Key events
McEnroe also said earlier, with regards to Djokovic, that he thinks he’s trying to hit winners earlier in the points than he used to. Whether that is age-related, injury-related or something else, he wasn’t sure.
*Djokovic 1-1 Davidovich Fokina (*denotes next server)
Davidovich Fokina holds to -15.
“This is the hardest I’ve seen Djokovic hit the ball, especially on clay,” says the Eurosport co-commentator McEnroe, following a particularly punishing exchange from the baseline. Davidovich Fokina isn’t intimidated by his opponent, that’s for sure.
Is there anybody out there?
You can email me or tweet @LukeMcLaughlin with your thoughts on this top tennis action.
Djokovic 1-0 *Davidovich Fokina (*denotes next server)
Davidovich Fokina forces 30-30 on the Serb’s serve, then fluffs an unforced error into the net to hand him a game point. Djokovic thumps a fine ace down the middle to seal a hold of serve to kick things off.
The order of play for tomorrow is up on the Roland Garros website. Fill your boots.
Seconds out, round one. Djokovic v Davidovich Fokina is Go.
Davidovich Fokina beat Djokovic last year, in Monte Carlo, but the H2H is 2-1 to Djoko.
Simon Reed tells us that Djokovic was broken nine times in that loss, the most ever.
On the mic for this Djokovic match on Eurosport – Simon Reed and co-commentator John McEnroe. Happy days.
Khachanov beats Kokkinakis! 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5)
The Russian – playing under a neutral flag following his country’s invasion of Ukraine – gets the job done in the fourth, having been a break down, and staring down the barrel of a five-set epic against the awkward customer, Kokkinakis.
Who’s next? A geezer called Novak Djokovic, who is going to meet the Spanish 29th seed, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. This could be a tasty affair.
A word for the world No 82 Kamilla Rakhimova, who played some good stuff today, and found a way to put Sabalenka under a bit of pressure at times. Granted, there only appeared to be one winner but Rakhimova acquitted herself well for the most part. The double faults need to go, though, and as I mentioned earlier, Sabalenka knows all about that.
I should tell you that Sabalenka will face Sloane Stephens or Yulia Putintseva in the fourth round. That match is scheduled to start around about now on Suzanne Lenglen.
Sabalenka kicks off her interview with the customary thanks and greetings to the fans around the court. “It feels amazing to feel your support,” she says to the spectators on Philippe Chatrier. “To be on this court, to have an opportunity to play tennis, and try to show your best … it’s something special to play in front of you.”
Does she feel different, with a grand slam won earlier this year, Wilander asks? “I think every tournament is different … especially Roland Garros is different to the Australian Open, a completely different surface. [But] It’s really good to have a grand slam in your pocket, it gives you so much belief.
“Hopefully I’ll do well here in Paris …”
Next, Wilander asks her about that second-serve ace in the second set. “Are you crazy?” he asks, jokingly.
“I just lost it a little bit, OK whatever, I’ll go full on this one,” Sabalenka says. “And if it doesn’t go in, it doesn’t go in. Lucky me, the wind helped me to put this ball in.”
And finally, Wilander asks, how is she spending her down time in Paris?
“I like to go in the good restaurants, enjoy French food, of course I’ll have some time to enjoy Paris. Actually, I love this place.”
And then she’s off.
Sabalenka beats Rakhimova: 6-2, 6-2
Sabalenka punches a beautiful down-the-line forehand winner for 0-15. Rakhimova double faults for 0-30, her sixth of the match. Sabalenka climbs into a massive second-serve return and it’s three match points – that was her 27th winner of the match, which is fairly frightening.
The first match point comes and goes when Sabalenka hits long … but Rakhimova returns in kind on the next point, and it’s all over. The players shake hands and Sabalenka will have a chat with Mats Wilander.
This is the first time that Sabalenka has reached the second week at Roland Garros.
Khachanov v Kokkinakis is into a fourth-set tiebreak.
*Rakhimova 2-6, 2-5 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
At 40-30 Sabalenka tries a drop shot but flops it into the net. She slumps her shoulders and looks very far from gruntled …
Sabalenka then looks to have the next point won, with a powerful forehand to the corner, but Rakhimova gets it back, and her opponent can only limply find the net with an attempted backhand. Sabalenka smacks the net with he racket in frustration.
A first break point for the Russian … the first serve is out … and Sabalenka produces a second-serve ace! That’s cool. She then crushes a looping down-the-line clean winner to wrestle back the advantage, both psychologically and on the scoreboard.
But, but, but! Sabalenka tries to bully her opponent in another powerful exchange from the back. Again she nets an unforced error when coming in from the back of the court. The are a couple more deuces thrown in, with Rakhimova defending impressively and making her opponent work. But eventually she is worn down and Sabalenka is a game away from victory. Rakhimova must serve to stay in it.
Rakhimova 2-6, 2-4 *Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Rakhimova holds, and displays a wry smile as she seals the game. She just needs to find a way to trouble the scorers on the Sabalenka serve …
Khachanov has struck back against Kokkinakis in the fourth set of their third-round encounter in the men’s singles. It’s 5-5 there now after the Aussie had been a break up. Khachanov is 2-1 up in sets so can finish it if he gets his skates on.
*Rakhimova 2-6, 1-4 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka unveils another party-piece shot with a fearsomely powerful, almost dismissive cross-court winner for 40-0. Rakhimova hits back with one lovely return, a clean winner, off the Sabalenka second serve. But Sabalenka holds easily enough.
Rakhimova 2-6, 1-3 *Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Impressively, Rakhimova re-find something like her best level, and holds to -15.
*Rakhimova 2-6, 0-3 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Another step closer for Sabalenka.
