in 2022 and on grass at Wimbledon in 2023.Alcaraz is now 3-0 in Grand Slam finals.”You’re already a Hall of Famer and you already achieved so much,” said Zverev, who dropped to 0-2 in major title matches. “Not the last time you’re going to win this.”Zverev, a 27-year-old from Germany, was the runner-up at the 2020 U.S. Open after blowing a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem.This time, Zverev lost after surging in front by reeling off the last five games of the third set. Alcaraz’s level dipped during that stretch and he seemed distracted by a complaint over the condition of the clay at Court Philippe Chatrier, telling chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein it was “unbelievable.”But Alcaraz reset himself and surged to the finish, taking 12 of the last 15 games while being treated by a trainer at changeovers for an issue with his left leg.No. 3 Alcaraz and No. 4 Zverev were making their first appearance in a French Open final. Indeed, this was the first men’s title match at Roland Garros since 2004 without Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.Nadal lost to Zverev in the first round two weeks ago; Djokovic, a three-time champion, withdrew before the quarterfinals with a knee injury that required surgery; Federer is retired.There were some jitters at the outset. Zverev started the proceedings with a pair of double-faults — walking to the sideline to change rackets after the second, as though the equipment was the culprit — and eventually got broken. Alcaraz lost serve immediately, too, framing a forehand that sent the ball into the stands — which he would do on a handful of occasions — and double-faulting, trying a so-so drop shot that led to an easy winner for Zverev, then missing a backhand.Let’s just say they won’t be putting those initial 10 minutes in the Louvre. A lot of the 4-hour, 19-minute match was patchy, littered with unforced errors.Alcaraz managed to come out strong in the fourth set, grabbing 16 of the first 21 points to move out to a 4-0 edge, including one brilliant, sliding, down-the-line forehand passing winner that he celebrated by thrusting his right index finger overhead in a “No. 1” sign, then throwing an uppercut while screaming, “Vamos!”No, he is not ranked No. 1 at the moment — Jannik Sinner makes his debut at the top spot on Monday — but he has been before and, although a “2” will be beside Alcaraz’s name next week, there is little doubt that he is as good as it gets in men’s tennis right now.Like on Sunday, Alcaraz overturned a deficit of two sets to one in the semifinals against Sinner, making him the first man to capture the French Open by doing that since Manolo Santana — also from Spain — pulled off the trick in 1961.Returning serves from way back, before moving close to the baseline as points progressed, Alcaraz showed off his full, varied repertoire. The drop shots, the artful half-volleys, the intimidating forehands delivered aggressively and accompanied by a loud, one-syllable grunt that sounded like “Eh!” at times and “Uh!” at others. He finished with 27 forehand winners, 20 more than Zverev.In the fifth set, under constant pressure from Alcaraz, Zverev played a poor game that included two miscues plus a double-fault, helping Alcaraz move in front at 2-1. The next game was pivotal and showed the grit and gumption that already have become hallmarks of Alcaraz’s style.Zverev — who argued about one line call in that game, saying, “There’s no way!” — would hold a total of four break points. He failed to convert any. Alcaraz didn’t let him. After dismissing those chances, Alcaraz wrapped up the game to lead 3-1 with a drop-shot winner.The crowd roared. Alcaraz held his left index finger to his ear while waving his racket and nodding, seeking even more noise. It arrived. He would break again for 5-2, then served it out and dropped onto his back, caking his shirt with clay — just as Nadal often did after championship point.Alcaraz first learned to play tennis on the rust-colored slow surface, although he says he prefers hard courts. He grew up running home from school at this time of year to watch on TV as Nadal competed in Paris. Alcaraz says he dreamed back then of adding his own name to the list of Spanish men to win the event, including 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s coach.And those red-and-yellow Spanish flags that became such an annual fixture at Chatrier in the era of Nadal were there again Sunday, this time to support Alcaraz. The difference? The cries that once were for “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!” are now for “Car-los! Car-los!” [/related

    Carlos Alcaraz won his first French Open championship and third Grand Slam title by coming back to defeat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday.

    Alcaraz is a 21-year-old from Spain who grew up watching countryman Rafael Nadal win trophy after trophy at Roland Garros — a record 14 in all — and now has eclipsed Nadal as the youngest man to collect major championships on three surfaces. Nadal was about 1½ years older when he did it.

    Sunday’s victory allowed Alcaraz to add the clay-court championship at Roland Garros to his triumphs on hard courts at the U.S. Open in 2022 and on grass at Wimbledon in 2023.

