French Open Lookahead: Big 3 heavy favorites v unseeded foes
A quick look at the French Open:
LOOKAHEAD TO SATURDAY
Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic will be heavy favorites against unseeded players Saturday as they try to advance to the second week at the French Open. Nadal will face No. 45-ranked Cameron Norrie for the third time this year and has won both previous meetings, including in straight sets at the Australian Open. Federer will take on Dominik Koepfer, and Djokovic will face Ricardas Berankis. Also seeking a spot in the round of 16 will be 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, a qualifier who is the youngest man to reach the third round at the French Open since 1992. His opponent will be Jan-Lennard Struff. Two all-American matchups highlight the women's schedule. Sofia Kenin, the highest-seeded remaining player in the draw at No. 4, faces Jessica Pegula, while Jennifer Brady takes on 17-year-old Coco Gauff.
SATURDAY’S FORECAST
Cloudy with a chance of rain. High of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius).
FRIDAY’S WEATHER
Cloudy with some rain. High of 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius).
FRIDAY’S KEY RESULTS
Women’s Third Round: No. 31 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat No. 3 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 2-6, 6-0; No. 7 Serena Williams beat Danielle Collins 6-4, 6-4; No. 15 Victoria Azarenka beat No. 23 Madison Keys 6-2, 6-2; No. 20 Marketa Vondrousova beat Polona Hercog 6-3, 6-3; No. 21 Elena Rybakina beat Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-4.
Men’s Third Round: No. 2 Daniil Medvedev beat No. 32 Reilly Opelka 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas beat No. 31 John Isner 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-1; No. 6 Alexander Zverev beat Laslo Djere 6-2, 7-5, 6-2; No. 12 Pablo Carreno Busta beat Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-4, 6-2; Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat No. 15 Casper Ruud 7-6 (3), 2-6, 7-6 (6), 0-6, 7-5; Federico Delbonis beat No. 27 Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-1, 6-3; No. 22 Cristian Garin beat Marcos Giron 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
STAT OF THE DAY
16 minutes — the length of the final game in Alejandro Davidovich Fokina's upset win over Casper Ruud, which lasted 4 hours, 35 minutes. In the last game, Davidovich Fokina hit an underhand serve to help save a break point.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"It’s an interesting position to be in. I’ve been in that position too, where I've played people that I really admired, but at the same time I wanted to win the match. So the tables have turned. They want to win, and they have nothing to lose. They start hitting lines, and you have to just realize you can hit the lines too.” — Serena Williams on opponents who idolize her.
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