Carlos Alcaraz said he always believed that he would be able to come back as he rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat the No. 1 tennis player in the world, Jannik Sinner, 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) to win his second straight French Open title Sunday.

Alcaraz trailed 5-3, 0-40 on serve in the fourth set but recovered to win his fifth Grand Slam title after five hours, 29 minutes, the longest French Open men’s final in the Open era and the second-longest men’s Grand Slam final ever.

“The match is not finished until he wins the last point,” Alcaraz said in his post-match news conference. “A lot of times people came back from match point down in the final of a Grand Slam or even in other matches. I just wanted to be one of those players who saved match point in the Grand Slam final and ended up winning. … I just believed all the time. I never doubted myself, even in those match points down. I thought, just one point at a time. Just one point, and then after one point, try to save that game and keep believing. That’s what I thought.”

It’s the first time in nine attempts that Alcaraz has come from two sets down to win a match. He is also the eighth man in the Open era to successfully defend the Roland Garros title and is the first man to save match points and win a Grand Slam final since Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2019.

“I’m not going to say that I was believing that he was able to recover from that 5-3, love-40,” Alcaraz’s coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, said. “But one more time with Carlos, everything is possible, and he did it again. Amazing achieve[ment].”

Alcaraz is now 5-0 in Slam finals and extended his head-to-head advantage over Sinner to 8-4.

Carlos Alcaraz showed tremendous sportsmanship after his opponent, Lorenzo Musetti, was forced to retire with injury in the French Open semifinal.

Musetti, coming off two upsets of top-20 ranked players in the world, took the first set from Alcaraz. Alcaraz won the close second set and the third set 6-0 when Musetti appeared to suffer an injury. After going down 0-2 in the fourth set, Musetti motioned to the player’s box that he was done.

Instead of celebrating his victory, Alcaraz stood on the court and applauded his opponent, while encouraging the crowd to do the same.

“Stay strong Lorenzo! I hope you make a quick recovery,” Alcaraz said on X. “Nobody wants to win like that, but I’m very happy to be back in the final at Roland Garros!”

Musetti’s injury appeared to be to his thigh. His clear pain disrupted what was one of Musetti’s best tournament performances of his ATP career.

Alcaraz, the second-ranked player in the world, will go on to face the winner of the match between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic.

Alcaraz is the defending champion of the French Open, and despite a shaky start in the semifinal, he will go on to defend his title.

Rafael Nadal announced Thursday that he will retire from professional tennis after 23 years. The Davis Cup Finals next month will be the last appearance for the 38-year-old legend, who won 22 Grand Slam singles titles in his awe-inspiring career.

“It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time,” Nadal said in a video posted to social media. “But, in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”

Discussion of Nadal’s career begins and ends with the French Open, which he dominated throughout his career. The “King of Clay” won the event 14 times, proving just as effective on the surface as a baby-faced 19-year-old in 2005 as he was battling back from injuries in 2022.

Besides the French Open, Nadal won plenty of singles and doubles grand slam titles, as well as two Olympic gold medals. More than any personal accomplishment, however, his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are likely what will be best-remembered. The Big Three took the tennis world by storm in the 2000s and have incalculably elevated the sport in the two decades since.

The 2008 Wimbledon Final is one of Nadal’s many encounters that are indelibly marked in the sport. Facing down Federer, who had won the event for five straight years, Nadal dueled with the Swiss legend for four hours and 48 minutes, eventually defeating him for his first grand slam title on grass. It is generally considered one of the greatest tennis matches ever played.

While many of Nadal’s run-ins with Federer have earned well-deserved reverence among tennis fans, it’s possible that Djokovic was his true equal. In 60 matches between them, the Serbian holds a 31-29 record against Nadal, who always had a commanding advantage on clay. The pair met in all four grand slam finals, trading victories through their careers.

As Nadal joins Federer in retirement, Djokovic will soon be the last member of the old guard with a new generation stepping forward. Nadal’s accomplishments, alongside his two contemporaries, have inspired those who are following him and will have the same effect on tennis players for generations to come.