    Alcaraz is now 3-0 in Grand Slam finals.

    “You’re already a Hall of Famer and you already achieved so much,” said Zverev, who dropped to 0-2 in major title matches. “Not the last time you’re going to win this.”

    Zverev, a 27-year-old from Germany, was the runner-up at the 2020 U.S. Open after blowing a two-set lead against Dominic Thiem.

    This time, Zverev lost after surging in front by reeling off the last five games of the third set. Alcaraz’s level dipped during that stretch and he seemed distracted by a complaint over the condition of the clay at Court Philippe Chatrier, telling chair umpire Renaud Lichtenstein it was “unbelievable.”

    But Alcaraz reset himself and surged to the finish, taking 12 of the last 15 games while being treated by a trainer at changeovers for an issue with his left leg.

    No. 3 Alcaraz and No. 4 Zverev were making their first appearance in a French Open final. Indeed, this was the first men’s title match at Roland Garros since 2004 without Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.

    Nadal lost to Zverev in the first round two weeks ago; Djokovic, a three-time champion, withdrew before the quarterfinals with a knee injury that required surgery; Federer is retired.

    There were some jitters at the outset. Zverev started the proceedings with a pair of double-faults — walking to the sideline to change rackets after the second, as though the equipment was the culprit — and eventually got broken. Alcaraz lost serve immediately, too, framing a forehand that sent the ball into the stands — which he would do on a handful of occasions — and double-faulting, trying a so-so drop shot that led to an easy winner for Zverev, then missing a backhand.

    Let’s just say they won’t be putting those initial 10 minutes in the Louvre. A lot of the 4-hour, 19-minute match was patchy, littered with unforced errors.

    Alcaraz managed to come out strong in the fourth set, grabbing 16 of the first 21 points to move out to a 4-0 edge, including one brilliant, sliding, down-the-line forehand passing winner that he celebrated by thrusting his right index finger overhead in a “No. 1” sign, then throwing an uppercut while screaming, “Vamos!”

    No, he is not ranked No. 1 at the moment — Jannik Sinner makes his debut at the top spot on Monday — but he has been before and, although a “2” will be beside Alcaraz’s name next week, there is little doubt that he is as good as it gets in men’s tennis right now.

    Like on Sunday, Alcaraz overturned a deficit of two sets to one in the semifinals against Sinner, making him the first man to capture the French Open by doing that since Manolo Santana — also from Spain — pulled off the trick in 1961.

    Returning serves from way back, before moving close to the baseline as points progressed, Alcaraz showed off his full, varied repertoire. The drop shots, the artful half-volleys, the intimidating forehands delivered aggressively and accompanied by a loud, one-syllable grunt that sounded like “Eh!” at times and “Uh!” at others. He finished with 27 forehand winners, 20 more than Zverev.

    In the fifth set, under constant pressure from Alcaraz, Zverev played a poor game that included two miscues plus a double-fault, helping Alcaraz move in front at 2-1. The next game was pivotal and showed the grit and gumption that already have become hallmarks of Alcaraz’s style.

    Zverev — who argued about one line call in that game, saying, “There’s no way!” — would hold a total of four break points. He failed to convert any. Alcaraz didn’t let him. After dismissing those chances, Alcaraz wrapped up the game to lead 3-1 with a drop-shot winner.

    The crowd roared. Alcaraz held his left index finger to his ear while waving his racket and nodding, seeking even more noise. It arrived. He would break again for 5-2, then served it out and dropped onto his back, caking his shirt with clay — just as Nadal often did after championship point.

    Alcaraz first learned to play tennis on the rust-colored slow surface, although he says he prefers hard courts. He grew up running home from school at this time of year to watch on TV as Nadal competed in Paris. Alcaraz says he dreamed back then of adding his own name to the list of Spanish men to win the event, including 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, Alcaraz’s coach.

    And those red-and-yellow Spanish flags that became such an annual fixture at Chatrier in the era of Nadal were there again Sunday, this time to support Alcaraz. The difference? The cries that once were for “Ra-fa! Ra-fa!” are now for “Car-los! Car-los!”

    [related id=’339921e8-dc2d-4a4a-ac59-0f1313c5e4ff’ align=’center’][/related

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  • Iga Świątek continues pursuit of fourth French Open title with semifinal victory against Coco Gauff

    Iga Świątek continues pursuit of fourth French Open title with semifinal victory against Coco Gauff

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    (CNN) — Iga Świątek marched into her fourth French Open final with an impressive 6-2 6-4 victory against American Coco Gauff on Thursday.

