Key events
Boisson digs in to hold serve and the Paris crowd, a little quiet in the opening stages, are starting to get behind her. On Lenglen, Griekspoor earns a break point and converts it, putting away a volley to go 2-0 up on Zverev early in the first set.
Pegula’s best run here came in 2022, when she lost to Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals. She defeated Marketa Vondrousova, a former finalist here, in the last round. Anyway, back to today, and Pegula has deuce on Boisson’s serve at 2-2 …
Zverev leads Griekspoor 7-2 in their head-to-head record, but the Dutchman pushed him all the way in the third round here last year, Zverev eventually winning a fifth-set tiebreak on his way to the final. This is also Griekspoor’s first trip to the last 16 at a grand slam – and he starts with a routine service hold.
Zverev is about to get started on Lenglen, up against the world No 35, Tallon Griekspoor. Meanwhile on Chatrier, Boisson breaks straight back and is level at 1-1.
A tough start for the outsider, as Pegula breaks in the first game. It’s been a remarkable run to the fourth round for Boisson; she missed the chance to make her French Open debut last year after tearing her ACL, and is currently ranked 361st in the world. She’s also the last French player standing in either singles draw.
Boisson is serving first against Pegula – if the name seems familiar, she’s the player who received an unpleasant dig from Harriet Dart during a match in Rouen, and handled the fallout in style. And now here she is, in the French Open last 16.
Next up for Andreeva, it’ll be either the No 3 seed, Jessica Pegula, or France’s home hopeful, Lois Boisson. They’re up next on Chatrier, while Alexander Zverev takes on Tallon Griekspoor on Suzanne-Lenglen.
Andreeva chats to Mats Wilander: “I hate playing against herm we practice a lot and even that can be torture for me. I have to play people I don’t like,” she jokes. “Daria raised her level in the second set, but I thought I just have to keep going, keep believing in myself. I’m so happy to be in the quarter-finals.”
Mirra Andreeva beats Daria Kasatkina 6-3, 7-5
It’s been a back-and-forth battle, but Andreeva has prevailed in the key moments – and she shows no sign of nerves in marching to 40-15 and two match points. The first is missed, but Kasatkina goes long on the second. Andreeva is into the quarter finals!
Andreeva fends off a set point in a hard-fought hold, and then at 5-5, Kasatkina hits another rocky patch. The teenager has two break points, and converts with a looping, slightly mishit return that leaves Kasatkina flat-footed. 6-5, and Andreeva will serve for the match …
Gauff is asked to say something in French, but says she hasn’t learned much – pointing the blame at her Parisian coach, Jean-Christophe Faurel, for not teaching her.
Gauff: “Overall, I thought I played great – she stepped up her game in the second set, she was hitting some balls right on the line. I’m very comfortable on clay, I think my results show that! It’s the most physical surface, and I think that suits my game.”
Coco Gauff beats Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-0, 7-5
The No 2 seed gets the job done, serving out to book her quarter-final place. The first set was a cakewalk, the second a much tougher test – but Gauff was always in charge. She’ll face another American next – either Madison Keys or outsider Hailey Baptiste.
That parity doesn’t last long, as Gauff moves up a gear to race to 40-0 up on Alexandrova’s serve, clinching the break as her opponent wafts a sliced shot wide. And on Lenglen, Kasatkina’s service game unravels, Andreeva delivering a ruthless cross-court winner to break straight back. Now she’ll serve to save the second set.
Kasatkina breaks again, coming out on top in a bruising rally – and now she’s serving to level the match! On Chatrier, Alexandrova and Gauff are locked at 5-5 in the second set.
Now or never for Alexandrova to take a break opportunity, at 40-15 up in the eighth game of the set – and this time she does get it done with a big cross-court forehand. And what’s this? Seconds later, Kasatkina plays a similar winner to break Andreeva and level up the second set at 3-3. Games on!
Andreeva holds serve and is just three games from victory at 6-3, 3-1 ahead. Gauff pounces to set up three break points, but Alexandrova shows tremendous grit to prevail in two long rallies and get back to deuce. But it’s all for nothing as Gauff drills a backhand down the line, then seals the break via a helpful net-cord bounce.
Alexandrova must wish she could have settled quicker; after burning the first set, she’s been much better in the second and is making each service game difficult for Gauff. The American digs her way to another hold, though, and it’s 3-3 in the second set.
Andreeva’s best run at a slam to date came here last year, when she beat Aryna Sablenka on her way to the semis. She’ll be looking to go that far again at least this year and has Kasatkina on the rack here – although her opponent saves a third straight break by digging out a service hold.
From absolutely dominating the first five games, Gauff has been drawn into a bit of a scrap – but her opponent simply can’t convert a break point. More chances go begging here as Gauff holds for 2-2; Alexandrova is now 0-7 on break points.
Magical stuff from Andreeva here, somehow chasing down a Kasatkina drop shot and sending a perfect lob beyond her opponent. That’s earned her a break in the opening game of the second set, and she’s threatening to run away with this now.
On Chatrier, Alexandrova is making a better go of things in the second set, getting on the board with her first service holds. She leads 2-1, still on serve.
Andreeva breaks in the eighth game of the opening set, and is now trying to serve it out against Kasatkina. An angled forehand clips the line on set point, and she takes it 6-3.
On Lenglen, Andreeva also sees off break points to lead Kastakina 4-3, the first set still on serve. An intriguing clash of styles in that match already.
Broken again and 5-0 down, Alexandrova begins to get something together as Gauff serves for the set – but five break points come and go, and the American eventually seals the bagel despite some first-serve issues.
Gauff has made an ominous start here, taking 16 of the first 20 points and breaking twice to open up a 4-0 lead. Andreeva and Kasatkina are on serve at 2-2 in the first set.
It’s been a nervy start from Alexandrova, losing her serve cheaply in the opening game, and Gauff backs up the break to lead 2-0. On Suzanne-Lenglen, a potential corker between rising star Mirra Andreeva and Daria Kasatkina – born in Russia, now representing Australia – is getting under way.
First up on Chatrier, it’s Coco Gauff against Ekaterina Alexandrova. The American has a 3-1 lead in their head-to-head record. Gauff reached the final in 2022, losing to Swiatek, who also eliminated her in the last two years. As for Alexandrova, she is yet to reach a slam quarter-final but is capable of causing an upset on her day.
If you missed it yesterday, Iga Swiatek’s fourth-round win over Elena Rybakina was an all-timer. The defending champion lost eight of the first nine games and was on course for an embarrassing end to her long winning run here. But Swiatek dug in, levelled up and inched her way ahead in a marathon third set, winning it 7-5 in a match that would have been an excellent final. Or who knows, maybe even Sunday’s night match.
Preamble
Bienvenue. The fourth round continues today at Roland-Garros, and if Sunday’s action is any kind of guide, we could be in for a humdinger of a day. Here’s the order of play:
Court Philippe-Chatrier (from 10am BST)
(20) Ekaterina Alexandrova v Coco Gauff (2)
Lois Boisson v Jessica Pegula (3)
Cameron Norrie v Novak Djokovic (6)
Night game: (1) Jannik Sinner v Andrey Rublev (17)
Court Suzanne-Lenglen (from 10am BST)
(6) Mirra Andreeva v Daria Kasatkina (17)
(3) Alexander Zverev v Tallon Griekspoor
(7) Madison Keys v Hailey Baptiste
Alexander Bublik v Jack Draper (5)
