Portugal warmed up for the start of the European Championship with a convincing 4-0 win over Israel.
In their final friendly game before the delayed tournament gets under way, Fernando Santos' side sent out a warning to their rivals with a dominant performance.
Bruno Fernandes was on target with a double, while there were also goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Cancelo to give Portugal a boost ahead of a Group F campaign that will see them face world champions France and Germany.
The Portuguese were at it from the first whistle, with Ronaldo producing an uncharacteristically weak shot after working space in the box less than a minute after kick-off.
And Diogo Jota was equally wasteful in powering a left-footed effort wide from a similar position before heading over a Cancelo cross shortly after.
But the hosts had their breakthrough just before half-time, Fernandes controlling Cancelo's low cut-back into the bottom-left corner.
The Manchester United man then turned provider, playing Ronaldo in behind for a powerful finish that squeezed through Israel goalkeeper Ofir Marciano to give the hosts a deserved 2-0 half-time lead.
Santos' men should have been three clear on the hour mark but Bernardo Silva fluffed his lines in attempting a dinked finish after being played in by Ronaldo.
However, Cancelo capped a good night for the hosts in the 87th minute as he cut inside off the right before powering a low left-footed shot home.
And Fernandes added deserved gloss to the scoreline with a wonderful strike from long range in injury time that left Marciano rooted to the spot.
What does it mean? Portugal in with a shout
Amid all the hype around the likes of England, France and Belgium, Portugal seem to be consistently overlooked as potential winners of this year's European Championship.
But the defending champions have a fine mix of experience and youth, the guaranteed goals of Ronaldo, and plenty of tournament know-how from 2016.
As they proved in dominating Israel here, they will be a force to be reckoned with in defending their crown.
Cancelo brings club form
Portugal aren't short of quality in forward areas but, if any opponent manages to somehow shut that down, it is good for the manager to know he has threats elsewhere on the pitch.
As he proved here, right-back Cancelo is one of them, the Manchester City man grabbing a goal and an assist as well as laying on three key passes.
Jota place under pressure
A two-game goalless run in a Portugal shirt hardly counts as a drought, but Jota will know he cannot waste chances as he did on Wednesday and hope to keep his place during the Euros.
The Liverpool forward failed to find the target with two big opportunities in his 45 minutes on the pitch and, with the likes of Joao Felix, Goncalo Guedes and Andre Silva behind him in the pecking order, is by no means a guaranteed starter.
What's next?
Portugal get the defence of their title under way against Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday. Israel, meanwhile, are without a competitive game until World Cup qualifying resumes in September.
Iga Swiatek blamed a gruelling recent schedule after her French Open defence ended in a shock quarter-final defeat to Maria Sakkari.
The Pole came into Wednesday's last eight match having won her last 22 sets at Roland Garros, but lost 6-4 6-4 to the competition's 17th seed.
Swiatek headed to Paris full of confidence after winning on clay in Rome two weeks prior, and she had also helped Bethanie Mattek-Sands into the semi-finals of this year's doubles.
However, the world number nine believes she may have paid the price for all that tennis in the form of a lacklustre display against Sakkari.
She said: "Well, obviously I didn't play my best tennis. That's for sure. But Maria did a good job with playing at my forehand, which wasn't working pretty well today.
"It's good for her that she saw that. She picked good tactics, for sure. I struggled with picking the right place where to play. I couldn't play some shots that usually give me points.
"Yeah, my balls weren't, like, really deep and heavy. Basically that's my biggest weapon, so it was really hard to play without that.
"Also, you know, I think, like, past couple weeks hit me kind of yesterday. I just didn't have good days, I couldn't do like physical recovery well because I was stressed. Days like that happen, and it's normal."
Swiatek left the court for treatment on her thigh after losing the first set, but she refused to blame that issue for her defeat.
She added: "Right now I know it's nothing serious. When I was on court, I felt it totally differently. As I said, I couldn't even sleep well yesterday. I slept like a few hours.
