Qualifier Altmaier into fourth round
TENNIS
PARIS: German qualifier Daniel Altmaier upset Italian seven seed Matteo Berrettini at the French Open yesterday with a 62, 76 (75), 64 victory to enter the fourth round in his first grand slam tournament.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic cruised past Colombian qualifier Daniel Elahi Galan 60, 63, 62.
Djokovic, aiming for an 18th major title, has not dropped a set in Paris and next faces 15thseeded Russian Karen Khachanov after his 62, 36, 64, 62 win against Chilean Cristian Garin.
There was a short interruption to Djokovic’s match because the Philippe Chatrier roof was open and a heavy downpour of rain suspended play in the second set.
More clay was added to the court to soak up the moisture and Djokovic even helped sweep the court, but he argued the roof should have been closed earlier.
‘‘The chair umpire and supervisor thought that it was playable and I understand if you don’t have the roof,’’ Djokovic said.
‘‘This is exactly the reason why you build the roof so why not use it? In my opinion, they made a wrong decision,’’ Djokovic asserted.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas was too good for Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene, who pulled out of their contest when he was losing 61, 62, 31.
Tsitsipas will go up against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov next after his opponent, Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena, retired when he dropped a twoset deficit.
Altmaier faces Spanish US Open semifinalist Pablo Carreno Busta in the last 16 after he bested Davis Cup teammate Roberto BautistaAgut 64, 63, 57, 64.
Altmaier (22), ranked 186th in the world, broke Berrettini’s serve twice to claim the first set before battling back from 53 down in the second to double his advantage by edging a tiebreak.
Berrettini, the world No 8, was frustrated in the third set as the errors from his racket mounted and he offered a decisive break at 22 with a wildly overhit volley.
Altmaier opened up a 42 gap and sealed the match serving at 54, when Berrettini’s forehand return sailed wide.
Russian Andrey Rublev is also through after the 22yearold brushed past South Africa’s twotime major finalist Kevin Anderson 63, 62, 63.
The 13thseeded Rublev goes on to face Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, who continues his run after eliminating fourth seed Daniil Medvedev with a 75, 61, 63 win over Brazilian Thiago Monteiro.
On the women’s side, two former French Open winners left the competition after 11thseeded Garbine Muguruza of Spain surrendered a 30 lead in the deciding set before falling 75, 26, 64 to American Danielle Collins.
There was another upset when 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, who stunned second seed Karolina Pliskova in her last match, was beaten 64, 63 by Spain’s Paula Badosa.
Collins goes on to face Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, who produced another shock by knocking out the eighth seed, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, in three sets 76 (97), 26, 63.
Seventh seed Petra Kvitova survived a scare against Canada’s 18yearold Leylah
Fernandez as the Czech double major winner recovered from 51 down in the first set to win 75, 63.
‘‘It was really challenging today,’’ Kvitova, who goes on to face China’s Zhang Shuai after her 76 (72), 75 win over Frenchwoman Clara Burel, said.
‘‘I didn’t really know anything about her. I’m really happy I found a way even though it wasn’t easy.’’
Reigning Australian Open champion and American fourth seed Sofia Kenin advanced after beating Romania’s Irina Bara 62, 60. — DPA