    The Polish star will be the strong favorite to win her fifth grand slam title this weekend having extended her winning run to 18 matches in all competitions and 20 at Roland Garros. Against Gauff, Świątek has now been victorious in 11 of their past 12 meetings.

    In Saturday’s final, Świątek could win a third straight French Open title when she faces Italy’s Jasmine Paolini – a feat no woman has achieved since Justine Henin in 2007.

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    George Ramsay and CNN

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  • French Open 2024 Livestream: How to Watch the Grand Slam Tennis Tournament Online for Free

    French Open 2024 Livestream: How to Watch the Grand Slam Tennis Tournament Online for Free

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    If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.

    The world’s best tennis players take to the clay courts at Roland Garros this week for the 2024 French Open.

    Novak Djokovic is the defending French Open champion on the men’s side, while Iga Świątek is the defending women’s champ. All-time French Open title holder Rafael Nadal is expected to make his final appearance at Roland Garros this year, as the Spanish star has hinted that he may retire at the end of the season.

    Want to watch the 2024 French Open on TV and online? Here’s what you need to know.

    When Is the 2024 French Open?

    After a week of qualifying matches, the 2024 French Open officially runs from May 26 to June 9. The tournament runs for two weeks, with men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles all being contested.

    How to Watch the 2024 French Open on TV

    This year’s French Open coverage will be broadcast across NBC and Tennis Channel. You can watch the French Open on TV with a cable package that includes Tennis Channel and your local NBC affiliate channel.

    How to Watch the 2024 French Open Online

    The 2024 French Open will be streaming online through Peacock and Tennis Channel. You can watch the opening French Open matches live on Peacock, before the coverage moves to Tennis Channel for the week. The semifinals and finals on the second weekend of action returns to Peacock.

    A Peacock subscription starts at just $5.99/month and lets you livestream French Open coverage online, and watch replays back on-demand. Your subscription will also give you access to other live sports, plus thousands of hours of on-demand TV shows, movies and specials on PeacockTV.com.

    How to Livestream the 2024 French Open Online Free

    Tennis Channel, meantime, is available to watch online through DirecTV Stream and FuboTV. Both streaming services offer a live Tennis Channel feed, so you can watch the French Open online. Even better: both services have free trial offers right now that you can use to livestream the French Open online for free.

    Fubo’s free trial gets you access to stream the French Open live on Tennis Channel without cable, and it includes free DVR so you can record the tennis matches to watch back on-demand. Cancel before your free trial is up to avoid being charged. See full details here.

    How to Watch the 2024 French Open on Tennis Channel

    Tennis Channel will have the most comprehensive live coverage of the 2024 French Open, with close to 2,500 hours of live matches across its main network and its second channel, T2. In addition to letting you watch French Open matches live on TV and online, the network says “almost 200 hours of encores will air after live play concludes each day, running through the evening and late night to the start of the next morning’s matches.”

    Tennis Channel is available on most cable packages, like this one from Verizon Fios. Want to watch Tennis Channel without cable? Sign-up for DirecTV Stream or FuboTV, which both have Tennis Channel as part of their streaming packages.

    DirecTV Stream and FuboTV will let you stream the French Open on Tennis Channel on your phone, tablet, computer and smart TV.

    The second of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the French Open is the only Grand Slam played on clay. 2024 marks the 123rd edition of the French Open Championships.

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    Tim Chan

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  • Novak Djokovic Wins Men’s Record 23rd Grand Slam Title In French Open Final

    Novak Djokovic Wins Men’s Record 23rd Grand Slam Title In French Open Final

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    PARIS (AP) — Novak Djokovic made clear for years this was his goal. What drove him. What inspired him. The biggest titles from his sport’s biggest stages were Djokovic’s main aim and now he finally stands alone — ahead of Rafael Nadal, ahead of Roger Federer, ahead of every man who ever has swung a racket.

    If Djokovic could wait this long to hold this record, he certainly could wait for the half-hour or so it took to straighten out his strokes in the French Open final. And so, after a bit of a shaky start in thick, humid air and under foreboding clouds Sunday, he imposed himself. The opponent at Court Philippe Chatrier, Casper Ruud, never really stood a serious chance after that.