Rafael Nadal announced Thursday morning that he will not participate at Wimbledon for the second straight year. While he slowly returns after several injuries in recent years, Nadal explained that he is choosing to focus on training for the 2024 Olympics.

The 38-year-old tennis star said that he has been training for several months on clay courts to prepare for Paris. Wimbledon is held on grass, however, putting Nadal in an unprepared situation for the Grand Slam event.

“I am saddened not to be able to live this year the great atmosphere of that amazing event that will always be in my heart, and be with all the British fans that always gave me great support,” Nadal wrote in a post on X. “I will miss you all.”

Nadal won at Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, but the vast majority of his Grand Slam victories have come in the French Open on clay. He has won the event 14 times, most recently in 2022, demonstrating superior play well into his thirties. At a point in his life where he must preserve himself more, he clearly seems to prefer the idea of taking the time to prepare for his strongest surface.

Last time the Olympics rolled around in 2021, Nadal suffered a foot injury and had to miss the event, as well as Wimbledon. In 2022, he suffered an abdominal tear on the grass and had to withdraw in the semifinals. In 2023, he missed even more time with a hip injury.

It’s unclear how effective Nadal will be in the Olympics coming off a trio of debilitating setbacks, but the experience has clearly taught him to prepare differently at this point in his career. He has already said that he plans to compete in a smaller clay tournament in Bastad, Sweden, in July as a prep for Paris.

All good things must come to an end. For Rafael Nadal, the king of clay, his possible final appearance at the French Open ended early.

The Spaniard lost in straight sets in the first round to Alexander Zverev, the world’s number four. Nadal tried to battle back in the second set but fell 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. Nadal had been rumored to retire coming into the tournament at age 37, but he is turning 38 in a week. However, before he took the court, he opened the door to be back at Roland Garros.

“It’s a big, big change that it’s going to be my last Roland Gorras. But, if I have to tell you it’s my 100% my final Roland Garros? Sorry, but I will not. Because I cannot predict what’s going on.”

However, Nadal has struggled the last two seasons and looks different from the former dominant champion. Injuries, including hip surgery, have ravaged his previous two seasons. In a tune-up before the French Open, Nadal got smashed in Rome, losing in the round of 64 6-1, 6-3 to Hubert Hurkacz, dropping his record to 7-4 coming into the French Open.

Knowing this could be Nadal’s final time in Paris, tennis stars lined the stands to catch a glimpse of him. Rivals Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz sat in on his match and participated in the raucous ovation as Nadal left the clay. Djokovic, the last remaining ranked player between Nadal and Roger Federer, struggled in the Italian Open as well but won his first two matches in Paris.

Nadal has won the French Open an incredible 14 times, including four straight times from 2005-2008. His last major win came in 2022 in Paris before struggling the last couple of seasons. He started his professional career in 2001 and has been a tennis mainstay for over 20 years, winning two Olympic gold medals and every major tournament.

Novak Djokovic, the number #1 player in the world, made a surprising decision this week.

After losing in the Italian Open and looking clearly shaken by getting hit in the head with a water bottle, Djokovic decided to go against his usual habits. According to reports, in need of a boost before the major French Open, the Serbian accepted an invite to play at the Genova ATP.

This is rare for the champion tennis player as most athletes tend to rest before a major competition, but Djokovic could use the extra playing time. He bounced unexpectedly in straight sets this past week in Italy, his earliest departure from the tournament ever, and received medical treatment after the water bottle left him on the ground for over 30 seconds.

After the tournament, he said that the freak accident affected his play and could be a reason for his shock exit. Other stars also struggled in Rome, as Rafael Nadal lost in the first round, and only one player ranked in the top five made it to the semifinals. Djokovic has won the Italian Open six times, and he last reigned supreme in 2022.

The French Open begins on May 26, one week after the conclusion of the Italian Open.

Novak Djokovic is the oldest champion of the French Open singles after he got his record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam men’s singles title.

The Serbian tennis player beat Norwegian Casper Ruud 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 in Sunday’s final at the 2023 Roland Garros tournament. The 36-year-old breaks the record he shared with Rafael Nadal, as he also broke Nadal’s record as the oldest French Open singles champion.