"I think I was feeling everything twice as much as I should. It was hard to rationally just see what's going on. I made the decision to tape it just to feel sure [to give] me, like, a little bit more confidence when I was moving.
"Still my reaction was bad. I didn't play well, like, tactically and also technically. I was on my heels, so it's hard to make something of that kind of game."
Sakkari, meanwhile, revealed that her commitment to simply enjoying Wednesday's match helped her secure a maiden Grand Slam semi-final berth.
She said: "I'm speechless - it is a dream come true. It is a very nice feeling, I couldn't have done it without my team and their support so I want to thank them.
"We still have a long way to go of course [if we want to win the tournament] but we made a huge step.
"I'm not going to tell you the game plan of course because we will play again [against Swiatek] for sure! So I'm not gonna say our little secrets!
"But I really enjoyed it. Before coming into the match I just sat down and spoke to myself and said it is a very important match but just enjoy it - playing at one of the best stadiums in the world. So I have enjoyed it."
Greece boasts two semi-finalists in this year's French Open after Stefanos Tsitsipas also progressed to the last four of the men's draw.
And Sakkari believes the sport may even have overtaken football and basketball in terms of popularity back in her homeland.
She continued: "Now it's probably the biggest sport these days. Football is over. Basketball is over. So tennis is in the spotlight.
"Yeah, with Stefanos, I mean, we're very close. We know each other since a very young age. I mean, I see him every day here. We're actually having dinner with our teams next to each other every night.
"I'm very, very happy for him and his family. It's very exciting times for Greek tennis."
Jordi Alba is adamant Ronald Koeman deserves at least another season at Barcelona after president Joan Laporta confirmed the Dutchman will be in charge for 2021-22.
Koeman was appointed last August as Quique Setien's successor following a crushing end to 2019-20, which saw Barca demolished 8-2 in the Champions League, the first time they had conceded so many goals in one game since 1946.
After a shaky start to 2020-21, Koeman eventually got Barca looking capable of challenging for the league title as he got the best out of Lionel Messi, who scored 30 league goals to win an eighth Pichichi trophy of his career.
While Barca did go on to win the Copa del Rey, their challenge to Atletico Madrid wilted in the final weeks of the season and they ultimately finished third.
Their tally of 79 points was their lowest total since 2007-08, when they managed 67. Indeed, the last coach to earn 76 or fewer points in his first 38 games with the club was Frank Rijkaard in 2003-04 (72).
With Atletico winning the title and Real Madrid doing so the previous year, it meant Barca have failed to win LaLiga in two successive seasons for the first time since 2008.
Perhaps it was unsurprising to see Koeman's future come under so much scrutiny, but after several weeks of uncertainty – what Laporta called a "reflection period" – the club eventually opted to keep Koeman, which was the right decision in the eyes of Alba.
Speaking to Radio Marca, Alba said: "Ronald has done a great job since he arrived.
"We had been improving throughout the season and he deserved to continue at the club."
The left-back, who is currently away preparing for Euro 2020 with Spain, also saluted Barca's early dealings in the transfer market, with Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia – a national team colleague of Alba – arriving on free transfers from Manchester City.
"The arrivals of Aguero and Eric Garcia seem very good to me," he added. "We already knew Kun [Aguero] in football terms and they [those in the team who know him] have spoken very well of him to me from a human perspective.
"And Eric is a humble boy who wants to learn, and it is good that people from La Masia come back. In the Spain squad we have already seen his quality."
Adrian Mannarino succumbed to a surprise Stuttgart Open first-round loss at the hands of James Duckworth on Wednesday.
The seventh-seeded Frenchman, knocked out by Aljaz Bedene in the first round at Roland Garros, was beaten 6-3 6-2 by a player ranked 65 places lower than him, with Duckworth outside the world's top 100.
