Sports Thursday, May 30, 2019 19 Federer stays flawless, Nishikori fights back to overcome Tsonga Nadal sails smooth; Tsitsipas clears stern test Agencies Paris

Even during a clinically ef- ficient win, still produced enough mas- terstrokes to have the crowd purring as he moved past German quali- fier Oscar Otte into the third round on Wednesday. The 37-year-old, welcomed back to Roland Garros with open arms after missing the of Spain after his straight sets win over Yannick Maden last three editions, was kept on of Germany at the French Open on Wednesday. (EPA-EFE) his toes throughout the Court Philippe Chatrier contest, but raised his game when needed reSULTS to prevail 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Men SINGLES 2nd Round Women Singles 2nd ROUND With perfect Swiss timing Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x6) bt (BOL) 4-6, (USA x7) bt Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-0, 6-3, 7-5; Filip Krajinovic (SRB) bt Roberto Carballes (ESP) 6-1, 7-6 (7/3); (SLO) bt Jennifer he broke serve once in each set Baena (ESP) 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (1/7), 3-6, 8-6; Stan Brady (USA) 6-3, 6-7 (8/10), 6-4; Garbine Muguruza -- in the 10th game of the first, Wawrinka (SUI x24) bt Christian Garin (CHI) 6-1, 6-4, (ESP x19) bt (SWE) 6-4, 6-1; Elina the eighth game of the sec- 6-0; (FRA) bt (GER) Svitolina (UKR x9) bt (UKR) -- walko- ond and the ninth game of the 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; Casper Ruud (NOR) bt ver; Marketa Vondrousova (CZE) bt Anastasia Potapova (ITA x29) 6-4, 7-5, 6-3; Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Oscar (RUS) 6-4, 6-0; Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x28) bt third – to subdue the world Otte (GER) 6-4, 6-3, 6-4; (JPN x7) bt (USA) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3; Elise Mertens number 144. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Laslo Djere (BEL x20) bt Diane Parry (FRA) 6-1, 6-3; Anastasija Just for good measure (SRB x31) bt Alexei Popyrin (AUS) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4; Sevastova (LAT x12) bt (LUX) 6-2, 6-4; Federer finished the one-hour Juan Ignacio Londero (ARG) bt (FRA) Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) bt (KAZ) 7-5, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4; Corentin Moutet (FRA) bt 6-1; (EST) bt Shuai Zhang (CHN) 6-7 36 minute match off with a ’s Roger Federer during his second round French Open match against Germany’s Oscar Otte at the Roland Garros on Wednesday. (AFP) (ARG x19) 6-3, 6-1, 2-6, 7-5; (BEL x27) bt (4/7), 6-0, 7-5; Petra Martic (CRO x31) bt Kristina signature flourish on the Pa- Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-2, 6-4, 6-3; Rafael Nadal Mladenovic (FRA) 6-2, 6-1; Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) risian clay, a glorious drop vol- (ESP x2) bt Yannick Maden (GER) 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. bt Kristina Kucova (SVK) 6-2, 6-2. ley played with casual ease. Third seed Federer, whose tine Juan Ignacio Londero. victory against Swede Johan- only French Open title came A Gasquet victory would na Larsson. 10 years ago, has won his first have guaranteed a French The Spaniard, seeded 19th, six sets and with a favourable presence in the fourth round was kept on her toes in the draw he looks in the form to after the 20-year-old Corentin opening set before motoring mount another challenge. Moutet, Londero’s next oppo- on in the second on Court Su- Next up for the 20-times nent, downed Argentine 19th zanne Lenglen. champion is Nor- seed Guido Pella. Muguruza, who lifted the way’s 63rd-ranked Casper Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 2016, Ruud. came through a stern test relied on her booming fore- Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal against tricky Bolivian Hugo hand throughout and wrapped left German qualifier Yannick Dellien to book his place in it up when Larsson netted a Maden no hope as he booked the third round of the French service return. his ticket for the third round Open for the first time. “I’m very happy, it’s an- of the French Open in ruthless The sixth seed eventually other win in a Grand Slam. fashion with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 vic- Japan’s Kei