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PARIS: France’s Alize Cornet returns the ball to Hungary’s Timea Babos during their tennis match at the Roland Garros 2017 French Open yesterday in Paris. — AFP Zverev, Konta flop at French Open

PARIS: Alexander Zverev, the man seen as a potential French Guido Pella 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. “I love to be playing this tournament Open champion, crashed out in the first round yesterday while again after five years,” said 2009 US Open champion Del Potro, Johanna Konta became the second top 10 women’s player to who reached the quarter-finals in his last appearance in Paris exit. Zverev, just 20 and fresh from his sensational Rome Masters before blowing a two-set lead against Roger Federer. demolition of Novak Djokovic, slumped to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei, the world number 109, stunned sev- defeat to Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, 13 years his senior. enth seed Konta 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. “I played absolute shit, that’s why I lost,” said Zverev. Konta is the second top 10 woman to lose in the first three “But life goes on, it’s not a tragedy. In Rome I played fantastic, I days after world number one Angelique Kerber was also dumped won the tournament. Here I played bad, I lost first round. That’s out in the first round. the way it goes.” In a match controversially suspended on “I tried very hard and gave myself a big chance. Every time I Monday at one set each, Zverev was defeated in a fog of mistakes tried to run as fast as I can and get the ball back,” said Hsieh, who and despondency. won for the just the second time in seven trips to Roland Garros. The beanpole German committed 50 unforced errors and Konta has yet to win one match in the main draw in three drew jeers from the Philippe Chatrier court crowd when he took attempts. There were no such problems for fifth-seeded Rome out his frustration by hammering his racquet into the clay. champion Elina Svitolina as the 2015 quarter-finalist defeated Left-handed Verdasco, playing his 14th Roland Garros and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-3. Andy Murray targets 56th consecutive major, had lost to Zverev in the first round on a French Open tonic later Tuesday as the 2016 runner-up seeks clay in Madrid earlier this year. But he is an experienced Grand to get his season back on track. Slam competitor, making the last 16 in Paris on four occasions. World number one Murray, who was the first British man to “I practised really hard before this match against a great play- reach the Paris final since 1937 when he lost to Novak Djokovic er like Alexander and I am super happy to be here on this court,” 12 months ago, faces Andrey Kuznetsov. The 30-year-old has said Verdasco who next plays France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert. endured a trying 2017 with bouts of illness as well as an elbow “Maybe it was my experience. You have to be ready emotion- ally and physically because it can be a long match.” Third seed injury conspiring against him and his form. and 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka was an easy winner, defeat- He suffered a shock fourth round defeat to Mischa Zverev at ing Slovakian qualifier Jozef Kovalik 6-2, 7-6 (8/6), 6-3. the Australian Open. Wawrinka saved two set points in the second set tiebreaker On clay, he lost in the third round in Monte Carlo, made the before going on to down the 152nd-ranked qualifier. semis in Barcelona, was a third-round loser in Madrid before an opening defeat in Rome to Fabio Fognini. DEL POTRO RETURNS In the women’s event, 2014 runner-up Simona Halep, seeded Juan Martin del Potro marked his return to the French Open three, faces Jana Cepelova of Slovakia whose only two wins at after an absence of five years by defeating Argentine compatriot the tournament came four years ago. — AFP PARIS: Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro returns the ball to compatriot Guido Pella during their first round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, yesterday. — AP Arsene Wenger to extend Arsenal reign: Reports

LONDON: Arsene Wenger has told Arsenal owner Wenger, who has won three Premier League Fifth-placed Arsenal finished 18 points behind Stan Kroenke he will accept the Premier League titles and a record seven FA Cups with the Gunners, Chelsea, with embarrassing defeats at Crystal club’s offer of a new two-year contract, according will attend an Arsenal board meeting yesterday Palace and West Bromwich Albion ruining their to reports yesterday. when the contract should be rubber-stamped. chances of staying in the top four. Wenger met Gunners majority shareholder Wenger will outline his plans for close-season Those losses, combined with a Champions Kroenke and chief executive Ivan Gazidis on signings and while there may still be some tinker- League last 16 thrashing by Bayern Munich, Monday to discuss his future before his contract ing with his backroom staff it will not be without prompted the most sustained fan protests against expires next month. The 67-year-old has been his approval. Gazidis would still like to bring in a Wenger in his two-decade reign. heavily criticised this season, with Arsenal fans sporting director to coordinate issues ranging Fans staged protest marches, flew planes over calling for his resignation after their team failed to from scouting and medicine to youth develop- Arsenal matches trailing banners calling for qualify for the Champions League for the first ment and analytics. But Wenger has been told he Wenger to go and even stayed away in droves time in 20 years. will retain control of the key areas of team selec- when the Gunners faces Sunderland in their penul- Suggestions that Arsenal may insist on hiring a tion and transfers. timate home match. Wenger, who has won the FA director of football to work with Wenger had With his reign set to reach 23 years if he sees Cup three times in the last four years, showed how sparked claims the Frenchman was considering out the new deal, Wenger has a chance to sal- much the abuse had affected him last week when ending his 21-year reign. vage what was in danger of becoming a tar- he spoke to the BBC before the Wembley show- But after leading Arsenal to an impressive 2-1 nished reputation. First on his to-do list will be down with Chelsea. FA Cup final victory over Premier League champi- making improved contract offers to Alexis “I believe there’s a difference between being ons Chelsea with Kroenke watching from the Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. criticised and being treated in a way that human stands on Saturday, Wenger had hinted he was The unsettled Arsenal stars are holding out for beings don’t deserve,” he said. “The lack of respect willing to stay. And the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror weekly wages of around £300,000 ($385,000) per from some has been a disgrace and I will never reported Wenger has informed American tycoon week with their present deals due to expire at the accept that. I will never forget it. Kroenke, who remains a firm supporter of his man- end of next season. “The behaviour of some people during the sea- ager, that he wants to remain in charge of the With no Champions League football to offer son, that is what hurts me most. “It’s not my person LONDON: File photo shows Arsenal team manager Arsene Wenger, center, talks to Arsenal’s north London club. to potential new recruits, Wenger stills face a that is hurt but the impeccable image of the club team captain Per Mertesacker during the English FA Cup final soccer match between Arsenal A formal announcement of Wenger’s new con- tough task to win the Premier League for the first around the world. “That kind of behaviour does and Chelsea at Wembley stadium in London. — AP tract is expected to come today. time since 2004. not reflect what Arsenal is.” — AFP