Key events
First set: Sabalenka 3-4 Zheng* (*denotes next server)
Last year at the French Open Sabalenka had her equivalent of Tottenham’s lasagne moment, losing in the quarter-finals to Mirra Andreeva after being laid low by a stomach upset. “I’m definitely not going to go for the same meal I had before that quarter-finals match,” Sabalenka said before this. “The lesson is learned.” She must find it hard to stomach Zheng’s winner for 30-all, though, when Zheng nails a forehand winner down the line with pinpoint precision. But Sabalenka steadies herself and holds from there.
First set: Sabalenka* 2-4 Zheng (*denotes next server)
Zheng looks a little wobbly in the early exchanges of this game, and throws in a double. But then a couple of great serves get her to 40-30, and she makes Sabalenka pay for a weak return with a drilled backhand down the line. She then complains to the umpire about spectators moving around during points; many are still to find their seats with the stadium not yet even half full.
First set: Sabalenka 2-3 Zheng* (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka stems the flow with a love hold. And there’ll be more questions about Nick Kyrgios’s future after news of his withdrawal from Wimbledon …
First set: Sabalenka* 1-3 Zheng (*denotes next server)
Much credit to Zheng for the way she’s started this match. Both are excellent ball strikers, though Sabalenka usually has a touch more power and panache, but the fairly slow conditions in Paris this year – and as I type that the sun flickers in and out – have neutralised that a little, along with her serve. Zheng consolidates the break by holding to 15, the highlight the final point, when she’s drawn forward by a drop shot and wins the exchange on her second volley.
Zheng breaks: Sabalenka 1-2 Zheng* (*denotes next server)
A lovely touch drop volley from Zheng and she’s got a sniff at 0-30 on Sabalenka’s serve. “It’s a good tactic on the slow clay,” says Chris Evert on the commentary. I could listen to her all day. And there’s an “ooooh” from Chrissie when Zheng’s forehand smacks the sideline for a winner! 15-40, two break points. Zheng unwinds with an inside-out forehand … and then comes forward a few steps to wallop another inside-outer and there’s the break!
First set: Sabalenka* 1-1 Zheng (*denotes next server)
A commanding opening service game for Zheng. 15-0, 30-0, 40-0 … and it really should be game, but her shot deep to Sabalenka’s right wing is called out. Zheng constructs the next point well, moving Sabalenka around before coming forward … but the Chinese world No 7 nets. The longest rally of the match so far plays out, 16 shots, and it’s Zheng who is victorious. They’re both on the board.
First set: Sabalenka 1-0 Zheng* (*denotes next server)
Sabalenka, serving, wins the opening point. Not that I saw it because I was busy laughing at Rafa’s birthday video. Has there ever been a tennis player who was such a warrior on the court but so unassuming off it? Anyway, 15-0 on Sabalenka’s serve progresses to 30-all. And then 40-30. Zheng, with her right arm heavily strapped, gets a backhand return in, but it doesn’t have too much power and it gives Sabalenka the initiative in the point, and the Belarusian biffs away a winner.
Here Sabalenka and Zheng come, on a sunny and warm-ish day in Paris. It’s the world No 1, top seed and reigning Australian Open and US Open champ against the last woman to win at Roland Garros – after Zheng’s Olympic gold medal last summer. Sabalenka leads the head-to-head 6-1 but (and it’s a reasonably big but) Zheng did get the better of the Belarusian on the clay in Rome in straight sets last month.
HB Rafa!
Some more catching-up on yesterday:
Jack Draper will, of course, be hurting after his exit yesterday, but sometimes you simply have to say too good to your opponent – Alexander Bublik was inspired and played probably the match of his life. This has still been a clay-court season of real progress for Draper, reaching the fourth round for the first time, having never won a match at Roland Garros previously, as well as getting to the final of the Madrid Open and moving up to No 5 in the world. He can now turn his focus to grass, a surface that has brought him more success than clay so far in his career, having won his first ATP title, at the Stuttgart Open, last year. He’ll very much be in the mix at Wimbledon if he can handle the expectation.
Today’s order of play
Philippe Chatrier (11am start/10am BST)
(1) Aryna Sabalenka (Blr) v (8) Zheng Qinwen (Chn)
(13) Elina Svitolina (Ukr) v (5) Iga Swiatek (Pol)
(8) Lorenzo Musetti (Ita) v (15) Frances Tiafoe (US)
Night match: (12) Tommy Paul (US) v (2) Carlos Alcaraz (Spa)
Suzanne Lenglen (11am/10am BST)
(6) Veronika Kudermetova (Rus) & Elise Mertens (Bel) v (2) Sara Errani (Ita) & Jasmine Paolini (Ita)
Olga Danilovic (Ser) & Anastasia Potapova (Rus) v (4) Mirra Andreeva (Rus) & Diana Shnaider (Rus)
(1) Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukr) & Mate Pavic (Cro) v Desirae Krawczyk (US) & Neal Skupski (GB)
Simonne Mathieu (11am/10am BST)
(9) Christian Harrison (US) & Evan King (US) v (2) Harri Heliovaara (Fin) & Henry Patten (GB)
(8) Joe Salisbury (GB) & Neal Skupski (GB) v (15) Matthew Ebden (Aus) & John Peers (Aus)
(4) Taylor Townsend (US) & Evan King (US) v Laura Siegemund (Ger) & Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra)
Preamble
Bonjour et bienvenue! After a fourth round featuring surging comebacks, a French revolution from a wildcard ranked 361 in the world, Jannik Sinner in continued cyborg mode and a total wipeout for the Brits, it’s time for the quarter-finals to begin.
The day session features no less than a four-times French Open champion, a world No 1, an Olympic gold medallist, a mother and honorary Frenchwoman playing some of the best tennis of her career, a stylish Italian who’s a new player on the block in the top 10 and a rejuvenated American who’s broken new ground on clay this fortnight. Oui, it’s Aryna Sabalenka v Zheng Qinwen, Iga Swiatek v Elina Svitolina and Lorenzo Musetti v Frances Tiafoe.
All three matches promise much: Musetti and Tiafoe for their charisma, Sabalenka and Zheng for their clinical ball striking and Swiatek and Svitolina for, well, everything if their quarter-final comes anywhere close to matching the drama of their utterly absorbing fourth-round wins over Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini respectively.
Play begins at: 11am Paris time/10am BST. Don’t go anywhere!
