SERENA ON SONG
Federer blows hot, Djokovic cool as stars advance in France
Paris, June 3: Serena Williams survived a French Open scare to extend her latest bid for an elusive 24th Grand Slam singles title with a three-set victory over Mihaela Buzarnescu on Wednesday, while men’s fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas and World No.2 Daniil Medvedev also reached the third round.
The 39-year-old Williams, who has been one short of Margaret Court’s all-time record of most major trophies since
2017, brushed off a second-set blip to win 6-3, 5-7,
6-1.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer became entangled in a rare running dispute with a chair umpire on Thursday before safely securing his place in the Last 32.
Federer saw off Marin Cilic for the 10th time in
11 meetings, winning 6-2,
2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 but only after a second set bust-up with umpire Emmanuel Joseph.
The 20-time Grand Sam title winner was handed a time violation at 1-3 down in the for taking too long between points. “I don't even dare to go my towel anymore,” he said to Joseph.
Federer, the oldest man in the draw at 39, lost his cool and the set before recovering to defeat former world number three Cilic.
World number one Novak Djokovic continued his bid for a 19th Grand Slam title with a straight-sets win over Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas to reach the third round. The
34-year-old, who is looking to become the first man in more than 50 years to win all four Slams multiple times, won 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Tsitsipas put in a strong display to dispose of Spaniard Pedro Martinez
6-3, 6-4, 6-3. The Greek next faces American John Isner.
Medvedev bounced back from losing the first set to American Tommy Paul in style by romping to a 3-6,
6-1, 6-4, 6-3 victory.
INJURED BARTY IS OUT
Top seed Ashleigh Barty retired injured midway through the second set of her French Open secondround match against Poland’s Magda Linette on Thursday. She left the court for medical treatment
after losing the first set 6-1. She had struggled with a hip problem during her first-round win and called it quits at 2-2 in the second set on Court Philippe Chatrier.
MEN’S PAIR COVID +VE French Open organisers say that both members of a men’s doubles team have tested positive for Covid19 and have been dropped from the tournament.
The players were placed in quarantine. The tournament did not identify
them. The French tennis federation said these were the first two positives from the 2,446 Coronavirus tests that have been administered on players and their entourages since the start of qualifying rounds on May 24. — Agencies
OTHER RESULTS
Men’s second round: Jannik Sinner (ITA x18) bt Gianluca Mager (ITA) 6-1, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3; Mikael Ymer (SWE) bt Gael Monfils (FRA x14) 6-0, 2-6, 6-4,
6-3; Diego Schwartzman (ARG
x10) bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 6-4,
6-2, 6-4; Philipp Kohlschreiber
(GER) bt Aslan Karatsev (RUS
x24) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-1. Women’s second round: Magda Linette (Poland) bt Ashleigh Barty (Australia x1) 6-1, 2-2 — retired; Ons Jabeur (Tunisia
x25) bt Astra Sharma (Australia) 6-2, 6-4; Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x9) 7-5, 6-1; Karolina Muchova (CZE x18) bt Varvara Lepchenko (USA) 6-3,
6-4; Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Ann Li (USA) 6-0, 6-4; Sofia Kenin (USA x4) bt Hailey Baptiste (USA) 7-5, 6-3; Jessica Pegula (USA x28) bt Tereza Martincova (CZE) 6-3, 6-3; Maria Sakkari (GRE x17) bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-2, 6-3.