“Another day, another record for you,” Ruud said in his runner-up speech. “This tastes probably the best out of all.”

Djokovic joins three women who won all four tennis majors at least three times by becoming the first man to ever do it. This elite class includes the likes of Serena Williams, Steffi Graf and Margaret Court.

Prior to this, Djokovic beat Nadal’s record for reaching the quarterfinals 17 times in the French Open, now surpassing him further. His victory speech was in French, as Djokovic mentioned that it was special to break the record at the major that has been the most difficult for him to win.

“I waited for this moment and worked really, really hard to eventually get a shot at the historic Grand Slam title,” he said. “I’m obviously overwhelmed with most beautiful emotions at the moment but also huge relief because so much tension, so much intensity, so much, I guess, pressure and expectations.”

In 2007, Roger Federer defeated Djokovic in the U.S. Open during the Grand Slam final, and that stuck with the current French Open champion, as he noted that time was on his side as he sought to improve his game to eventually beat former Swiss tennis player Federer (age 41) and Spanish tennis player Nadal (age 37).

“I have said it before many times that they have actually defined me as a player, and all the success that I have, they have contributed to it, in a way, because of the rivalries and the matchups that we had,” he said. “Those two guys were occupying my mind for the last 15 years quite a lot. In a professional sense.”

After Sunday’s final, Djokovic’s coach, 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, took a line from 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick.

“[Djokovic] takes the legs, then he takes your soul, then he digs your grave and you have a funeral and you’re dead,” Ivanisevic said.

This has been a long journey for Djokovic to get here, as he won his first major at the 2008 Australian Open, to then win ten more Australian Open titles, breaking a record. But there was a gap in time between his first and second major, as it took another three years.

In 2011, Djokovic heated up, as he won 22 of his last 46 major starts and fended off up-and-coming young stars like 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who suffered full-body cramps against Djokovic in Friday’s semifinals. This is what facing a Grand Slam king like Djokovic can do to a younger or less experienced tennis player.

The rivalry and competitiveness between Djokovic against Nadal are unmatched, as both are one of one or, in this case, one of two or three. Other than Djokovic or Nadal, no one has more than three major titles, and no man, younger than 36, has more than one major title.

Federer is definitely in the mix between those two, as he retired with 20 titles in 2022. Nadal is a record 14-time French Open champion, as 2024 may be his last year. Due to a hip injury that required surgery, Nadal missed this year’s French Open and will also miss Wimbledon and the U.S. Open later this summer.

Nadal posted on social media five minutes after Djokovic was in a position most familiar to Nadal, on his back on the red clay of Court Philippe Chatrier in a championship celebration and said this:

“23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it!”

Djokovic has won the first two majors in the year for the third time, as he could possibly looking forward to a calendar Grand Slam. Only German woman’s tennis player Graf has ever accomplished winning all four majors in one year in the last 50 years.

“Truth of the matter is, and reality is, my body is responding differently, so I have to deal with more things physically than I have had maybe in the past,” Djokovic said. “Maybe five to ten years ago I was recovering much quicker or just didn’t feel as much pain in the body and the beating that I’m feeling today.”

With Wimbledon coming up in July, Djokovic will likely be the heavy favorite, as the Serbian won it four times in a row and seven times overall. He is one away from Federer’s men’s records there for total titles and consecutive titles.

If Djokovic can accomplish a calendar Grand Slam, he would break the overall record for major singles titles. At the moment, he is now tied with women tennis players Williams (American) and one less than Court (Australian).

“I don’t want to say that I am the greatest because I feel, I’ve said it before, it’s disrespectful towards all the great champions in different eras of our sport that were played in a completely different way than it is played today,” Djokovic said. “I leave those kinds of discussions of who is the greatest to someone else.”

Novak Djokovic broke a French Open quarterfinals record after his three wins (6-3, 6-2,6-2) over Juan Pablo Varillas on Sunday. This also breaks the tie with his rival Rafael Nadal, as Djokovic has reached the quarterfinals for the French Open 17 times.