Home hopes Yannick Hanfmann and Peter Gojowczyk progressed, the latter coming from a set down to beat Ilya Ivashka 5-7 6-4 6-2, but there was no such joy for fellow German Dominik Koepfer after he fell to wildcard Jurij Rodionov.
Elsewhere in the draw, there were wins for Feliciano Lopez, Sam Querrey, Dominic Stephan Stricker and Jordan Thompson.
The Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) announced a 17-member team to the 34th Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championship scheduled for July 30 to August 4 at the Punta Blanca Golf Course in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Four reserve players have been included in the team that boasts a mixture of experienced and new players and will compete in six age-group categories, three each for girls and boys.
The 18 & Under Boys players comprise Rocco Lopez, Michael Lowe, and Radino Lobban. Zaniel Knight is the reserve player.
Lopez, who is making the team for the fifth time, is the most accomplished player on the team, having won the Bob Slatter Trophy for 13 & Under Boys back in 2018 when the championship was held in Jamaica.
The two 18 & Under Girls are Emily Mayne and Eryn Blakeley. Mayne will also be making her fifth appearance for the team while Blakeley is getting her third cap.
Aman Dhiman, Trey Williams, Ryan Lue and Noah Azan in reserve will compete in the Boys 15 and Under category. Dhiman posted the second-lowest score of four-under-par 68 at the Caymanas Golf Club recently during the JGA's National Golf Championship won by Justin Burrowes.
Mattea Issa, Winni Lau and Mia Cunningham (reserve) were named to the Girls 15 and Under category. Issa and Lau will each be making their fourth appearance at the championship while Cunningham is in her debut year.
The 13 & Under Boys category will see Aarron Khosh, Ramsay Wayner and Kemari Morris as a reserve player. This will be Khosh's second time being named on the team and Morris' first. Wayner's listing on the team is provisional as he is 10 years old. Due to his age, the likelihood he will play will depend on whether JGA gets permission from the Caribbean Golf Association.
The final age group category, the Girls 13 and Under will be filled by Samantha Azan and Anoushka Khatri. This will be Azan's second time being named to the team but her first time playing. She was selected in 2020 but there was no competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Khatri is getting her first call up for the team.
Ryan Lue and Aarron Ghosh were also named to the team in 2020 but will be see playing time for the first time as there was no championship in 2020.
The new players on this year's team are Zaniel Knight, Noah Azan, Mia Cunningham, Ramsay Wayner, Kemari Morris and Anoushka Khatri.
Team manager Alison Reid has high expectations for the team. "The junior golf team for 2021 is actually a pretty strong team. There are a lot of experienced players on it, players that have played three, four, five times so it bodes well from an experience point of view,” she said.
“We also have strong juniors in each age group so we at least have one strong player in each age group and then the second place person is also pretty strong."
Reid said that on this occasion there will be two coaches travelling with the team.
“Jonathan Newnham and Jason Lopez; I think both coaches bring different strengths to the table and I think those strengths can only help the team to be its best, both the actual game of golf to the mental game of golf, so we look forward to a very successful tournament."
Several golfers have in the past won age group trophies including Jonathan Newnham, Justin Burrowes and Rocco Lopez, however, the country is still looking for its first country trophy after placing second in 2018 at home and in 2019 in the Bahamas.
Marie Bouzkova crashed out of the Nottingham Open at the hands of home hope Katie Boulter, but Kristina Mladenovic survived a scare to progress.
Briton Boulter, ranked 262 in the world, triumphed 6-4 6-3 on Wednesday to impressively eliminate sixth seed Bouzkova, who was only able to convert one of her seven break-point opportunities.
Seventh seed Mladenovic, meanwhile, fought hard for a 6-2 5-7 6-2 triumph in a battle lasting two hours and 15 minutes against Japan's Kurumi Nara.
Nara converted all four of her break points but ultimately could not pull off the upset.
There were more comfortable days on court for Alison Van Uytvanck – who thrashed Marina Melnikova 6-1 6-1 – and fourth seed Zhang Shuai, a 6-3 6-4 victor over Arina Rodionova.