    Djokovic earned his men’s-record 23rd Grand Slam singles championship, breaking a tie with Nadal and moving three in front of the retired Federer, with a 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Ruud that was not in doubt for most of its 3 hours, 13 minutes.

    Djokovic puts this one alongside the French Open titles he earned in 2016 and 2021, making him the only man with at least three from each major. He won his very first at the 2008 Australian Open and now possesses a total of 10 trophies from there, seven from Wimbledon and three from the U.S. Open.

    “I knew that going into the tournament, going into the match, especially, today, that there is history on the line, but I try to focus my attention and my thoughts into preparing for this match in the best way possible to win, like any other match,” Djokovic said, wearing a red jacket with “23” stitched on the chest. “Of course I would lie if I say that I didn’t think about the finish line that is right there and that one more match is needed to win a trophy — a historic one.”

    Also worth noting: He again is halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam — winning all four majors in one season — something no man has achieved since Rod Laver in 1969. Djokovic came close in 2021, when he won the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon and made it all the way to the title match at the U.S. Open before losing to Daniil Medvedev.

    Djokovic will resume that pursuit at Wimbledon, which begins on the grass of the All England Club on July 3.

    “He has this software in his head that he can switch (on) when a Grand Slam comes,” said his coach, Goran Ivanisevic. “The day we arrived here, he was better, he was more motivated, he was more hungry. Every day, he played better and better.”

    Entering the 2011 season, this is how the Slam count looked: 16 for Federer, nine for Nadal, one for Djokovic.

    “Pretty decent 12 years, I must say, for me,” Djokovic said with a smile.

    The climb began with a trio that year and accelerated lately: He has clutched the trophy at 11 of the last 20 Slams, a remarkable run made even more so when considering that he did not participate in two majors during that span because he did not get vaccinated against COVID-19. Djokovic was deported in January 2021 before the Australian Open, and he was not allowed to fly to the United States ahead of last year’s U.S. Open under a rule that since has been lifted.

    Getting to 23 not only sets the mark for men, but it also lets Djokovic equal Serena Williams, who wrapped up her career last year, for the most by anyone in the Open era, which began in 1968. Margaret Court won some of her all-time record of 24 Slam trophies in the amateur era.

    At 20 days past his 36th birthday, the Serb is the oldest singles champion at Roland Garros, considered the most grueling of the majors because of the lengthy, grinding points required by the red clay, which is slower than the grass or hard courts underfoot elsewhere.

    Nadal’s 22nd major arrived in Paris a year ago, two days after he turned 36. He has been sidelined since January by a hip injury and had arthroscopic surgery on June 2.

    “Many congrats on this amazing achievement,” Nadal tweeted shortly after the final concluded. “23 is a number that just a few years back was (impossible) to think about, and you made it!”

    Djokovic’s triumph on Sunday means he will return to No. 1 in the ATP rankings on Monday, replacing Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic already has spent more weeks at the top spot than any player — man or woman — since the inception of computerized tennis rankings a half-century ago.

    It was Djokovic who eliminated Alcaraz in the semifinals on Thursday, wearing him down over two thrilling sets until the 20-year-old Spaniard’s body cramped up badly. Alcaraz continued to play, but the scores of the last two sets of the four-set match told the story: 6-1, 6-1.

    This was the third Slam final in the past five events for Ruud, a 24-year-old from Norway, but he is now 0-3. He lost to Nadal at the French Open a year ago and to Alcaraz at the U.S. Open last September.

    Perhaps due to an awareness of all that was at stake, Djokovic, in his 34th major final, was the one who got off to a shaky start.

    “Maybe feeling a bit nervous, little stressed,” Ruud said about his opponent.

    But by the close of the first set, Djokovic was downright Djokovic-esque, as he was while taking 12 of the last 13 points of the match, most accompanied by spectators’ thunderous chants of his two-syllable nickname, “No-le! No-le! No-le!”

    When one last miscue from Ruud landed out, Djokovic dropped onto his back with limbs spread wide.

    “He kind of pressures you, in a way, to go for more risks, and that’s tough,” Ruud said. “He just stepped up, like he knows how to do.”

    At first, though, Djokovic kept missing forehands — into the net, wide, long — then made a different sort of mistake, shanking an overhead from near the net way beyond the opposite baseline to get broken and trail 2-0.

    For whatever reason, that shot always has been Djokovic’s “bête noire,” and he missed another overhead later in the set.