Djokovic has also reached the French Open quarterfinals for the 14th consecutive year, which is the most for the event. This is five years longer than the next best with nine, which is from Swiss former pro tennis player Roger Federer.

However, this is only the beginning for the 36-year-old, as he could beat 37-year-old Nadal’s record for Grand Slam singles championships. Both are at 22 championships currently, and the Serbian tennis player could be the first ever in men’s tennis to hoist at least three trophies from each major tournament.

In comparison to Djokovic, the Spanish tennis star has won in Paris 14 times but due to a hip injury, is not in the match this time as he underwent arthroscopic surgery last Friday and is expected to be out for five months at least.

Peru’s Varillas, who was 94th-ranked, was the first Peruvian to reach the fourth round of a grand slam in 29 years. But he dominated the first three sets of Djokovic unsurprisingly.

Djokovic matched up with Russian Karen Khachanov, who was 11-ranked in the contest. Despite being a tougher match, the Serbian continues his victories as he won three out of the four sets, losing the first set 4-6 before roaring back with the next three sets, scoring 7-6, 6-2, and 6-4.

Djokovic statically has been on a hot streak, as finished with more than twice as many winners, 35-15, for the French Open. So far, he has converted 6 of 12 break points, is 15 for 17 on trips to the net, and 80% of his first serves. The Serbian has fewer unforced errors and has only dropped his serve once while not giving up a set yet through four matches.

Federer, who retired with 58 career major quarterfinals, is the only male pro tennis player to reach more than Djokovic, who is sitting at 55 career major quarterfinals. Winning at Roland Garros in 2016 and 2021, his next matchup in the Court Philippe Chatrier is on June 9 and his opponent is still TBD.

It was a familiar sight at the Roland Garros on Sunday afternoon as Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal won the 2022 French Open after besting Norwegian player Casper Ruud in the final. With the win Nadal notches his 14th French Open title, increasing the lead on his seemingly unbeatable record.

Nadal beat the youngster Ruud in straight-sets 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 to capture his not-so-elusive 22nd Grand Slam. The 36-year-old had gone into the match with foot soreness from his everlasting foot injury however, it down slow the Spaniard down on the way to the title. There was tension surrounding the question is Nadal would play again at Roland Garros. But he staved off the uncertainty for now telling his fans, “I don’t know what can happen in the future. I will keep fighting to try and keep going.”

Nadal’s foot injury has increasingly become more of a problem as the legend ages, but he assured the media that his presence in his next competition would happen if he feels his body is ready. “I am going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss, ‘Wimbledon is a priority, always has been a priority. If I’m able to play with anti-inflammatories, yes,’ Nadal said. “To play with anesthetic injections, I do not want to put myself in that position again. It can happen once but no, it’s not the philosophy of life I want to follow.”

With Wimbledon coming at the end of June, Nadal has nearly three weeks to prepare for a chance at another Grand Slam title. With his win at the French Open, he is now only two major victories away from achieving a calendar Grand Slam, an achievement earned when a player wins all four major tournaments in a calendar year. Nadal has already won this year’s French Open and Australian Open and would need to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open to achieve a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since Rod Laver did it in 1969.

Nadal has long been a mainstay at Rolland Garros, a court where he has dominated his entire career. Nadal is 112-3 at the Garros with his romance earning him a statue on the grounds and the nickname “The King of Clay.” Nadal informed his supporters of his intent and desire to return to the famed stadium saying, “I would love to keep coming here, but at the same time we need to find a solution because I can’t keep going the way that I am doing. Let’s see. I am always a positive guy and always expect things are going the right way. Let’s be confident, let’s be positive, and let’s see what’s going on.”

Nadal is the oldest male champion of the French Open.

In one of the most-anticipated matches of the 2022 French Open, Rafael Nadal got one over on his career rival and one of the best tennis players of all time, Novak Djokovic. The Spanish legend beat the Swiss player in four sets to advance to the semifinals Tuesday night. The match began around 9 p.m. and went well over into the next day, lasting an unrelenting four hours. Nadal had taken the first set 6-2 before Djokovic took the second set and fourth causing a fifth playoff in which Nadal rallied back from down 2-5.