American Caty McNally continued her progress with an easy 6-0 6-3 win over Nao Hibino to book what looks like an exciting last-16 tie against Mladenovic.
Second seed Alison Riske will play Xiyu Wang in the last match of the day, while top seed Johanna Konta continues her campaign against Kateryna Kozlova on Thursday.
Spain have confirmed no more players nor coaching staff have tested positive for coronavirus after a recent outbreak in their camp.
Defender Diego Llorente tested positive on Tuesday and was put into isolation, two days after Sergio Busquets was confirmed to have contracted the virus.
Spain suspended all training activity and fielded their Under-21s for Tuesday's final pre-Euro 2020 friendly with Lithuania, which they won 4-0 in Leganes.
Luis Enrique has created a parallel training bubble made up of standby players, including Rodrigo Moreno, Pablo Fornals, Carlos Soler, Brais Mendez, Raul Albiol, Kepa Arrizabalaga and 11 of their Under-21s squad.
There had been fears the virus could spiral out of control, but all other members of the squad and coaching staff – plus those in the parallel bubble – returned negative tests on Wednesday.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed the news in a statement on its official website, with further tests to be conducted in the coming days.
Spain begin their Euro 2020 campaign against Sweden in Seville next Monday, before facing Poland and Slovakia in their other two Group E fixtures.
Caribbean squash champion Chris Binnie says he is “happy” to be back playing competitively again after a 15-month layoff.
Having been scrapped last year due to the disruption caused by the pandemic, the Ballon d'Or returns in 2021.
With Euro 2020 and the Copa America rescheduled for this year, the stars of Europe and South America have the chance to use those tournaments as a springboard towards claiming the game's top individual prize.
Following club seasons either laden with trophies or padded with statistical achievements – or, in some cases, a bit of both – a few elite-level performances could make the difference in the race to win France Football's famous award.
Stats Perform has chosen a shortlist of 14 players who could make themselves Ballon d'Or favourites should they sparkle over the next month...
Karim Benzema
Remarkably, Karim Benzema failed to win a trophy with Real Madrid despite registering 30 goals and nine assists in 46 games in all competitions.
That form did bring his international exile to an end, though, and if he keeps it up for France over the coming month, a Ballon d'Or challenge is not out of the question.
Kevin De Bruyne
A second successive PFA Players' Player of the Year award for Kevin De Bruyne came after another standout season for Manchester City in which he won the Premier League and EFL Cup.
Had Pep Guardiola's men finally got their hands on the Champions League trophy, the Ballon d'Or might be De Bruyne's already. Leading Belgium to Euros glory would probably do the job.
Ruben Dias
The other prime candidate for City's player of the season, Ruben Dias was a colossal performer at the heart of their defence after joining from Benfica, winning the Premier League's Player of the Season award.
Defenders' difficulties winning big individual prizes are well documented, and the last to lift the Ballon d'Or – Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 – did so after leading Italy to the World Cup.
Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes was heartbroken to lose the Europa League final on penalties as his wait for a trophy with Manchester United goes on.
However, a combined 46 direct goal involvements – the most of any Premier League player – means individual glory could be on the cards should Fernandes and Portugal shine.
Phil Foden
The PFA Young Player of the Year winner, Phil Foden blossomed in 2020-21 from prodigious talent to integral player for both City and England.
His Ballon d'Or chances are probably slimmer than those of a couple of his City team-mates, but long-awaited success for the Three Lions could put him right in the mix.
Harry Kane
Another star performer in 2020-21 to end the season empty-handed, Harry Kane finished top for goals (23) and assists (14) in the Premier League despite Tottenham finishing seventh.
Winner of the Golden Boot at the last World Cup, Kane is England's undisputed star going into Euro 2020 and has every chance of topping the scoring charts again.
N'Golo Kante
Arguably the popular choice for the award, N'Golo Kante won the Champions League with Chelsea after being named man of the match in both legs of the semi-final and the final against City.
