‘Garbage’ man Murray, Nadal eye dream final
PARIS, June 8, (AFP): Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal can edge closer to an intriguing French Open final rich in landmark moments on Friday after drastically contrasting campaigns in Paris.
World number one Murray was the first British man in the Roland Garros final since Bunny Austin in 1937 when he finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic last year.
Two more victories, however, starting with his semifinal against
Top and above: Photos from the event.
2015 winner Stan Wawrinka, would make him the first Briton to lift the men’s trophy since Fred Perry 82 years ago.
Nadal, who tackles Dominic Thiem, the conqueror of defending champion Djokovic, is bidding to become the first man to capture the same major on 10 occasions.
Murray arrived in France suffering from a fever, the latest woe in a season which has seen him endure an elbow injury, flu and shingles.
“I came in playing garbage,” admitted the 30-year-old of a Masters clay-court swing which saw him exit in the third round in Monte Carlo and Madrid and lose his opener in Rome.
“If someone had offered me a semifinal spot before the tournament, I would have signed up for that.”
His form in Paris has sent out mixed messages.
He needed four sets to get past Andrey Kuznetsov and Martin Klizan in the first two rounds.
Then, in what was expected to be a third-round ambush, he sailed past Juan Martin del Potro in straight sets and was similarly at ease against Karen Khachanov in the last 16. MELBOURNE, June 8, (AFP): New manager Jorge Sampaoli says he is looking to superstar Lionel Messi to revive Argentina’s World Cup fortunes starting with Friday’s friendly with Brazil in Melbourne.
Sampaoli has been installed to kick-start the two-time world champions’ ailing South American campaign where they lag outside the automatic qualifying positions in fifth spot with four games left.
Argentina will square off with Brazil before a capacity 100,000 crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ahead of their crucial next qualifier in Uruguay on August 31.
Sampaoli, who is Argentina’s third coach during the current World Cup campaign after Gerardo Martino and Edgardo Bauza, said he valued Messi’s commitment to get his country to next year’s World Cup finals in Russia.
“I’m very thankful that the best player in the world cut short his vacation in China and was able to travel here for a friendly,” Sampaoli told reporters on Thursday.
“He has the will to participate and drive Argentina to the World Cup, so he’s very much involved toward these goals.
“The things that he’s done for the team, especially this time round, are really valuable. “I really hope that the abilities that he shows as a leader and as a player will help Argentina improve.”
Sampaoli wants to use the Melbourne match to see Messi and Paris SaintGermain’s Angel Di Maria work together.
“They are very good players, individually, and these friendly games give us the opportunity to test their compatibility and see how well they can work together,” Sampaoli said.