This marked the 59th time that Nadal and Djokovic have faced each other head-to-head, the most any two men have been pitted against each other in history. Nadal has won 29 of those matches while Djokovic has won 30. The win over Djokovic also prevents him from a chance of tying Nadal’s record  21 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic’s loss also means that his French Open title defense is lost after he won the event last year. Nadal now has a chance to add to both his Grand Slam trophies and also extend his French Open title record. Nadal’s 13 French Open titles are more than double that of second-most holder Bjorn Borg. Nadal will face No. 3 Alexander Zverev from Germany in the semifinals on Friday.

Nadal’s win is even more impressive since he has been battling a chronic foot injury that he has been dealing with for the better part of the last two decades. First sustained in 2005, the foot injury kept Nadal from playing much of 2021, and he had brought his personal doctor with him to Roland Garros for the 2022 French Open. The injury as well as his age means that this year’s competition may be the last French Open of his career. The 35-year-old told reporters on Sunday, “Two and a half weeks ago, even if I had (positive hopes) after Rome, I didn’t even know if I would be able to be here. So I’m just enjoying the fact that I am here for one more year. And being honest, every match that I play here, I don’t know if it is going to be my last match in Roland Garros in my tennis career.”

The tennis legend is two wins away from another trophy and knows the significance of his win over Djokovic and what it means to the fans coming to see him play, “The crowd has been amazing since the beginning of the tournament,” Nadal said. “I don’t know. I think probably they know that I’m not going to be here many more times. I don’t know what can happen. I think as I said before, I’m going to be playing this tournament because we are doing the things to be ready to play this tournament, but I don’t know what’s going to happen after here.”

He’s in. He’s out. Now he’s in again: Following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, French Open officials say that Novak Djokovic will be allowed to defend his title.

The tournament, which is set to be the first Grand Slam sans any coronavirus-related restrictions since things got hectic, begins on May 22. Though French tennis federation president Gilles Moretton noted that things could change before that date.

France Monday lifted restrictions in all public places except hospitals, nursing homes and public transportation.

“As things stand, nothing stands in the way of Djokovic taking part in the French Open,” tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said.

Russian tennis players will be allowed to play but only as neutral athletes, of course due to the war in Ukraine.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner was unable to defend his Australian Open title in January, it was a big thing. The 34-year-old is also out of numerous U.S. tournaments sans proof of vaccination.

“There’s still a virus circulating, and we have to be cautious,” Moretton said. “If things were to happen again and the government would take new measures, we would not be excluded from these measures.”

On the heels of relaxed vaccine rules in the country, Novak Djokovic may be able to compete in the French Open after his ordeal with the Australian Open. The Serbian was famously prevented from playing Down Under due to his firm anti-Covid-19-vaccination stance.

France had the same vaccination standards as Australia, but Prime Minister Jean Castex said Thursday that on March 14 people will no longer have to show proof of vaccination to access public venues—including sports stadiums.

The French Open begins on May 22.

The lightening of restrictions could also pave the way for the 34-year-old to play in April’s Monte Carlo Masters.

“The situation is improving thanks to our collective efforts,” Castex said. “The conditions are met for a new phase of easing of measures.”

Djokovic said during the Australian Open fiasco that missing large tournaments was “the price [he] was willing to pay” to eschew the vaccine.

Since digging his heels in, though, he lost his world number one ranking—a spot he’s held since February 2020—overtaken by Daniil Medvedev after being knocked out in the quarterfinals of last week’s Dubai Open, his first tourney since the Australian Open.

In Naomi Osaka’s first press conference since withdrawing from the French Open, she was reduced to tears and was forced to step away from the podium. According to New York Times tennis reporter Ben Rothberg, Osaka was set off by “a fairly aggressively toned question about how she benefits from a high-media profile but doesn’t like talking to media.”

Osaka was visibly upset and teary-eyed before the announcement that she would be taking a break from the conference and stepping away from the podium. Osaka did return to the podium and finished the conference.

It has been reported that Osaka will be donating her prize money from the tournament to Haiti in their relief efforts after the recent earthquake.