Nishikori winning against France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Spain’s Garbine Muguruza celebrates defeating Sweden’s Johanna won an intriguing claycourt It’s a special tournament for tory on Wednesday. Nishikori won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. (AFP) Larsson in the women’s singles second round. (AFP) contest 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 in me,” the 25-year-old, who also The defending champion, front of an appreciative crowd won Wimbledon in 2017, told chasing a record-extending business like when Maden Nadal told a courtside inter- Japan’s Kei Nishikori over- in the fourth to advance in on the stunning Court Simonne a courtside interviewer. 12th title at Roland Garros, broke back for 4-4 and the viewer on Court Suzanne Len- came a sluggish start to see solid fashion. Mathieu, but it was a sweat. She will face Elina Svi- powered through the first two contest ended when the world glen, where he has never lost. off local favourite Jo-Wilfried Nishikori will face Serbian tolina after the ninth seed sets before being slightly both- number 114 returned wide. His only two defeats in 90 Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. 31st seed Laslo Djere for a Muguruza moves up advanced without hitting a ered in the third. “He’s a good player, he matches here happened on the The seventh seed looked place in the fourth round. with ease ball on Wednesday when her But the second seed from had won four matches – three main Court Philippe Chatrier. tight in the opening set be- Another Frenchman, Rich- On the women’s side, former opponent, fellow Ukrainian Spain, who looks to become in qualifications – going into Nadal will take on David fore finding his range on ard Gasquet, was also sent champion Garbine Mugu- Kateryna Kozlova, withdrew the first player to win a Grand this match, he had gained con- Goffin, the 27th seed, for a Court Philippe-Chatrier, ral- packing as he slumped to a 6-2 ruza cantered into the third from the tournament due to Slam title 12 times, stayed fidence,” an always gracious place in the fourth round. lying back from a break down 3-6 6-3 6-4 defeat by Argen- round with a routine 6-4 6-1 intercostal pain.

Davis Cup exile and food allergy: Fashion at the French Open Laaksonen eyes Djokovic shock Yes to Roland Garros skeletons AFP in his ligaments and joints after Paris eating seafood and was often confined to bed. and zebra stripes, no to flowers! Once banished from the Da- He won just one match in vis Cup and seeing his career a six-month period last year plunged into crisis by a myste- before deciding to see if his fa- AFP rious food allergy, Henri Laak- vourite food was at the root of Paris sonen finally gets his moment his problems. “I ate it (fish) and in the Grand Slam spotlight on directly the next day I got a fe- There’s been a few skel- Thursday when he faces Novak ver again (38 degrees), and all etons, the odd zebra and tiger Djokovic at Roland Garros. the tendons, ligaments... I had stripe at Roland Garros... and Think Swiss men’s pain,” Laaksonen told ATPTour. flowers. and the thought process is dom- Henri Laaksonen of Switzerland com this week. However, when Whatever you do, just inated by 20-time Grand Slam will get his moment in the Grand he swore off fish, he could prac- don’t ask Britain’s Kyle Ed- Big money title winner Roger Federer and Slam spotlight on Thursday when tice and play. mund about the flowers. , who has three he faces . (EPA-EFE) In January, a rejuvenated He is not a fan of the flo- There’s big money in on-court tennis majors to his name. Laaksonen won his first ever ral designs which adorned fashion and the four Grand Slam Not many think of 27-year- dropped from the Swiss Davis match at a major when he his shirt in his opening round events are targeted battlegrounds. old Laaksonen, the Finnish- Cup team for “bad behaviour”. came through qualifying to match at the French Open. Their significance was highlighted last born world number 104 who got “His behaviour in training reach the second round at the “I wouldn’t personally pick summer when Roger Federer parted into the French Open main draw was unacceptable, he showed a . flowers if I had to do,” said the company with Nike after two decades, as a lucky loser when