Favorites Nadal, Thiem Ease Into French Open 3R; Djokovic Back Thurs.

by Staff | September 30th, 2020, 9:01 pm
  • 3 Comments

Under more comfortable, warmer conditions, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem both coasted in the French Open third round on Wednesday.

Nadal upped his mark at Roland Garros to 95-2 during his career after breezing past American Mackenzie McDonald 6-1, 6-0, 6-3 in just 1 hour, 40 minutes.

“I am just trying my best every single day. I am working hard in every practice to try to be better and better in every match,” said Nadal who tore off 11 straight games from 1-all in the first. “Today was not that cold, so that’s the main thing. Not that cold, the conditions are not that bad.”


The win puts Rafa into a Friday meeting with Italian Stefano Travaglia who was a winner over Kei Nishikori 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(7), 4-6, 6-2.

Dominic Thiem came from 6-3 down in the third set breaker to eliminate American qualifier Jack Sock 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(6).

Thiem has now won his last nine Grand Slam matches, and heads to the third round to face No. 28 seed Casper Ruud who won in five sets over another American, Tommy Paul.

US Open finalist Alexander Zverev continued to win, but win the hard way. The German overcame a break deficit to Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the second and held on in the fifth, blowing a break lead, to win it 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4 in nearly four hours.

“I think I’m quite fit, to be honest. I feel like physically I’m okay. But sometimes I just feel like I find a way,” Zverev said. “Today I was not the better player on court. I was not hitting my forehand better, not hitting my backhand better, not serving better. I was not doing anything better than he did. But I found a way, which was the most important. Sometimes I manage to do that quite well.”

Zverev, who improves to 13-2 this year in Slams, will next meet former French semifinalist Marco Cecchinato.

High seeds Diego Schwartzman and Stan Wawrinka were also winners. American qualifier Sebastian Korda continued his breakout upsetting the giant John Isner in four sets.

Tomorrow, Novak Djokovic returns against Ricardas Berankis. Stefanis Tstisipas takes on Pablo Cuevas and his fellow youngsters Denis Shapovalov, Matteo Berrettini and Andrey Rublev are also featured. Rublev will meet rising Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

THURSDAY FRENCH OPEN SCHEDULE
** Court Philippe CHATRIER ** Début à 11h00
1 SD 2 Jelena OSTAPENKO (LAT) contre Karolina PLISKOVA (CZE) [2]
suivi de
2 SD 2 Ana BOGDAN (ROU) contre Sofia KENIN (USA)[4]
3 SM 2 Novak DJOKOVIC (SRB) [1] contre Ricardas BERANKIS (LTU)
4 SM 2 Pablo CUEVAS (URU) contre Stefanos TSITSIPAS (GRE) [5]

** Court Suzanne LENGLEN ** Début à 11h00
1 SM 2 Denis SHAPOVALOV (CAN) [9] contre Roberto CARBALLES BAENA (ESP)
suivi de
2 SD 2 Kristyna PLISKOVA (CZE) contre Garbiñe MUGURUZA (ESP) [11]
3 SM 2 Lloyd HARRIS (RSA) contre Matteo BERRETTINI (ITA) [7]
4 SD 2 Elena RYBAKINA (KAZ) [14] contre Fiona FERRO (FRA)


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3 Comments for Favorites Nadal, Thiem Ease Into French Open 3R; Djokovic Back Thurs.

j-kath Says:

I’m surprised by the lack of comments re. this current major tournament.
??????


Mr Brah Says:

what tournament?the one where no ppl are watching or the one nobody is competing in?

do you really expect us to be interested cause Djokovic showed up? nobody fives a sht.

sorry


JFil Says:

Mr. Brah: well you’re obviously here.. Chillax ma dude!

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