In May, Osaka announced she did not wish to participate in media conferences during the French Open due to mental health concerns. This decision received a lot of criticism and was the driving factor in Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the tournament. Osaka proceeded to opt out of Wimbledon and returned to the court at the Olympics, where she served as the final torchbearer for Japan.

“I was a little bit embarrassed to go out because I didn’t know if people were looking at me in a different way than they did before,” Osaka said at her recent press conference. “I think the biggest eye-opener was going to the Olympics and having other athletes come up to me and say they were really glad that I did what I did.”

Novak Djokovic made a stunning run to win the French Open on Sunday for just the second time in his career. However, he had an equally heartwarming moment when he gifted the tennis racket he used during the match to a young fan eagerly watching and admiring the tennis great.

After being pushed to the brink of elimination in the championship, Djokovic stormed back and won in a best-of-five sets match. Following his electrifying victory, Djokovic shook hands with his competitor before heading over to the crowd, where he found a young boy and gave him the racket he had just used to defeat opponent Stefanos Tsotsipas. Stunned, the boy began crying tears of joy over such a meaningful piece of equipment being gifted to him by a living legend in the sport of tennis.

In the press conference following his exit from the court, Djokovic stated that he did not know the young boy, but that the child had been so loudly supportive during the match that he felt a need to reward him in some way.

While Djokovic was running on fumes during the championship, the extra spark he needed came from this unlikely source. With the win (facilitated by the young boy), Djokovic is now just one Grand Slam tournament victory away from 20, a record dually held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The victory might be a good omen for Djokovic, though, as it was his seventh since he became 30 years old – the most anybody that age or older has won.

Djokovic will have a chance at history at the next Grand Slam event, Wimbledon, which is slated to begin on June 28.

Roger Federer was victorious in his French Open match on Monday against Denis Istomin. This 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 victory marked his return to Grand Slam tennis after a slight absence. His reinstatement comes after two knee surgeries which caused him to miss most of the 2020 season. Federer entered the tournament as the eighth seed and was the champion of the tournament in 2009.

“What a pleasure to be back,” said Federer. “Overall I’m very happy [with my movement], I can attest to that, as well. I moved pretty well today. I also kept rallies short purposely so I wouldn’t get dragged into long rallies. Always throw in the drop shot. We’ll see what happens.”

This was Federer’s fourth match and third tournament of the year. He debuted in Geneva and Doha at ATP 250 events, where he claimed two victories and one defeat. His defeat was at the hands of Pablo Andujar, who was ranked 75th internationally. Istomin was ranked 204th in the world, which is the lowest spot of anyone Federer has played against this year.

Federer took down Uzbekistan’s Istomin quite handily, extending his win streak over him to eight. Federer did not face a break point in the contest. He also won 80 percent of his points after converting his first serve. Additionally, he won 15 of 19 points off of his second serve. Federer recorded 48 winners in the match, 15 of which occurred in the first 22 minutes. He even attempted a between-the-legs shot (also known as a “tweener”) but was unsuccessful as he hit the ball out of play. The all-time great was very successful when serving and volleying, winning 79 percent of his net points (19 of 24). The crowd at Court Phillipe Chatrier, although limited to 1,000 people, showered Federer with applause

“I just felt overall much clearer, much better,” Federer said. “Clearly also maybe the type of opponent allowed me to have many different ways to win the point. I knew if I came to the net, that was an option. Hitting a drop shot was always an option. Taking the ball early was an option,” reflected Federer.

His victory moves him to the second round of the French Open, as he looks for another win in his Grand Slam return. Federer will face Croatian Marin Cilic, who defeated Arthur Rinderknetch in the first round 7-6 (6), 6-1. 6-2.

Cilic is currently ranked 47th in the world and will face Federer for the 11th time. Federer has won nine of the 10 meetings between the two athletes, however, Cilic has won all nine matches he has played in 2021. It will be difficult for Cilic to extend his 2021 win streak against one of the best players to ever take the court. Cilic’s lone victory against Federer came all the way back in 2014, when the Croatian ousted the all-time great from the US Open semi finals. Their last meeting came in the finals of the 2018 Australian Open. Federer won that match in a hard-fought five-set contest 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Wednesday’s contest will be the duo’s first matchup against each other in the French Open.

