Australia’s De Minaur Reaches First Wimbledon Quarter-final

Alex de Minaur of Australia plays a forehand return to Arthur Fils of France during their fourth round match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Alex de Minaur of Australia plays a forehand return to Arthur Fils of France during their fourth round match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
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Australia’s De Minaur Reaches First Wimbledon Quarter-final

Alex de Minaur of Australia plays a forehand return to Arthur Fils of France during their fourth round match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Alex de Minaur of Australia plays a forehand return to Arthur Fils of France during their fourth round match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

Australia's Alex de Minaur reached his first Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday with a four-set win over Arthur Fils of France although he ended the match grimacing with pain.

World number nine De Minaur won 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and will face Novak Djokovic for a place in the semi-finals if the seven-time champion defeats Holger Rune later Monday.

Agence France Presse said de Minaur appeared to roll his ankle as he played the winning shot on Court One and walked gingerly back to his courtside chair.

As he sat down, he shook his head towards his box, where 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, a fellow Australian, and tennis-playing girlfriend Katie Boulter looked on.

"I'll be all right," De Minaur said in his on-court interview.

"I'm super-proud to play in front of you guys. I had a few problems getting over the finish line and made it harder than it should have been."

World number 34 Fils, playing in the fourth round of a Slam for the first time, was undone by 66 unforced errors.

De Minaur has defeated both Djokovic and Rune in his career.

He got the better of the 24-time Grand Slam title winner at the United Cup in Australia this year while seeing off Rune twice in 2023, including on grass at Queen's Club.

"I'll try my best and play my heart out," said De Minaur, who is a force to be reckoned with on grass having clinched the 's-Hertogenbosch title in the Netherlands last month.



Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
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Former Argentina Coach Sampaoli Takes Over at French Club Rennes

FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )
FILE - Coach Jorge Sampaoli of Brazil's Flamengo reacts during a Copa Libertadores round of 16 second leg soccer match against Paraguay's Olimpia at Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Aug.10, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File )

Former Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli is taking over at French league side Rennes.
The 64-year-old is returning to French soccer following a previous stint with Marseille.
Rennes said late Monday that Sampaoli signed a 1 1/2-year contract, The Associated Press reported.
Sampaoli, who was in charge of Argentina at the 2018 World Cup, replaces Julien Stephan, who was dismissed last week.
Rennes is looking for a jolt after a mediocre spell that saw the team slump to 13th place in the standings, 18 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain after 11 matches.
“He is a coach who is recognized internationally for his professionalism and humanism,” said Arnaud Pouille, the executive chairman and managing director at Rennes. “He has a strong attachment to his players and staff, and is a loyal and committed man. We need his energy to get the club moving again and to face the competition with determination.”
The much-traveled Sampaoli has also coached clubs in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Spain and Brazil.
Sampaoli abruptly left Marseille in July 2022 after leading the team back to the Champions League, over a disagreement related to the club's transfers of players.