America’s total lack of respect,” said team On Thursday, he will meet straight-talking South Afri- signing instead a $300 million deal pulled out. captain Severin Luthi. one of the ‘Big Three’ for the first can-born but Yorkshire-bred with Japanese manufacturer Uniqlo. He made the most of his Laaksonen was eventually time when he tackles 15-time Englishman. unexpected stroke of fortune fined before being welcomed major winner Djokovic who is Edmund was referring to by registering his first win in back into the fold although he bidding to hold all four Slams at the flower-print design of the of Britain, sporting a floral design shirt, in action against Jeremy Chardy of France during the tournament by seeing off was to play no part in Swit- the same time for a second time. shirt given to him for Roland their men’s first round match at the French Open on Monday.(EP A-EFE) Spain’s Pedro Martinez. zerland’s 2014 final triumph “I don’t know too much Garros by Nike. Next up, a battle with world over France. about him, to be honest,” said “You get what you’re given highlighted last summer when really like it,” said the Canadian. Court Global Design Director, number one Djokovic on Thurs- Last year, he was laid low Djokovic, the 2016 champion. with Nike. So there’s actually Roger Federer parted com- Nike also supplied Serena explaining the classic ‘toile’ day for a place in the third when he developed a sudden “I never played against him, a story behind it rather than pany with Nike after two dec- Williams’s ‘mother, champion, style on show in Paris, said: round. However, fortune and and painful allergy to seafood, and I did watch him play maybe they just decide to come up ades, signing instead a $300 queen, goddess’ cape which “We wanted to play off the favour have not always smiled despite having consumed it vir- once or twice. I’m going to have with it. So there’s a reason to million deal with Japanese the American wore onto Court history of the area in an un- on Laaksonen. tually every day for most of his to do my homework and see do with the French Revolu- manufacturer Uniqlo. Philippe Chatrier on Monday. expected way. “We saw a big Back in 2013, he was life. He started developing pain what happens.” tion, I was told. It was a 10-year agreement, Once she started playing, opportunity pairing a classic “I’m sure if you said I even though Federer was almost she revealed a two-piece black- French motif within a tradition- would like to wear something 37 when he penned the deal. and-white outfit, slit at one al sport like tennis.” else and I don’t want to play in Canadian teen Bianca An- thigh. The 23-time major win- Australia’s top player Ash- Quick read this, they would accommodate. dreescu, the shock champion ner also found herself defending leigh Barty said her black-and- “But, you know, I’ve in Indian Wells this year, ad- her sponsors after the company white stripe outfit by Fila “pops”. Czech Lucie Safarova retires from the sport played in pink kits and bright mitted that the selection on of- said it would change its policy of “A lot of the girls are in yellow kits, so this one was not fer was certainly striking. cutting female athletes’ pay dur- black and in darker colours, PARIS: Czech Lucie Safarova, the 2015 French Open runner-up, said she retired from tennis on too bad.” She sports the skeleton op- ing and after pregnancy. and it always look good against Wednesday. Safarova, 32, played her last match in the doubles in Paris with Dominika Cibulkova, There’s big money in on- tion which shares fabric space “That’s what it’s about. It’s the red clay. When I put it on, the pair losing to Sofia Kenin and 6-4 6-0 in the opening round. court tennis fashion and the with... geese. “I mean, maybe about learning from mistakes it’s not as out there as I thought Safarova reached a career high of world number five in the singles rankings in 2015. four Grand Slam events are they’re running out of ideas, but and doing better,” said the it would be. But I’m happy to She also won the women’s doubles’ title at Roland Garros in 2015 and 2017. (Reuters) targeted battlegrounds. I think it’s something different. 37-year-old. wear whatever. It’s comfort- Their significance wasAnd I can’t complain. I actually Abby Swancutt, the Nike- able, so I’m good to go.”