It has been three years since the two competitors have faced off. Cilic will be looking for the second-round upset in what should be a great match between the 39-year-old Swiss and the 32-year-old Croatian.

Naomi Osaka of Japan has exited from competing in the 2021 French Open. She announced through Twitter on May 31 that she will “take some time away from the court now.”

Osaka declared that she would not talk to the media before the commencement of the French Open, citing concerns for her own mental health. Osaka was fined $15,000 for refusing to engage with media outlets. This came after she skipped Sunday’s post-match press conference following her win over Patricia Maria Tig.

“We want to underline that rules are in place to ensure all players are treated exactly the same, no matter their stature, beliefs or achievement, said Grand Slam Organizers in a statement. “As a sport there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while others honor their commitments.” The Grand Slam Organizers are a coalition of officials from Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open. They went on to say that Osaka would face more consequences if she continually refused to speak to the media.

Osaka further explained her withdrawal from the tournament. “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” Osaka said. “I never wanted to be a distraction, and I accept that my timing was not ideal and our message could have been clearer.”

“First and foremost, we are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka,” stated Gilles Moretton, who is president of the French Tennis Federation. “The outcome of Naomi withdrawing from Roland Garros is unfortunate. We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery and we look forward to having Naomi in our tournament next year.” Moretton also assured the media of the Grand Slam’s commitment to the mental health of athletes.

Celebrities such as Stephen Curry and Coco Gauff have shown support for Osaka on social media in the midst of her withdrawal controversy.

For the first time since 2014, Serena Williams trotted off the court, or in this case clay, while suffering a defeat during a major tournament’s first week at the French Open in Paris. Williams fell to fellow American Sofia Kenin after a 6-2, 7-5 final score on Saturday, shocking Williams and those following the 37-year-old as she sought out career Grand Slam victory number 24.

Unpredictably, this match’s results fell secondary as far surprises go, as No. 1-seeded Naomi Osaka’s bid to capture a French Open title ended after a crushing defeat to the No. 42-ranked Katerina Siniakova.

Kenin structured her game against Williams effectively, setting herself up to deliver multiple clean groundstrokes that led to pivotal points. After falling behind each set early, both times Williams battled back, yet eventually folded with mistakes, including a match–ending backhand stroke which sailed beyond the court, cementing Kenin’s win. After acquiring easily her most impressive career victory yet, the 20-year-old will now earns a spot against Australian Ashleigh Barty on Monday morning. Although any victory against Williams indeed stands as a career–highlighting achievement, Williams admittedly played not to her highest capabilities, as despite mentioning her enjoyment when playing in the tournament she almost withdrew amid a lingering knee issue.

Williams surely remains a top figure surrounding women’s tennis, but the once untouchable powerhouse now finds herself blazing down a bumpy road. Williams missed four Grand Slams during the 2017-18 season while going through her pregnancy. Williams also generated disappointment during last year’s French Open as she withdrew after experiencing discomfort from a chest muscle injuries.

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Williams still managed to display her championship mindset and attitude, as both remained undeterred by her loss. Williams first credited Kenin’s outstanding play as she stated, “In that first set, in particular, she hit pretty much inches from the line, and I haven’t played anyone like that in a long time. I just saw a player that was playing unbelievable.” Williams later expressed her motivation to perform at a higher level at future tournaments on Instagram with a truly inspirational post. Most likely, Williams already has July 1 circled on her calendar, as there she’ll try and capture her next Grand Slam victory at Wimbledon.

Serena Williams is back in competition, this time for the French Open, seeking her 24th major singles title. The 37-year-old 10th seed faced off against 83-ranked Russian Vitalia Diatchenko on Monday during the start of Roland Garros.

Diatchenko won the first series 6-2, but Williams countered back to win the last two sets in two dominant 6-1 and 6-0 performances. 