    Soon, Ruud led 4-1, thanks in part to Djokovic’s troubles. By then, Djokovic accumulated 13 unforced errors, while Ruud made just four.

    And then everything changed.

    After finishing the first set with 18 unforced errors, Djokovic recalibrated himself, with merely 14 over the last two sets combined.

    Then it was Ruud’s turn to flub an overhead, rocking back and depositing his into the net to end a 29-stroke point. Djokovic’s first service break made it 4-3, and he shook his right fist.

    “A bit devastating,” Ruud called it.

    They went to a tiebreaker, truly Djokovic’s dominion. When the import rises, along with the tension, he simply excels.

    “He sort of just goes into this mode,” Ruud said, “where he just becomes like a wall.”

    During the first-to-7 segment, Djokovic contributed four winners and zero unforced errors.

    That made his career mark in tiebreakers 308-162, a winning percentage of .655. In 2023, he is 15-4, including 6-0 in Paris — there were 55 points played across that half-dozen, and Djokovic’s sum total of unforced errors was zero.

    “He just steps up,” Ruud said. “Either he plays ridiculous defense or he plays beautiful winners. Just doesn’t do any mistakes.”

    That set alone lasted 1 hour, 21 minutes, chock full of extended exchanges, the sort of points about which entire stories could be written. There were those that lasted 20, 25, 29 strokes. One was won by Ruud with the help of a back-to-the-net, between-the-legs shot. On another, Djokovic tumbled behind the baseline, smudging his red shirt, blue shorts and skin with the rust-colored clay.

    Djokovic’s scrambling and stretching and bending and twisting on defense shows up on the scoreboard, for sure. But all of the long points also sap an opponent’s energy and will.

    “It’s just annoying for me,” Ruud said, “but it’s very, very impressive.”

    When Djokovic broke to lead 3-0 in the second set, his powers now on full display, he jabbed his right index finger against his temple over and over and over. He wheeled to face his nearby box in the stands, where the group included Ivanisevic, Djokovic’s wife and two children, his parents, his agent and even seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

    The retired Brady is widely viewed as the NFL’s “Greatest Of All Time” — or “GOAT,” for short — and there has been a debate in the tennis world for quite some time over which among Djokovic, Nadal or Federer deserves that sobriquet.

    If the barometer is Grand Slam championships, no one can argue against Djokovic’s status at the moment.

    “I leave those kind of discussions of ‘who is the greatest?’ to someone else. I have, of course, huge faith and confidence and belief (in) myself and for everything that I am and who I am and what I am capable of doing,” Djokovic said at his news conference, the Coupes des Mousquetaires at arm’s length. “So this trophy obviously is another confirmation of the quality of tennis that I’m still able to produce, I feel.”

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  • French Open 2023: Gauff, 19, plays Andreeva, 16, in all-teen showdown; Nadal has hip surgery

    French Open 2023: Gauff, 19, plays Andreeva, 16, in all-teen showdown; Nadal has hip surgery

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    PARIS (AP) — Much of this French Open can best be viewed through the prism of Rafael Nadal’s absence.

    For so many years, the goings on at Roland Garros were defined by Nadal and his unprecedented success at the place: 14 championships, a 112-3 record. And this year, what happens in Paris is significantly altered because he is not in the field — something that last happened in 2004.

    Nadal has not competed anywhere since injuring his left hip flexor at the Australian Open in January, and he had arthroscopic surgery on Friday night in Barcelona. Saturday, as it happens, is his 37th birthday.

    Nadal announced on May 18 he wouldn’t be able to return to competition at the French Open because his body wouldn’t let him. He said he needed to stop practicing and wasn’t sure when he could be back in action; he figures 2024 will be the final season of his superlative career.

    WHAT HAPPENED ON COURT FRIDAY?

    No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 3 Novak Djokovic picked up straight-set victories that weren’t always that straightforward to reach the fourth round and stay on course for a showdown in the semifinals. Alcaraz is the reigning U.S. Open champion; Djokovic owns 22 Grand Slam titles, tied with Nadal for the most by a man. Yet another highly seeded woman, No. 3 Jessica Pegula, bowed out, as did the No. 7 man, Andrey Rublev.

    WHAT HAPPENED AWAY FROM THE COURT?

    No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion, was allowed to avoid the traditional postmatch news conference open to all accredited journalists and instead speak with what was described as a “pool” of selected questioners. After each of her previous two wins this week, Sabalenka was asked about her stance on the war in Ukraine, which began in February 2022, when Russia invaded that country with help from Belarus. Sabalenka said she “did not feel safe” at her news conference Wednesday and wanted to protect her “mental health and well-being” on Friday.