Rakhimova 2-6, 0-2 *Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka now brings up two game break points with an utterly sumptuous forehand winner to the corner. Power, precision, timing. Sensational. She overhits another attempted winner at 15-40 … there is a protracted rally on the next break point, Sabalenka defends well, moves around the court brilliantly and forces the error from her opponent. Daylight on the scoreboard in the second, and tough to see how Rakhimova gets back into this.
Sabalenka’s range of shots, power and ability to raise herself for the big points all look to be a class above her opponent. She is, let’s face it, No 2 in the world for good reason.
*Rakhimova 2-6, 0-1 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
It’s 30-30 on the Sabalenka serve and an important point. Both players unload from the baseline in one of the best rallies of the match so far … Sabalenka smokes a big winner down the line and leaves her opponent flat-footed for 40-30. She rounds off the game with a crunching smash, that looks out-ish, but fine on replay.
Kokkinakis is 4-2 up and remains a break up in the fourth v Khachanov. So a five-setter looks likely. Andy Murray knows all about that.
Sabalenka wins the first set v Rakhimova: 6-2
Another double fault arrives early in the latest service game by Rakhimova. Her serve is malfunctioning. And she looks understandably frustrated. If there’s one player who can relate to serving woes, it’s Sabalenka, but the Belarusian is obviously in no mood to display any sympathy just at the moment with a match on the line. It goes to deuce once, but Sabalenka wraps up the first set, peppering her opponent with a few powerful ground strokes on the way.
*Rakhimova 2-5 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka is in the zone now and she holds to -15. Rakhimova had won six points in a row just a couple of minutes ago … she then slumped to winning one of 11 … in fact one of 12 now, I think. It’s going to take something special for her to get back in contention in this set.
Rakhimova 2-4 *Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Consecutive double faults hands Sabalenka two break points. She converts the first, or rather, Rakhimova hands her the break by hitting long to go with the double faults. Rakhimova swats at a ball in sheer annoyance. Which is quite understandable.
Khachanov 6-4, 6-1, 3-6, 1-3 Kokkinakis is the score in that third-round match.
Khachanov v Kokkinakis is 3-1 in the fourth. The Aussie is a break up, while Khachanov leads by two sets to one. Potential for an epic just like Kokkinakis playeds against Murray back in January.
*Rakhimova 2-3 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Rakhimova really is growing into this and moves quickly to 0-30 on the Sabalenka serve. The Belarusian responds, though, grappling back to 30-30 … Rakhimova runs down a drop shot and clips a winner down the line, but she loses the point by running into the net before the ball has bounced twice. Sabalenka seals the hold from 0-30 down, which is impressive. She then forgets that it’s time for a changeover and shares a quick joke with the umpire as a result.
Rakhimova 2-2 *Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
A love hold for the 21-year-old Rakhimova, who was born in Yekaterinburg, Russia. If there was any pre-match tension in her mind and body, it appears to be easing.
These players were welcomed on to Court Philippe Chatrier by the relentless Roland Garros social media team a little earlier.
*Rakhimova 1-2 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Rakhimova poses something of a question at 40-30. But Sabalenka shuts down any hope her opponent may have with a display of fearsome power, forcing Rakhimova out of the point and holding for 2-1. Time for a sit down and a drink (for the players – I’m sitting down already.)
Rakhimova 1-1 *Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Appropriately for what appears to be a mismatch on paper, Rakhimova’s first service game is a more drawn-out affair. But thanks in no small part to a fortunate drop shot, that appeared to be either badly mishit or misjudged or both, Rakhimova is on the board.
*Rakhimova 0-1 Sabalenka (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka drives a deep, wide and accurate serve to begin, and then powers a winner to the opposite side of the court for 15-0. Ominous. She then miscues a bit forehand for 15-15, and Rakhimova hits long on the next rally for 30-15. A thunderous ace brings up two game points and Sabalenka converts the first with little fuss.
Sabalenka won the toss and will serve.
OK, down to some more serious business in the women’s singles. The Australian Open champion, Aryna Sabalenka, is about to begin her third-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova, the world No 82. It’s the first meeting between these two players.
Sabalenka was in the news a few days ago:
Hello all. Luke here. Signal failure on the Hammersmith & City scuppered my best-laid plans but I’m here now. Which is arguably the most important thing.
Kasatkina speaks to Eurosport after that crushing win against Stearns. She’s asked if she’s happy with how the tournament’s going, and she says “So far”, while clonking herself on the side of her head in that traditional ‘touch wood’ gesture. How endearing.
“I’m really happy,” she says. “I showed a good level of tennis, and even more importantly, a good level of focus …
“Winning in straight sets helps a lot in the slams.”
Daria Kasatkina made extremely quick work of American Patty Stearns earlier, winning 6-0, 6-1 in under an hour. Next up for her, either Anna Blinkova or Elina Svitolina.
Elsewhere, Rublev has taken charge against Sonego, leading 7-5, 4-0, while Kokkinakis is hanging in there in the third set, already two down to Khachanov.
Elise Mertens beats Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-3!
It’s the end of the road for the No 3 seed, who is well beaten by Elise Mertens. The No 28 seed from Belgium is into the fourth round for the third time.
Around the grounds: Let’s catch up with the morning’s play so far. On Philippe-Chatrier, the No 3 seed Jessica Pegula is in trouble, losing the first set 6-1 to Elise Mertens.
On Suzanne-Lenglen, Andrey Rublev has an early break against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. On Simonne-Mathieu, Karen Khachanov is cruising towards the fourth round, leading Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 6-1.
Bonjour. Ça va? Luke will be here shortly to pick up all the latest action. In the meantime, why not catch up on Thursday’s news and matches?