Williams hasn’t won a trophy since the 2017 Australian Open, before her 13 month maternity leave. She has played just nine matches in 2019, after battling a continuous knee injury that has kept her out of multiple tournaments. Williams has been wearing a knee brace in practices.

Williams will face Kurumi Nara on Thursday. Nara has climbed through the qualifiers in multiple close matches, including a victory (7-5, 5-7, 6-3) against 107-ranked Dalila Jakupovic. Nara is causing a stir inside the tournament this year, upsetting Jakupovic, but is in for a tough matchup this Thursday against veteran champion Williams. 

Ahead of Nara, Williams could face the likes of Bianca Andreescu, the 22nd seed. Williams has nice layout for herself this tournament. If she were to beat Nara and Andreescu, she could possibly face No. 8-seeded Australian national, Ashleigh Barty, who Williams defeated in this competition last year in the second round.

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It could get tough for Williams in the quarterfinals, however, as she will most likely face No. 1-seed Naomi Osaka, a young Japanese international. Osaka defeated Williams in last year’s U.S. Open. 

Williams is currently in second for most singles titles (23), just one under Australian legend Margaret Court with 24. 

Williams also recently defended her longtime sponsor Nike, which some female athletes criticized for cutting sponsorship payments around the time of pregnancy.

Novak Djokovic admitted on Tuesday he is unsure about whether or not he will compete in Wimbledon next month.

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The 31-year-old Serb’s comments came after he was knocked out of the French Open in Paris by losing 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 7-6 (13-11) to Italian Marco Cecchinato, the World No. 72.

“I don’t know if I’m going to play on grass,” Djokovic said after the loss. “I don’t wan’t to talk about tennis right now,” added the former World No. 1, who was the 20th seed at Roland Garros and has since dropped to No. 22 in the Worlds standings.

Elbow and neck injuries hindered 12-time Grand Slam winner Djokovic’s play in Paris this year, and he was treated for these injuries on Tuesday. The French Open ends on Sunday.

Wimbledon is scheduled to begin on July 2.

The last time Djokovic reached a major tournament semi-final was at the 2016 US Open. The Serb retired from Wimbledon 2017 in the quarterfinals after experiencing pain in his elbow during a match against Tomas Berdych. Djokovic subsequently decided to take time off from competitive tennis.

Djokovic returned to play in January, when he advanced to the last 16 round of the Australian Open. However, he ultimately required treatment on the same elbow he had previously injured.

“Any defeat is difficult in the Grand Slams, especially the one that came from months of build-up,” he said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Djokovic trails Roger Federer (20), Rafael Nadal (16), and Pete Sampras (14) for the most Grand Slam titles by a male player in the modern era. The Serb is tied with Roy Emerson in this category.

Among Djokovic’s career victories are three Wimbledon titles and one French Open trophy.

The second-best tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, fell in straight sets to Dominick Thiem in the quarterfinals of the French Open on Wednesday in Paris.

The No. 2 seed Djokovic fell to the No. 6 seed and seventh-best player in the world in Thiem 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-0. The match seemed to be smooth sailing for Thiem, and he will face Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.

The defending French Open champion looked lost on the clay court, and Wednesday marked the first time in 2016 in Rome where he lost a set without winning a single game. This occurrence has only happened to Djokovic nine times in his tour-level career, but with three of them coming in Grand Slams.

Djokovic was also trying to become the first player in the Open Era and just the third player ever to win every Grand Slam twice. He had finally won every tournament when he defeated Englishmen Andy Murray to win the French Open last year, but repeating is never an easy task, especially in tennis.

The Serbian came into the match 5-0 all-time against Thiem, but fall handily in just two hours and 15 minutes. Thiem posted 38 winners to Djokovic’s 18, and Thiem had 28 unforced errors as opposed to 35 for Djokovic. The third and final set of course, put the game to rest as Thiem improves to 22-4 on clay this season. He will have to face arguably the best clay court player on the planet in Nadal, a nine-time French Open champion, on Friday.

Djokovic said in a press conference that, “Obviously nothing was going my way and everything his way. All in all, it was decided I think in the first set. He deserved to win. He was definitely the better player on the court today.”