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On a Sunday of unpleasantness among the women at the French Open, revenge was a dish served in an autumn chill by a Polish teenager.
And it was also partially normal for men. Rafael Nadal advanced, but his opponent in his 14th quarter-final at Roland Garros will be dangerous rookie Jannik Sinner. Moving to the men’s round of 16 as a newcomer, the 19-year-old Italian equaled a feat last accomplished by Nadal himself, in 2005, on his way to the first of his 12 titles in Paris.
Michel Euler / AP
Spain’s Rafael Nadal clenches his fist after winning his fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament against American Sebastian Korda in three sets, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris France.
Sinner has been so impressive on clay that his 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 win against US Open finalist Alexander Zverev came as no surprise, despite the 68-point gulf separating them. in the classification of the circuit.
Sinner pushed the sixth-seeded German in this way with precision groundstrokes and deployed his wingspan to make 21 winners at the net.
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Zverev said he was sick, so feverish and out of breath that he “shouldn’t have played.”
Sinner said that from his side of the net, his opponent looked “pretty good, you know, because in the third and fourth sets he ran quite a bit.”
Against fourth-round foe Sebastian Korda, a 20-year-old qualifier who idolizes him so much that he called his cat “Rafa”, Nadal was, excuse the pun, practically purr, winning 6-1, 6-1 6-2 .
Korda licked it. His long-term vision is on winning at least two Grand Slam titles, one more than his father, 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Korda. Meanwhile, Nadal’s beating was “definitely the best time of my life.”
Alessandra Tarantino / AP
Sebastian Korda of the United States congratulates Spaniard Rafael Nadal, right, on his victory in the fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France.
“Super awesome,” he said. “I asked him for a signed shirt when we were playing rackets and he said, ‘Yes, no problem.’ So I have one in my bag right now. So I’m very excited. “
Nadal has yet to drop a set in his quest for a 13th French Open crown that would be his 20th major title overall, tying Roger Federer’s record.
Although Nadal and Sinner have practiced together, their match will be the first between the 34-year-old and the youngest man in a Grand Slam quarterfinal since Novak Djokovic in 2006.
“A great challenge,” Nadal said. “Incredible potential. He moves his hand very fast and is capable of producing incredible blows. “
That’s also true for the new generation making a mark in the women’s draw at this French Open, where almost everything feels unusual due to the change imposed by the coronavirus from May to June. The golden leaves and the chill of autumn have added to a sense of cyclical change.
Michel Euler / AP
Romanian Simona Halep reacts after missing a shot against Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the match of the fourth round of the French Open tennis at the Roland Garros stadium.
Against the player who humiliated her 6-1, 6-0 at the same stage last year, 19-year-old Iga Swiatek turned the top seed around Simona Halep, sending the 2018 champion packing 6- 1, 6-2 with powerful groundstrokes and exquisite net play to advance to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Halep, who also lifted the title at Wimbledon last year, never got underway under the court roof of Philippe Chatrier and was unable to put any pressure on the now confident Polish player who broke down on her nerves in their fourth round encounter last year. that ended in just 45 minutes.
Swiatek used that loss as fuel.
“A great lesson,” he said. “I knew I could, like, play differently and I can finally show my best tennis.”
Halep lasted just 23 more minutes this time. She never had a break point against her opponent who racked up 14 against her, breaking her twice in each set and keeping her serve under almost constant stress.
“She was everywhere,” said Halep, who had been on the best winning streak of his career of 17 games. “I’ll have a chocolate and I’ll be better tomorrow.”
Michel Euler / AP
Poland’s Iga Swiatek celebrates winning her fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament against Romanian Simona Halep in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France.
That discomfort was followed by other moments later. Italian qualifier Martina Trevisan defeated fifth-seeded Kiki Bertens, winning 6-4, 6-4. Swiatek and Trevisan will now face off in what will be a Grand Slam first quarter-final for both.
Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska also advanced, beating Barbora Krejcikova, ranked No. 114, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. Podoroska, number 131 in the ranking, who lost in the first round in her only previous Grand Slam, the US Open in 2016, will face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina, third seeded. Last year’s semifinalist at Wimbledon and the US Open advanced 6-1, 6-3 against Caroline Garcia of France.
Halep and Bertens had been among the six seeded women in the fourth round. Sixth-seeded Serena Williams’ quest for a record 24th title ended with an Achilles tendon injury after her first-round win. Week 2’s crop of new faces speaks to the depth of women’s tennis.
“At this level no one surprises anyone anymore,” Halep said. “Everybody has a great level.”
Christophe Ena / AP
The Italian Martina Trevisan celebrates her victory in the fourth round of the French Open tennis tournament against the Dutch Kiki Bertens in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
Trevisan, ranked 159th, released his enchanted racket after sealing his victory with a backhand lob from the baseline that Bertens, who had been serving to stay in the match, could only see as it soared over his head and dropped. Trevisan did not. I don’t see the ball falling, but the reaction of her Dutch rival told her that the game was won.
“I saw Bertens’ face that was a little sad, so I said, ‘Yeah, it’s in,'” he said.
Trevisan left tennis for about 4 1/2 years from late 2009 to early 2014, and recently wrote in a blog post that he had dealt with anorexia after his father, a former professional soccer player, battled medical issues. . Trevisan is playing alone in his second Grand Slam. She was a first-round loser in her first: this year’s Australian Open.
Michel Euler / AP
Iga Swiatek of Poland serves against Simona Halep of Romania in the fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium.
Swiatek, who reached the fourth round this year at Melbourne Park, has said that having recently passed his school exams, he now wants to fully focus on his tennis, to see if he should pursue a career or go to college.
Based on the evidence in Paris, the books can wait.
“I have time to grow,” he said. “” It’s perfect for me to do it one step after another. “
AP tennis writer Howard Fendrich in Washington contributed.
