Nadal, Djokovic held up by rain
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TORRENTIAL rain threatened to delay Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic’s quarterfinals at the French Open yesterday.
Play was suspended just before 3:30pm local time during the first two women’s quarterfinals at Roland Garros.
Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia was serving for the second set at 5-2 in her match against Caroline Woznacki after the Dane clinched the opener 6-4.
Swiss Timea Bacsinszky was a set up (6-4) on France’s Kristina Mladenovic on Court Philippe Chatrier when play was halted at 1-1 in the second set.
None of the eight women’s quarterfinalists owns a major title.
Nine-time champion Nadal was due to take on compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta, while title-holder Djokovic of Serbia faces sixth seed Dominic Thiem of Austria in a repeat of last year’s semifinal.
Meanwhile, Alize Cornet attempted yesterday to roll back on describing her French Open embrace with compatriot Caroline Garcia as the “coldest kiss” she has received, backing her bitter rival to succeed at Roland Garros.
Cornet lost in straight sets to Garcia in the 4th round on Monday in the pair’s first meeting since a fallout in April left them barely on speaking terms.
Garcia had infuriated Cornet, as well as fellow Paris quarterfinalist Mladenovic, by pulling out of a Fed Cup tie at the 11th hour through injury.
Cornet, Mladenovic as well as teammate Pauline Parmentier then all tweeted ‘LOL’ simultaneously.
After Monday’s match, the two women surprisingly shook hands and embraced, a gesture greeted by huge applause from the Philippe Chatrier crowd.
But Cornet wasn’t letting her defeat pass quietly.
“It was the coldest kiss I had in my life,” said the 27-year-old after a 2-6, 4-6 loss.
“I was actually also surprised. I was not expecting that she wanted to give me a kiss. And I liked it.
“It was good to finish on this note, I wouldn’t have liked like just a handshake, like very cold. I’m not this kind of person. I’m a very nice person. I don’t like the conflict. So I told her good luck, and I mean it.”
Yesterday, Cornet attempted to further extend the olive branch by tweeting good luck to both Garcia and Mladenovic for their quarterfinals.
Garcia, who faces Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova today for a semifinal spot, said she had been the one to initiate the kiss at the net.
“I was just so happy. I just went for it. I mean, everyone was waiting for a very cold match,” said the 23-year-old world No. 27.
“Everyone was surprised. I just tried to stay like a professional player. I play tennis because I enjoy it, and I don’t want to get into any fight with anyone.
“What happened, happened. We never forget about it. Tennis is a game. I play to enjoy and that’s it.”
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