    WHO PLAYS SATURDAY?

    The most intriguing third-round match involves two teenagers who have practiced with each other: American Coco Gauff, who is 19, and Russian Mirra Andreeva, who is 16. There’s no doubt Gauff has a significant advantage in experience: She’s been participating in majors since 2019, was the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2022 and is seeded No. 6 this time. Andreeva is ranked 143rd and is making her debut at a Grand Slam tournament. They’ll play in Court Suzanne Lenglen. Across the way, Court Philippe Chatrier will host matches featuring two of the top women: No. 1 Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, and No. 4 Elena Rybakina, last year’s winner at Wimbledon. Both face unseeded opponents. Men in action include No. 6 Holger Rune, No. 9 Taylor Fritz and No. 12 Frances Tiafoe.

    WHEN ARE SATURDAY’S MATCHES?

    Play begins at 11 a.m. local time in Paris, which is 5 a.m. EDT, everywhere except the main stadium, Court Philippe Chatrier, where the first match — No. 4 Elena Rybakina vs. Sara Sorribes Tormo — is scheduled to start at 11:45 a.m. local time, which is 5:45 a.m. EDT. Coco Gauff vs. Mirra Andreeva is second on Court Suzanne Lenglen so it might begin at around 3 p.m. local time, which is 9 a.m. EDT. Frances Tiafoe goes up against 2021 U.S. Open finalist Alexander Zverev in the night session, which starts at 8:15 p.m. local time, 2:15 p.m. EDT.

    GET CAUGHT UP

    What you need to know about the year’s second Grand Slam tennis tournament:

    – Rafael Nadal is not here

    – Can AI help prevent cyberbullying of tennis players?

    – French players bid a quick adieu to French Open

    – Novak Djokovic can break a tie with Nadal by winning Slam No. 23

    – Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina split past four major titles

    – Facts and figures about the French Open, including a look back at 2022

    TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

    Try your hand at the AP’s latest tennis quiz here.

    BETTING GUIDE

    Gauff is listed at minus-126 to beat Andreeva, who is at plus-106, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. Just as she has been since before the tournament began, Swiatek is an overwhelming pick for the women’s title at minus-120. Alcaraz remains the favorite to win the men’s championship at plus-130, followed by Djokovic at plus-175. They could meet in the semifinals.

    THE NUMBER TO KNOW

    3 hours, 36 minutes — The time it took for Novak Djokovic’s 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, the longest three-set Grand Slam match of Djokovic’s career.

    THE QUOTE TO KNOW

    “The results are not good.” — Nicolas Escudé, the French Tennis Federation’s technical director, after all 29 singles players from the host country were eliminated by the end of the second round.

    HOW TO WATCH

    -In the U.S.: Tennis Channel, NBC, Peacock.

    -In France: France TV, Amazon Prime.

    -Other countries listed here.

    UPCOMING SINGLES SCHEDULE

    -Friday-Saturday: Third Round (Women and Men)

    -Sunday-Monday: Fourth Round (Women and Men)

    -June 6-7: Quarterfinals (Women and Men)

    -June 8: Women’s Semifinals

    -June 9: Men’s Semifinals

    -June 10: Women’s Final

    -June 11: Men’s Final

    ___

    AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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  • Djokovic wins 10th Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam, tying Nadal’s record for most ever

    Djokovic wins 10th Australian Open and 22nd Grand Slam, tying Nadal’s record for most ever

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    Melbourne, Australia — Novak Djokovic found this trip to Australia far less complicated, and far more successful, than that of a year ago.

    Unable to enter his best event in 2022 after being deported from the country because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19, Djokovic accomplished all he could have wanted in his return: He resumed his winning ways at Melbourne Park and made it back to the top of tennis.

    Only briefly challenged in the final on Sunday night, Djokovic was simply better at the most crucial moments and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) for a record-extending 10th Australian Open championship and record-tying 22nd Grand Slam title overall. As a bonus, Djokovic will vault from No. 5 to No. 1 in the ATP rankings, a spot he already has held for more weeks than any other man.

    “He’s the greatest that has ever held a tennis racket,” Tsitsipas said.

