French Open 2023 results: Casper Ruud through to third round, Jannik Sinner loses five-set epic
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Casper Ruud is bidding to win his first Grand Slam title after losing to Rafael Nadal in the 2022 French Open final
French Open 2023 |
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Dates: 28 May-11 June Venue: Roland Garros, Paris |
Coverage: Live text and radio commentaries of selected matches across BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, the BBC Sport website and app |
Fourth seed Casper Ruud moved into the French Open third round with a four-set victory over Italy's Giulio Zeppieri.
The Norwegian, 24, was in control early on and after being forced into a fourth set, he rallied to secure a 6-3 6-2 4-6 7-5 win.
Ruud is chasing a first Grand Slam title after losing in the finals at the US Open and Roland Garros last year.
But eighth seed Jannik Sinner is out after losing a five-set epic against Germany's Daniel Altmaier.
After breaking early in the first two sets, Ruud struggled for rhythm in the third and a fired-up Zeppieri won it with his first break of the match.
Ruud got the break in the fourth and, serving for the match for the second time, sealed the win in three hours and four minutes.
He will face Zhang Zhizhen of China in the next round.
German 22nd seed Alexander Zverev, a semi-finalist for the past two years, sailed through in straight sets against Slovakia's Alex Molcan in the night match on court Philippe Chatrier.
Zverev, who made a painful exit last year when an ankle injury forced him to retire against Rafael Nadal, won 6-4 6-2 6-1 in one hour 58 minutes and will face 12th seed Frances Tiafoe after the American beat Aslan Karatsev 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-2.
"I was so nervous before today," said Zverev. "I really appreciate playing on this court, even with what happened last year, I still love to play on this court and I'm unbelievably happy to win on this court.
"I am happy I'm finding my form, finding my rhythm. This is the tournament you want to play, you want to win."
'One to remember' for Altmaier
The crowd on court Suzanne Lenglen were treated to the fifth-longest match in Roland Garros history as, after five hours and 26 minutes, Altmaier completed a surprise 6-7 (0-7) 7-6 (9-7) 1-6 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 win over Italy's Sinner.
After the pair took a tie-break each in the opening two sets, Sinner breezed through the third and brought up two match points in the fourth.
Altmaier was indebted to the net cord to save the first of them and then won the match's third tie-break to force a fifth set.
Sinner, who came out on top of a five-setter between the duo at the last year's US Open, broke as Altmaier first served for the match.
He proceeded to save four match points in a 12-minute final game before the German clinched a hard-earned victory with an ace.
"We have had historical matches and there were so many match points," Altmaier said. "It was one to remember."
Altmaier will play 2014 Wimbledon semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria in round three after the 28th seed beat Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-4.
Later on the same court, American ninth seed Taylor Fritz overcame Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, and a boisterous home crowd, to win 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.
Chile's Nicolas Jarry is also through to the last 32 after a 3-6 6-1 6-4 7-5 win over 16th seed Tommy Paul of the United States.
Meanwhile, Borna Coric battled through in another five-set match. The 15th seed from Croatia beat Argentina's Pedro Cachin 6-3 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Another Argentine is next up for Coric after Tomas Martin Etcheverry saw off 18th seed Alex de Minaur of Australia in straight sets, 6-3 7-6 (7-2) 6-3.
There were also wins for 23rd seed Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina and Japanese 27th seed Yoshihito Nishioka.
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