Tsitsipas, Mevedev Upset; Djokovic v Nadal French Open QF

by Staff | May 30th, 2022, 3:55 pm
  • 3 Comments

Upsets finally hit the men’s draw at the French Open as the youth youth movement continues. Stefanos Tsitsipas who is just 23 was upended by a kid four years his younger in Holger Rune who took down the 2021 finalist in a stunner 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

With his speed around the court, drop shots and powerful backhand, Rune had his way for the most part against Tsitsipas who was flat for most of the match.

Rune led by two breaks in the fifth and lost one and then hung on to close out the biggest win of his career, and send off the first Top 8 seed of the men’s event.


“I have an unbelievable feeling right now,” Rune said on court. “I was so nervous at the end but the crowd was amazing for me the whole match, the whole tournament. I am so grateful and so happy to be playing on this court. You guys are amazing.

“I was very nervous but I know at the same time that if I go away from my tactics against a player like Tsitsipas I am going to lose for sure. I told myself just to keep at it and play my plan in the tough moments. It worked out so well in the end and gave me a huge confidence boost. It is just so great to still be here.”

Rune had never even won a match in a Slam before, though he did win the French juniors. He’s the first man from Denmark to make a Slam quarterfinal in the Open Era.

“I tried to play an aggressive performance,” Rune added. “When Stefanos gets a shorter ball, he attacks a lot, so I had to play aggressively and really fast, taking time away from him. I really like playing drop shots, it is fun to play and it worked out really well.”

For Tsitsipas, it was another disappointing end to a Slam.

“These kids are going to want to beat me badly because obviously they are chasing,” the Greek said.

“I’m chasing too, but I’m at a different kind of position than they are. I’m hungry to beat them too. Now that they have beaten me I want payback.”

Up next for Rune on Wednesday will be Casper Ruud who made his own history. The 23-year-old Ruud became the first player from Norway to make a Slam quarter after easing past Hubert Hurkacz 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

“It feels great,” said Ruud to the crowd. “It’s been one of the goals for me this year, to try and reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam. I don’t know why, but suddenly when I came here this year I felt a little bit more experienced playing five sets. I wasn’t able to play in Australia so Roland Garros was a big goal for me, especially this year.”

Andrey Rublev returned to the quarterfinals after getting yet another retirement from Jannik Sinner. The Italian easily took the first but then in the second injury his knee forcing to eventually retire in the third down 1-6, 6-4, 2-0. It’s the second time he’s retired to Rublev after Vienna in 2020.

Rublev won’t meet his countryman Daniil Medvedev because the world No. 2 got taken out by Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. Cilic had never defeated Medvedev before blowing a two set lead at Wimbledon last year. But today, dominated the Russian in an hour, 45 minutes and never faced a break point.

Tomorrow, Carlos Alcaraz will looking to get another win over Alexander Zverev and up his win streak to 15. Both guys saved a match point last week!

And then in the nightcap, for the 59th time Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal collide. Djokovic has was two of their last three at the French Open including their most recent clash a year ago.

FRENCH OPEN TUESDAY ORDER OF PLAY
Court Philippe CHATRIER – Début à 12h00
1 SD Q Martina TREVISAN (ITA) contre Leylah FERNANDEZ (CAN)[17]2 SD Q Coco GAUFF (USA)[18] contre Sloane STEPHENS (USA)
3 SM Q Alexander ZVEREV (GER)[3] contre Carlos ALCARAZ (ESP)[6]
Pas avant 20h45
4 SM Q Novak DJOKOVIC (SRB)[1] contre Rafael NADAL (ESP)[5]


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Nadal Mounts Furious Comeback On Mevedev At ATP Final; Djokovic v Federer Thurs.
Novak Djokovic v Stefanos Tsitsipas For The Australian Open Title, Who’s The Pick?
Djokovic, Nadal, Alcaraz All On Brutal Half Of French Open Draw
Sinner Sinks Sonego In Halle, Hurkacz Upset; Mevedev v RBA, Zverev v Jarry In QFs

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3 Comments for Tsitsipas, Mevedev Upset; Djokovic v Nadal French Open QF

chrisford1 Says:

Rafa&Novak, # 59 in the most played rivalry in the Modern Era. It will be a night game, which helps Novak, but edge to Rafa Nadal because you just don’t bet against Rafa at RG!
What a brutal top half draw!

Andy Murray is busy prepping for Wimbledon:
https://twitter.com/atptour/status/1531062616633786370/photo/2

Coco Gauff is shaping up to be a top player.
And while no one “earns the title” before they get it over other top athletes, Iga Swiatek has earned the right to be called #1 and a star. Fun to watch.


zed Says:

Match will be 4:45 AM start (let’s say 5 AM) here in Aus which is early but manageable.

I watched last year and saw Novak wipe the floor with him, here’s hoping for a repeat.


zed Says:

p.s. it is currently 30 to 28 in favour of Novak.

Interestingly Rafa accumulated more than half of his wins in the early days. By the end of 2010 it was 16 to Rafa and only 7 to Novak.

It wasn’t until the 2015 ATP finals that Novak reached parity at 23 v 23.

Since then Novak has stayed a couple of matches ahead. In the subsequent 12 matches they’ve played 7 were on clay, 4 on outdoor hard courts (all 4 to Novak) and only one match was on grass (Novak).

Of the 7 on clay, as you’d expect, Rafa won 5 of them, but Novak is the most recent winner in last year’s French. Rafa beat him in the Rome ATP 1000 just before the French.

We didn’t see a Rome head to head this year for the two but Novak took the tournament.

It will be a great match. Betting markets are favouring Novak for what that’s worth.

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