France are most observers' favourites to win the Euros and, if they do, Kante will surely be facing short odds to win the ultimate individual trophy – even if it's one in which he has little interest.
Robert Lewandowski
It's widely accepted that, had the award been handed out last year, it would have gone to Robert Lewandowksi, the man whose 55 goals in 47 games delivered Bayern the treble.
How do you follow that? Well, he scored 41 times in the Bundesliga alone in 2020-21, breaking Gerd Muller's 49-year-old single-season record. Winning the Euros with Poland might be a stretch, but finishing as top goalscorer is certainly achievable.
Romelu Lukaku
The best player in Serie A as Inter ended an 11-year wait to win the title, Romelu Lukaku enjoyed the best season of his career, with 41 direct goal involvements in 44 appearances.
With eight goals in his past nine games for Belgium, the 28-year-old could well be the man to fire Roberto Martinez's side to glory, which would make him very hard to overlook.
Kylian Mbappe
Paris Saint-Germain lost their Ligue 1 title to Lille and could not reach back-to-back Champions League finals, which seems incredible given Kylian Mbappe managed 42 goals and 11 assists in just 47 appearances.
Departing Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick this year said there was no question Mbappe would win the Ballon d'Or one day. The Euros could be his ticket to glory in 2021.
Lionel Messi
The winner of the previous award in 2019 – the sixth of his astonishing career – Lionel Messi amazingly plundered 28 goals and had nine assists for Barcelona from January 1 onwards.
It wasn't enough to win Barca the LaLiga title, but it does put him right in the mix. If he can finally win the Copa America with Argentina, Ballon d'Or number seven may well follow.
Neymar
Even Neymar would admit he has only an outside chance of winning this year's Ballon d'Or, his 17 goals and eight assists in 2020-21 a modest return for the world's most expensive footballer.
He typically produces in a Brazil shirt, though, and winning the Copa America would propel him right back into the mix for the individual prize he supposedly craves above all others.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Juventus may have lost their grip on Serie A, but Cristiano Ronaldo still finished as top goalscorer (with 29), and they won the Supercoppa Italiana and Coppa Italia.
Ronaldo won his fourth of five Ballons d'Or after Portugal triumphed at Euro 2016, and there's little doubt he would be vying for a sixth if they defend that trophy.
Luis Suarez
Discarded by Barcelona for being past his usefulness, Luis Suarez responded with 21 goals in 32 games to propel Atletico Madrid to a first league title since 2013-14.
Should Uruguay upset the odds at the Copa America, you can bet Suarez will be in the running for the Ballon d'Or. Quite what Barca fans would make of that is hard to say.
Rafael Nadal remains on course for a record-extending 14th French Open title after overcoming Diego Schwartzman in an intense quarter-final on Wednesday.
Schwartzman ended Nadal's run of 36 consecutive sets won at Roland Garros to level up the contest at one set apiece, but the Spaniard's quality told in the end.
The third seed held serve throughout a tense third set and eased through the fourth to take the match 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-0 in two hours and 45 minutes in front of 5,000 spectators.
Nadal, who won nine games in a row to see out the contest, will now face either Novak Djokovic or Matteo Berrettini for a place in the final.
Like Nadal, Schwartzman had not dropped a set at this year's tournament heading into this showdown, but the Argentinian was broken in the sixth and eighth games of the first to fall behind.
However, Schwartzman played some sublime and attacking tennis to instantly hit back by twice breaking Nadal in the second set.
In doing so, he became just the third player to win a set in more than one match against Nadal at Roland Garros after Djokovic and Roger Federer.
A tight third set followed, with both players holding until the ninth game when Nadal took the second of his break points with a slice-lob combo.
That proved to be a turning point in the match as Nadal claimed the following game to wrap up the set and dominated a swift fourth set to book his place in a 14th semi-final.
