Zverev Reaches his 4th Consecutive French Open Semifinal

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2024 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his quarter final match against Australia's Alex De Minaur REUTERS/Yves Herman
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2024 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his quarter final match against Australia's Alex De Minaur REUTERS/Yves Herman
TT

Zverev Reaches his 4th Consecutive French Open Semifinal

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2024 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his quarter final match against Australia's Alex De Minaur REUTERS/Yves Herman
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 5, 2024 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his quarter final match against Australia's Alex De Minaur REUTERS/Yves Herman

Alexander Zverev beat Alex de Minaur 6-4, 7-6 (5), 6-4 on Wednesday night to reach the French Open semifinals for the fourth year in a row.
Zverev extended his current winning streak to 11 matches, including a title on clay at the Italian Open last month, and his victory over the 11th-seeded de Minaur at Court Philippe Chatrier moves him into a matchup against two-time Roland Garros runner-up Casper Ruud on Friday.
The other men’s semifinal Friday is No. 2 Jannik Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January, against No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, who owns two major trophies. None of the four men left in the bracket has ever won the French Open, and this will be the first title match in Paris since 2004 without at least one of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer.
The women's semifinals Thursday are No. 1 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 3 Coco Gauff, followed by No. 12 Jasmine Paolini vs. 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
Djokovic was the defending men's champion but withdrew from the tournament on Tuesday because of an injured right knee, allowing the man he was supposed to play in the quarterfinals, Ruud, to advance.
Djokovic will be replaced by Sinner at No. 1 in the ATP rankings on Monday.
Zverev is trying to win his first Grand Slam title. So is No. 7 Ruud, who lost in the finals at Roland Garros in 2022 (to Nadal) and 2023 (to Djokovic) and at the U.S. Open in 2022 (to Alcaraz).
“I’m happy to be in another semifinal,” said Zverev, who is 0-3 at that stage in Paris. “Hopefully, I can win one.”
He lost to Dominic Thiem in the final of the 2020 US.Open and won a gold medal in singles at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
After eliminating 14-time champion Nadal in the first round, Zverev was coming off a pair of five-setters in the third and fourth rounds. This victory was far less complicated, although it could have been far more difficult than it was: de Minaur was one point from tying things at a set apiece while Zverev served down 6-5 in the second.
But Zverev fought that off. In the ensuing tiebreaker, de Minaur pulled out to a 4-0 lead, before Zverev collected seven of the next eight points.
The third set appeared to shift Zverev's way for good when de Minaur double-faulted to get broken and fall behind 4-2, The Associated Press reported. When Zverev served for the victory at 5-3, however, de Minaur used a delicate drop volley to break and extend the match. It wouldn't last much longer, because Zverev broke right back to end it.
All in all, it was not a particularly clean match. They combined for more than twice as many unforced errors (101) as winners (48).
“Had my chances. Probably should have taken that second set,” de Minaur said after the end of his best run at the French Open. “I left my heart out there. Did everything I could.”



New Man United Boss Amorim Says He’s Ready for the Challenge

 Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim (C) and players acknowledge supporters at the end of the Portuguese League football match between SC Braga and Sporting CP at the Municipal stadium of Braga on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim (C) and players acknowledge supporters at the end of the Portuguese League football match between SC Braga and Sporting CP at the Municipal stadium of Braga on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
TT

New Man United Boss Amorim Says He’s Ready for the Challenge

 Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim (C) and players acknowledge supporters at the end of the Portuguese League football match between SC Braga and Sporting CP at the Municipal stadium of Braga on November 10, 2024. (AFP)
Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim (C) and players acknowledge supporters at the end of the Portuguese League football match between SC Braga and Sporting CP at the Municipal stadium of Braga on November 10, 2024. (AFP)

New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim said he is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task he faces when he moves to England from Portugal but he is looking forward to the challenge.

The Premier League club announced Amorim's appointment earlier this month, with the 39-year-old Portuguese set to arrive from Sporting on Monday on a contract until June 2027.

Amorim, who replaces sacked Dutchman Erik ten Hag at United, marked his final game as coach of Sporting with a 4-2 comeback victory at Braga on Sunday.

"I feel ready for the new challenge," he told reporters after the match.

"I'm not naive, I know it's going to be very different, very difficult. I'm at peace now, I can focus on my new job and I'm looking forward to starting tomorrow."

Considered one of Europe's brightest young managers, Amorim's first match is slated for Nov. 24 at promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

United are 13th in the league on 15 points from 11 matches, four points adrift of Chelsea in third. Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy has guided the side to three wins and a draw in all competitions since Ten Hag was fired on Oct. 28.

"I know it will be difficult to reproduce what I have here elsewhere, but there are other places with different exposure and pressure ... It's been a fantastic adventure," said Amorim, who has won the Primeira Liga twice with Sporting.

"I apologize for this mid-season decision, but I felt it was my time and my way."