Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

2019 French Open: The older generation prevails

By Jacob Akindele
01 June 2019   |   3:38 am
The older generation prevailed as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori advanced after surviving the stiff challenge by David Goffin, Casper Ruud and Laslo Dere in the third round. Nadal defeated Belgian Goffin 6/1; 6/3; 4/6; 6/3. Federer defeated Norwegian Rudd 6/3; 6/6; 7/6 (8). Nishikori outlasted Slovakia’s Dere 6/4; 6/7(8); 6/3; 4/6; 8/6.…

Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas reacts after winning a point against Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic during their men’s singles third round match on day six of The Roland Garros 2019 French Open tennis tournament in Paris on May 31, 2019. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP)

The older generation prevailed as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori advanced after surviving the stiff challenge by David Goffin, Casper Ruud and Laslo Dere in the third round. Nadal defeated Belgian Goffin 6/1; 6/3; 4/6; 6/3.

Federer defeated Norwegian Rudd 6/3; 6/6; 7/6 (8). Nishikori outlasted Slovakia’s Dere 6/4; 6/7(8); 6/3; 4/6; 8/6.

Nadal dominated the first and also clinched the second set, on a single break of the Goffin serve. However, the 28-year old David took the third set 6/4.

In the fourth set, Nadal broke Goffin’s serve to take the sixth game for 4-2 and extended the lead to 5-2 on his serve. Although he lost the first point on his serve, David won four consecutive points to reduce the tally to 5-3. Serving for the match, Nadal reached 40-0 but lost the first match point on a missed forehand. On the second match point Goffin hit a backhand wide.

The third seeded Federer took the first set on a single break of Rudd’s serve while the second set was a one-way affair that ended 6/1. In the third set, Rudd broke Federer’s serve to lead 2-0 but could not hold the third game and his opponent leveled 2-all.

The games proceeded with serve to reach 6 games apiece. In the tie-break, each player had three points at changeover. Federer reached match point at 6-4 but Ruud leveled for a second changeover. Federer reached a second match point at 8-7 but it was annulled and he eventually took the game 10 points to 8 for the match.

Kei Nishikori prevailed in the day’s marathon clash. After taking the first set 6/4, the younger Dere clinched the tie-break for the second set by 8 points to 6. Nishikori took the third set but Dere leveled the match by taking the fourth set 6/4.

In the fifth set, Nishikori reached 40-14 on serve but lost the game and Dere held to lead 2-0. Nishikori broke back and held serve to lead 4-3. A second break of Dere’s serve gave Nishikori the fifth set 8/6 and he was through to the fourth round.

0 Comments