    Djokovic stretched his unbeaten streak in Melbourne to 28 matches, the longest run at the tournament for a man in the Open era, which dates to 1968. He adds trophy No. 10 there to the seven from Wimbledon, three from the U.S. Open — where he also was absent last year because of no coronavirus shots — and two at the French Open, to match rival Rafael Nadal for the most by a man in tennis history.

    Margaret Court, with 24, Serena Williams, with 23, and Steffi Graf, with 22, have the most among women.

    This was also the 93rd ATP tour-level title for Djokovic, allowing the 35-year-old from Serbia to break a tie with Nadal for the fourth-most. Jimmy Connors holds that mark, at 109.

    Djokovic was participating in his 33rd major final, Tsitsipas in his second — and the 24-year-old from Greece’s other one also ended in a loss to Djokovic, at the 2021 French Open.

    Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Jan. 29, 2023.
    Novak Djokovic celebrates winning the Australian Open at Melbourne Park on Jan. 29, 2023.

    Clive Brunskill/Getty Images


    He was superior throughout against Tsitsipas, but especially so in the two tiebreakers. He took a 4-1 lead in the first and after it was 4-all, pulled off three points in a row. He led 5-0 in the closing tiebreaker and, when it finished, he pointed to his temple then climbed into the stands, pumped his fist and jumped with his coach, Goran Ivanisevic, and other members of the entourage, and collapsed, crying.

    Little doubt this is of no solace to Tsitsipas, but there is no shame in failing to defeat Djokovic in Melbourne. Challenging his dominion on those blue hard courts is every bit the monumental task that taking on Nadal on the red clay at Roland Garros is.

    Perhaps surprisingly, Tsitsipas was willing to engage in the kind of leg-wearying, lung-searing back-and-forths upon which Djokovic has built his superlative career. How did that work out? Of points lasting at least five strokes, Djokovic won 43, Tsitsipas 30.

    Then again, on those rare occasions that Tsitsipas did charge the net, he likely regretted the choice, because Djokovic often conjured up a passing shot that was too tough to handle.

    One of Djokovic’s many other strengths is his return game, and he accumulated three break points within 17 minutes, converting the last for a quick 3-1 lead when Tsitsipas double-faulted.

    The trophy for which they were playing was displayed on a pedestal near a corner of the court, and both men would get within reach of it whenever wandering over to towel off between points at that end.

    So close, yes, but for Tsitsipas, never truly close enough.

    TOPSHOT-TENNIS-AUS-OPEN
    Novak Djokovic speaks with Stefanos Tsitsipas during the trophy ceremony after the Australian Open in Melbourne on Jan. 29, 2023.

    DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images


    It’s not as though Tsitsipas played all that poorly, other than a rash of early miscues that seemed to be more a product of tension than anything.

    It’s that Djokovic was, put simply, too good. Too accurate with his strokes — making merely 22 unforced errors, 20 fewer than his foe — and anticipation. Too speedy and flexible chasing shots (other than on one second-set point, when, running to his left, Djokovic took a tumble). Too dangerous with his returns and damaging enough with his serves.

    Djokovic pushes and pushes and pushes some more, until it’s the opponent who is something less than perfect on one shot, either missing or providing an opening to pounce.

    There has been more than forehands and backhands on Djokovic’s mind over the past two weeks.

    There was the not-so-small matter of last year’s legal saga — he has alternately acknowledged the whole thing served as a form of motivation but also said the other day, “I’m over it” — and curiosity about the sort of reception he would get.

    He heard a ton of loud support, but also dealt with some persistent heckling while competing, including applause after the faults Sunday.

    There was the sore left hamstring that has been heavily bandaged for every match — until the final, that is, when only a single piece of beige athletic tape was visible — and had worried him at the beginning of Week 1, prompting him to turn to what he said was “a lot” of pain-killing pills and other treatments he didn’t detail.

    And then there was the more complicated matter of his father, Srdjan, being filmed with a group of people with Russian flags — one with an image of Vladimir Putin — after Djokovic’s quarterfinal victory. The tournament banned spectators from bringing in flags of Russia or Belarus, saying they would cause disruption because of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Both Djokovic and his father said it was a misunderstanding, based on Srdjan thinking he was with a group of Serbian fans.

    Because of that episode, Srdjan Djokovic did not attend his son’s semifinal victory over Tommy Paul on Friday, and was not seen in the Djokovic guest box on Sunday.

    No matter any of it, Djokovic managed to excel as he so often does, winning 17 sets in a row after ceding one in the second round last week.

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