South China Morning Post

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Czech Vondrousova, who became the first unseeded woman to lift the title last year, earned a far less welcome accolade after a 6-4, 6-2 defeat by Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Murray, 37, takes the decision after surgery to remove a spinal cyst, though will play in the doubles with his brother Jamie.

Tokyo doubles champion Andrey Rublev opted not to compete as a neutral athlete in Paris, but US Open winner Daniil Medvedev will.

Odds will be stacked against the seven-time Wimbledon champion and the holder of 24 grand slam titles when the tournament gets under way following recent knee surgery.

Martina Navratilova tips world No 1 Iga Świątek to amass substantial majors haul, says Coco Gauff is finally living up to ‘hype’

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz drawn to face top seed Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals while women’s top seed Iga Świątek is in same section as last year’s winner, Marketa Vondrousova.

Debut at the grass-court grand slam event, weeks after a first appearance in the French Open, makes Wong ‘feel like I belong’.

Everything you need to know as tennis enters the grass court season – which means the greatest players flocking to London to dress in all white and play at the All England Club.

The 37-year-old Scot went under the knife on Saturday after withdrawing from his second-round match at the Queen’s warm-up event in London on Wednesday.

The former world number ones, plus local hope and US Open winner Emma Raducanu, were granted entry into the main draw after taking lengthy breaks from the sport.

The four-time grand slam winner, who lit the cauldron at opening of the 2021 Tokyo Games, returned to tennis late last year after a 15-month maternity break.

Sinner is the first player from Italy to reach No 1 since the computerised rankings began in 1973 and will be the top-seeded man at Wimbledon.

Spaniard, 21, claimed third grand slam with five-set victory over Alexander Zverev at Roland Garros which means he has now won a major on all three surfaces.

‘I’m a perfectionist, so there’s always pressure on me,’ she says. ‘When outside pressure hits me, it is a little bit worse’.

Carlos Alcaraz is a two-time grand slam winner, while Alexander Zverev is still seeking his first. However, this will be the first final at Roland Garros for either player.

Clash will be the first men’s Roland Garros semi-final between two players under the age of 23, with the pair tied at 4-4 head to head.

The Italian, who had never been past the fourth round at a major, beat Russian Mirra Andreeva and will face holder Iga Świątek in the final.

The Serb had an operation on Wednesday after tearing a meniscus at the French Open, threatening his Wimbledon and Olympics chances.

Novak Djokovic withdrew from the French Open with an injured right knee on Tuesday, ending his title defence and meaning he will relinquish the No 1 ranking.

Novak Djokovic raises injury concerns after coming from a set down to beat Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo in fourth round.

Big-hitting Belarusian won 6-2, 6-3 and has now dropped only 18 games over her four matches, while fourth-seed Elena Rybakina breezed past Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-3.

Defending champion made the last 16 by beating Italy’s Musetti in the tournament’s latest-ever finish, and now faces Argentina’s Cerundolo.

Novak Djokovic avoids crashing to worst defeat in 15 years, battling back to beat Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti in game that ends at 3.07am.

Zhang, who made history in Paris 12 months ago, lost 6-3 6-3 6-1 to the Greek hitter on Friday with Tsitsipas winning the match in just 91 minutes to set up a meeting with Italian Matteo Arnaldi.

Goffin said a fan spat chewing gum as he defeated a French player, and follows acts of jeering this week and last year; French players say the fans ‘add spice’.

Nadal, the undisputed king of Roland Garros with 14 grand slam wins there, was beaten in straight sets in first round, raising suspicions it could have been his last appearance.

China’s Zheng Qinwen powers past Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1 at Roland Garros, bringing curtain down on Frenchwoman’s 20 years in tennis.

The Serbian world No 1, who is seeking his fourth Roland Garros title and record-extending 25th major, is on his worst run of form since 2018.

Zhang Zhizhen beats Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, while Wang Yafan downs Maria Timofeeva 6-3, 6-3. Naomi Osaka into second round and potential clash with Iga Świątek.

Naomi Osaka is first up on the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier against Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, with Carlos Alcaraz facing lucky loser JJ Wolf.