England’s QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune James Bracey QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune to make Test debut vs NZ at Lord’s PAGE 14 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 2021 Becker fears mental Nadal begins with Popyrin health issues could put Osaka’s career in danger win; Struff shock for Rublev DPA LONDON AGENCIES Without the media PARIS BORIS Becker believes Nao- there isn’t any prize mi Osaka’s mental health money, there isn’t any RAFAEL Nadal started his struggles could put her ca- contracts. And you don’t quest for a 14th French Open reer in jeopardy. get half the cake. I hated title with a straight-sets defeat Osaka announced her of Alexei Popyrin on Tuesday. withdrawal from the French the media, personally. I The defending champion Open on Monday evening, didn’t like to speak to will face Richard Gasquet in the having caused a huge stir journalists, but I had to do second round after a 6-3, 6-2, with her decision ahead of it. She has cited that she 7-6 (7-3) victory over powerful the tournament not to fulfil is pulling out of the Australian Popyrin on Court her media obligations. Philippe-Chatrier. The world number two tournament altogether Nadal, eyeing a record opened up on the long bouts because she can’t cope 21st Grand Slam title, saved of depression she has suf- with it. That raises much two set points in the third set fered since being thrust into bigger questions for me as Popyrin gave a demonstra- the global spotlight by win- because, if she can’t cope tion of his promise, but the ning her first grand slam title world number three finished at the US Open in 2018 and with the media in Paris, off the job in in two hours and the anxieties she experiences she can’t cope with the 23 minutes on a glorious day around talking to the media. media at Wimbledon, she in Paris. Speaking on Eurosport, can’t cope with the media Popyrin held to love in his former world number one at the US Open. I almost first service game and matched Becker said on Tuesday: feel like her career is in Nadal in the first set before he “Without the media there ballooned a forehand long and isn’t any prize money, there danger because of mental wide to go 5-3 down. isn’t any contracts. And you health issues and that we Nadal served out the set don’t get half the cake. I should take it very in typically composed fashion hated the media, personally. seriously. and maintained his momen- I didn’t like to speak to jour- tum in the second, charging nalists, but I had to do it. into a 4-0 lead. “She has cited that she ation. We’ve never had this The third seed lost only Defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball to Australian Alexei Popyrin during their men’s singles opening round match is pulling out of the tour- happen before. three points behind his first on Court Philippe-Chatrier on Day 3 of The Roland Garros 2021 French Open in Paris on Tuesday. Nadal won 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3). (AFP) nament altogether because Maybe some people over- serve in the second set, saving she can’t cope with it. That reacted with what the fines the only break point he faced raises much bigger ques- were and all this stuff but the as Popyrin was unable to live Germany’s Results tions for me because, if she rules are there for a reason with his power and precision. Jan-Lennard Men’s SINGLES (1ST ROUND) Jan-Lennard Struff, Germany, def. Andrey Rublev (7), can’t cope with the media because people would find an Popyrin would not go Struff returns Marco Cecchinato, Italy, def. Yasutaka Uchiyama, Japan, Russia, 6-3, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4. in Paris, she can’t cope with excuse. Hers is not an excuse, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. Andreas Seppi, Italy, def. Felix Auger-Aliassime (20), down without a fight, though, the ball to Alex de Minaur (21), Australia, def. Stefano Travaglia, Canada, 6-3, 7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-4. the media at Wimbledon, this is a real reason.” and although Nadal levelled Russia’s Italy, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Philipp Kohlschreiber, Germany, def. Fernando she can’t cope with the me- Regarding what she hopes at 2-2 after fending off a break Andrey Rublev Ricardas Berankis, Lithuania, def. Ugo Humbert (29), Verdasco, Spain, 7-6 (3), 6-2, 2-6, 6-4. dia at the US Open. will happen now, Navratilova point, he was unable to deny during their France, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Diego Schwartzman (10), Argentina, def. Yen-hsun Lu, “I almost feel like her added: “Only support her and Aslan Karatsev (24), Russia, def. Jenson Brooksby, Taiwan, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. the world number 63 a first men’s singles United States, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Richard Gasquet, France, def. Hugo Gaston, France, career is in danger because appreciate the strength it took break for a 4-2 lead. first round Mikael Ymer, Sweden, def. Roberto Carballes Baena, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. of mental health issues and to say that, because now the The 21-year-old failed to tennis match Spain, 6-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Federico Coria, Argentina, def. Feliciano Lopez, Spain, that we should take it very whole world knows about it. win two set points when he at the French Aljaz Bedene, Slovenia, def. Adrian Mannarino, France, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2. seriously.” People say, ‘Oh it’s easy for 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Rafael Nadal (3), Spain, def. Alexei Popyrin, Australia, tried to serve it out at 5-4 up as Open in Paris James Duckworth, Australia, def. Salvatore Caruso, Italy, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (3). Osaka’s media boycott you, you’re famous and rich’. Nadal got himself out of trou- on Tuesday. 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-2. Matteo Berrettini (9), Italy, def. Taro Daniel, Japan, 6-0, blew up into a huge contro- No. The whole world knows ble and went on to dominate (AFP) Gael Monfils (14), France, def. Albert Ramos-Vinolas, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. versy and led to the grand your struggles and that does the tie-break, ending the match Spain, 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4, 6-4. Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay, def. Lucas Pouille, France, 6-3, slams fining her and jointly not make it easier.” Four-time Facundo Bagnis, Argentina, def. Benjamin Bonzi, 6-1, 6-3. with a rasping forehand that his France, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. threatening her with dis- Olympic gold-medallist Sir Mo opponent returned well wide. qualificationfrom the tour- Farah also expressed his sup- “We are playing best-of-five. Nadal at Roland Garros: Diego become a great, no, a fantastic twice a very good first set, but I Rublev, placed in 13-time nament and a potential ban port for Osaka on Tuesday. The other player needs to win Schwartzman, David Goffin player. Let’s see. Let’s see what couldn’t get the job done. champion Rafael Nadal’s from future events. The long-distance run- two more sets to beat you, and and Dominic Thiem. Nadal’s is going on in the next couple “Today I managed to beat quarter of the draw had beat- Former women’s great ner told Jeremy Vine’s show I know I am going to be there victory over Popyrin also of months, years.” him. [It] was very, very close. en the Spaniard en route to his Martina Navratilova said on on Channel 5: “It is our duty fighting for every single point,” marks his 31st consecutive He fought back... [and] I’m firstA TP Masters 1000 final in Tennis Channel: “Clearly this to talk to journalists and talk said Nadal of those set points. win at this event, a streak dat- Struff Upsets Rublev very happy I won 6-4 in the April at Monte-Carlo Masters. is about more than doing a to the camera because that’s “Of course I don’t want to ing back to 2015 (l. Djokovic, Jan-Lennard Struff recorded fifth [set]. It’s a huge win for Rublev, who hit 65 winners press conference after the what we have to do as athletes, lose the set at all, but that’s quarter-finals). his first Top 10 win at a Grand me [at] a Grand Slam against against Struff, helped Russia match or not doing a press but sometimes it’s difficult. part of the game. You face a “With this serve, with Slam upsetting seventh-seed- a Top 10 player.” claim the ATP Cup title and conference after the match. “If someone’s not in the player that [has] decided to these kinds of shots from the ed Russian Andrey Rublev The German struck 63 win- went on to reach the Austral- “Once she said the word right mind-state or going go for every shot, so you are in baseline, (Popyrin has) every- 6-3, 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 over ners, including 25 aces, to set ian Open quarter-finals (l. to depression, which is only up through mental health (is- trouble.