Murray sets up Nishikori clash
Print Edition
GETTING better and better, Andy Murray worked his way into the quarterfinals of the French Open for the fourth straight year by beating Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 yesterday.
The top-ranked Murray became the 15th man to reach 650 tour-level match wins.
“I think today was probably the best I have played overall. Each match I feel like I played better,” said Murray, who lost in last year’s final to Novak Djokovic. “I have hit the ball cleaner and started to hit the right shots at the right moments. (I have) come a long way the last ten days or so.”
Murray had never before played the unseeded Russian. The 53rd-ranked Khachanov made 38 unforced errors, compared to only 14 for Murray.
Murray will next play eighth-seeded Kei Nishikori, who recovered to beat Fernando Verdasco 0-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-0.
“Kei is dangerous off both wings,” Murray said. “Moves well.”
Murray took time to remember the 29 people who died in the recent outrages in London and Manchester.
“Obviously there was terrible tragedy in London and Manchester. Paris has had its problems too in recent years,” said Murray.
“I am sure everyone will join me... we share our thoughts and prayers with everyone who has been affected.
“I appreciate everyone still coming out to support the tennis. I am grateful that I can still perform in front of everyone.”
Earlier, third-seeded Simona Halep and fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina advanced and will face each other in the quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
In four previous matches on clay, Halep had never been able to beat Carla Suarez Navarro. But the Romanian took care of that problem yesterday, routing Spain’s Suarez Navarro 6-1, 6-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I was expecting a very tough game,” said Halep, the 2014 French Open runner-up. “I managed to push her back.”
The 25-year-old Halep can become the new world No. 1 if she wins the title but before that she has to tackle Svitolina.
The two met in the Rome final on the eve of Roland Garros when Halep was beaten and suffered an ankle injury which threatened her appearance in Paris.
Svitolina rallied to beat Croatian qualifier and world No. 290 Petra Martic 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
The 290th-ranked Martic was leading 5-2 and 30-0 on Svitolina’s serve in the deciding set. The Ukrainian managed to hold serve, however, which allowed Martic to serve for the match at 5-3.
But Svitolina, who needed treatment on her back at the start of the third set, broke and soon won on her second match point, when Martic hit a backhand into the net.
“It was amazing tennis from Petra today and she was really striking the ball well,” the Ukrainian said. “I was really happy to come back in the second set. Thanks to the crowd for cheering me on. They gave me the energy to fight.”
Former champion Stan Wawrinka was playing later yesterday. The third-seeded Swiss, the French Open champion in 2015, took on 15th-seeded Gael Monfils.
Czech world No. 2 Karolina Pliskova, also in the running to become both a first time major winner and the new world No. 1, was facing Veronica Cepede Royg in her last-16 tie.
Cepede Royg, ranked 97, is only the second Paraguayan to make the 4th round of a major. The only other was Rossana de los Rios in Paris 17 years ago.
Argentina’s Paola Suarez was the last South American woman to reach a quarterfinal at a Slam at Wimbledon in 2004.
Yesterday’s other last-16 clash sees an all-French battle between Alize Cornet and Caroline Garcia.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