Lazio have appointed Maurizio Sarri as their new head coach following the departure of Simone Inzaghi.
Former Italy international Inzaghi left Lazio at the end of May after an impressive five-year spell in charge at the Stadio Olimpico, stepping in for Antonio Conte at Inter.
Sarri quickly emerged as a front-runner for the job and has been appointed on a two-year deal.
The 62-year-old has been out of management since being sacked by Juventus in August last year, paying the price for the Old Lady's shock Champions League elimination by Lyon in the last 16.
Nevertheless, Sarri did guide Juve to a ninth successive Serie A title, with his successor Andrea Pirlo unable to continue that run as the Bianconeri scraped a fourth-placed finish on the final day of the 2020-21 campaign.
Pirlo was then also fired, with Massimiliano Allegri returning to Juve.
Sarri boasts a win percentage of over 60 in each of his three previous roles and will be hoping to continue Inzaghi's fine work at Lazio.
The Biancocelesti finished lower than sixth only once under Inzaghi – though the sole campaign where they finished eighth, Lazio were able to console themselves with Coppa Italia success.
Lazio finished sixth in 2020-21 but Sarri will hope to emulate their 2019-20 season when they secured Champions League football by finishing fourth.
He will undoubtedly be keen to ensure the likes of Ciro Immobile, Joaquin Correa, Luis Alberto and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic stick around to aid their chances of a return to Europe's top table.
Coco Gauff believes her French Open quarter-final woe against Barbora Krejcikova will ultimately help her to become a major champion.
The 17-year-old was playing in the last eight of a grand slam for the first time on Wednesday, though the occasion did not go as she hoped.
Unseeded Krejcikova won 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 in a back-and-forth battle in which Gauff had her opportunities.
She led 3-0 and 5-3 in the first set as five set points passed her by and at one stage lost seven straight games.
The American, who had 41 unforced errors, trailed 5-0 in the second set before briefly threatening a comeback in a fighting finish and believes the experience will prove to be beneficial.
"Yeah, I mean, I'm obviously disappointed that I wasn't able to close out the first set," said Gauff. "To be honest, it's in the past, it already happened.
"After the match my hitting partner told me this match will probably make me a champion in the future. I really do believe that.
"I never want to give up. I really did fight till the last point.
"I'm proud that I didn't give up because I could have easily gave up at 5-0 or 5-1 [down in the second set].
"I think losing these matches are going to pay off in the future. If I continue fighting like this, other players, maybe if they do have the lead, will start to get nervous because they know I'm not going to give in.
"Obviously it was a great season. I just want to keep continuing to get better. Hopefully next year I'll be better.
"But I think that I've learned a lot over this swing and I have a lot that I can take with me later into my next tournaments later this year."
Gauff, who confirmed she still planned to play in the Olympics this year, reflected on what had gone wrong against Krejcikova, who will face Maria Sakkari in the semis.
The teenager added: "I feel like the set points I did have I did play a little bit passive. That's not kind of how I want to play tennis. I always want to play first-strike tennis. So that's something I'll work on.
"I mean, for me the biggest thing she played well in the pressure points. She also redirected the ball really, really well, kind of making me make mistakes.
"I knew she was going to play very smart tennis and play the high-percentage plays. That's what she did.
"Next time going into it, I'm definitely going to focus more making less errors, just trusting myself on the set points."
A return to Wimbledon, where she stunned the world to reach the fourth round as a 15-year-old in 2019, is now fast approaching for Gauff.
She added: "I'm excited to go back, for sure. My most memorable thing from Wimbledon is just the crowd experience.
"That was like one of my first matches on a big stadium like that, playing against really great people like Venus Williams.
"It kind of just was the start of, like, my career, I guess, and making it on the pro tour. So, yeah, I'm excited to go back.
"I'm just happy that right now I'm healthy and everything. Hopefully that keeps up all the way through Wimbledon."
Iga Swiatek saw the defence of her French Open title ended by a rampant Maria Sakkari in Paris.
Number 17 seed Sakkari was playing in her first grand slam quarter-final but showed no signs of nerves as she closed out a 6-4 6-4 victory against last year's champion in one hour and 35 minutes.
Sakkari will play unseeded Barbora Krejcikova in what will be a first major semi-final appearance for both players.
It was a scrappy start to the contest with both players struggling to establish a rhythm on serve.
Early breaks were exchanged before Sakkari had to save four break points in her next game to avoid another and Swiatek then fended off three in the next.
Sakkari looked a different player from then on as she seized control. At 4-4, a powerful forehand winner gave her two break points and she claimed the first of them.
After a first opportunity to move ahead was not taken as she served for the set, two big serves saved a break point and gave her another chance that was taken with a fine backhand, prompting huge emotion from the Greek.
Sakkari had the momentum and went 2-0 up in the second set, at which point Swiatek called for a medical timeout that resulted in a 10-minute delay.
After emerging with strapping on her right thigh, Swiatek looked more confident on her return, holding confidently before saving two break points in her next service game to remain in contention.
But Sakkari was undeterred, serving superbly and not allowing a single break-point opportunity in the second set, clinching a famous triumph that brought tears to her eyes with her third match point.
Data Slam: Swiatek streak ends
Having not dropped a set in any round of her successful campaign last year or in her four victories in 2021, Swiatek saw her streak of winning 22 consecutive sets in Paris abruptly halted.
Still just 20, Swiatek will have many more opportunities but this result will have come as a shock to the system.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Sakkari – 26/24
Swiatek – 17/25
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Sakkari – 5/2
Swiatek – 0/2
BREAK POINTS WON
Sakkari – 3/8
Swiatek – 1/6
Coco Gauff saw her hopes of French Open glory in 2021 come to an end as she lost in straight sets to unseeded Barbora Krejcikova in the quarter-finals.
Krejcikova won 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 in a back-and-forth battle lasting one hour and 50 minutes.
Both players were appearing in the last eight of a grand slam for the first time, with 17-year-old Gauff having not dropped a set in reaching this stage.
She had the advantage for much of the first set but fell apart towards the end and then allowed Krejcikova to build a huge second-set lead that was too big to claw back.
World number 33 Krejcikova will play either defending champion Iga Swiatek or Maria Sakkari in the last four, as Gauff paid the price for making 41 unforced errors.
Gauff, seeded 24, led 3-0 and 5-3 in the opening set but was pegged back on both occasions.
One set point had already been lost before she failed to convert two more in a pivotal game lasting over seven minutes at 6-5 as her Czech opponent somehow held on to force a tie-break.
There were nerves on both sides of the court in the breaker until Gauff forged ahead at 6-4, but her fourth and fifth set points were both scuppered by fine forehand winners from Krejcikova.
Krejcikova continued her run and reeled off four straight points to move ahead, converting her first set point with another winner.
Gauff suddenly lost all momentum and Krejcikova quickly built a huge advantage, the teenager destroying her racket when she fell 4-0 down.
The American, to her credit, then showed some fight from 5-0 behind, winning three straight games and saving five match points in that sequence.
But Krejcikova kept a cool head and made no mistake with her sixth chance to seal the match, raising both arms after a famous victory that could launch her career.
Data Slam: Gauff falls apart
After having the better of much of the first set, Gauff struggled hugely in the middle of the match, losing seven straight games from 6-5 up in the first set to find herself 7-6 5-0 down in the second.
In the second set, Gauff only had five winners to 18 unforced errors and won only 10 of 21 first-serve points as frustration got the better of the youngster, meaning Krejcikova, who had fought so hard to claim the opener, did not have to produce any fireworks to get over the line.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Gauff – 25/41
Krejcikova – 27/28
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Gauff – 4/7
Krejcikova – 5/8
BREAK POINTS WON
Gauff – 3/10
Krejcikova – 4/6
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
