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
Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George was the subject of harsh treatment from the Utah Jazz fans on Tuesday, though he very nearly took the game to overtime.
The Jazz won Game 1 of the playoff series 112-109 in Salt Lake City, as George – in inspired form in the fourth quarter – almost propelled the visitors to a comeback.
All-Star guard George was wasteful in the earlier stages of the encounter, missing 12 of his first 14 shots, but found his aim in the final quarter, converting 13 points.
His fourth-quarter tally included seven points in the last three minutes, despite the Jazz supporters' "overrated" jeers – George had previously played for Utah's rivals Oklahoma City Thunder.
Yet with fans only just starting to come back in full capacity following the coronavirus pandemic, George had no issues with the chants, but did concede he needs to improve to help the Clippers level the series in Game 2.
"I like it," George said, as reported by ESPN. "That part doesn't get to me. It's all respect. I've had good games here and I've had bad games here.
"That's part of this game, to be honest. The crowd's going to be involved. You want that. As an opposing player, you kind of want that.
"Fact of the matter is, I didn't shoot the ball well. I thought I was indecisive on my approach. But I will be a little bit better on taking the shots that I want."
George finished the game with 20 points in total, 10 rebounds and two assists, and acknowledged that Jazz star Rudy Gobert made life difficult for the Clippers.
"The big fella is really good at just clogging the paint up and just sitting at the rim," George said of Gobert.
"A lot of plays I was just forcing myself trying to get to the basket where he's there waiting for me. So I think just being decisive on the approach of setting up, getting the shots that I want while he's in those coverages."
The Tampa Bay Rays are showing no signs of slowing down with a 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals in the MLB on Tuesday.
Manuel Margot hit a solo home run in the first inning to get them on the board, while Tyler Glasnow continued his hot form on the mound.
Glasnow tossed down 11 strikeouts across seven innings, allowing only six hits.
Mike Zunino drove in Austin Meadows and Randy Arozarena in the fifth inning, before the latter produced a spectacular long throw to deny Josh Bell running for home plate.
Relative newcomer Ryan Thompson finished the job for the Rays with a 95 mph rocket to strike out Bell, sealing a hard-fought win.
The Rays improve to 39-23, having won four of their past five matches.
Correa lifts Astros, Acuna takes off
Carlos Correa guided the Houston Astros to a 7-1 victory on the road against the Boston Red Sox.
At the top of the first inning, Correa hit a home run, which stood after a review that clarified it was in fair territory. The homer was the shortest in the majors this season, at 310 feet.
Correa was at it again at the top of the second inning, drive in a run on a double, as the Astros piled on five runs.
Ronald Acuna Jr clocked up his 18th home run of the season, returning to equal top spot on the charts alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr in the Atlanta Braves' 9-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Acuna's monster homer came in at 460 feet, landing at the top of the stand, going at 116 mph, which was the hardest hit home run by a Braves player in the Stat Cast era.
Walker Buehler had seven shutout innings and was two-for-three from the plate as the Los Angeles Dodgers won 5-3 at the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Padres lose their puff
Anthony Rizzo knocked in four as the Chicago Cubs hit three homers in a 7-1 win away to the San Diego Padres. The Padres have now lost seven of their past 10 games.
Magic Maikel
Maikel Franco had a night to remember in the Baltimore Orioles' 10-3 win over the New York Mets, hitting a moon shot into the second deck as well as a brilliant bare-handed throw from third to first. He also hit another homer, along with three runs batted in.
Tuesday's results
Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 Pittsburgh Pirates
Baltimore Orioles 10-3 New York Mets
Atlanta Braves 9-5 Philadelphia Phillies
Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 Cincinnati Reds
Miami Marlins 6-2 Colorado Rockies
Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 Washington Nationals
Houston Astros 7-1 Boston Red Sox
Detroit Tigers 5-3 Seattle Mariners
San Francisco Giants 9-4 Texas Rangers
Chicago White Sox 6-1 Toronto Blue Jays
New York Yankees 8-4 Minnesota Twins
Cleveland Indians 10-1 St Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Angels 8-1 Kansas City Royals
Oakland Athletics 5-2 Arizona Diamondbacks
Chicago Cubs 7-1 San Diego Padres
Blue Jays at White Sox
The Chicago White Sox (37-23), leaders in the American League Central, continue their series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays (30-28).
The most anticipated series of the 2020-21 NBA playoffs has not delivered quite as expected thus far.
The Milwaukee Bucks, having swept the Miami Heat, were backed to provide stern opposition to the Brooklyn Nets' array of superstars.
And when James Harden went down 43 seconds into Game 1, the Bucks must have thought their luck was in.
Instead, they head back home on Wednesday looking to belatedly get on the board, having fallen 2-0 behind in dismal fashion.
The first meeting was at least close, but a 125-86 Game 2 defeat in Brooklyn made unwanted history.
With Harden on the sidelines, the Nets became the first team ever to win a playoff game by 35 or more points while having a former MVP on their roster but missing.
Home comforts alone surely cannot bridge the gap for Milwaukee after such a humbling...
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Khris Middleton – Milwaukee Bucks
Optimism around the Bucks centred on a trio of leading men. Only Giannis Antetokounmpo could realistically be compared to any one of the Nets' 'big three', but Middleton and Jrue Holiday each showed their worth against the Heat.
It has been a different story in this round.
After 20.4 points per game in the regular season and 21.5 in the Miami series, that mark has dropped to a mediocre 15.0 through two games on 30.2 per cent shooting.
Regardless of any improvement from Antetokounmpo, who is averaging a solid if unspectacular 26.0 points, the Bucks need the supporting cast to be better.
Blake Griffin – Brooklyn Nets
While the Bucks would have hoped for Middleton to offer more, Griffin is exceeding all expectations in Brooklyn. The six-time All-Star is rebuilding his career.
Griffin has started all seven playoff games this year, having seemingly initially been signed as a bench option, and he had 18 points and 14 rebounds in Game 1.
It appeared the versatile forward refound his mojo the moment he left the Detroit Pistons, though, ending a 25-game drought with a dunk on his debut – one of 18 across the remainder of the regular season.
Griffin has continued these show-stopping contributions into the playoffs, too, with seven more, including one particularly eye-catching effort over Antetokounmpo on Monday.
KEY BATTLE – Durant evading effective defense
Griffin was not the only Net to find joy against Antetokounmpo, with Durant too easily working room to shoot and punish the Bucks in typical fashion. His 61 points lead the series.
Antetokounmpo and Holiday – both previously named to the All-Defensive First Team – might have backed themselves to manage this three-headed monster. So far, they cannot get to grips with just the two.
For as much as the Bucks need more scoring, offense alone cannot beat a team as talented as Brooklyn. Milwaukee actually allowed marginally more points (114.2 per game) than the Nets (114.1) this season and must now find a way to slow them.
HEAD TO HEAD
Of course, very recent history is against the Bucks, even if they had a 2-1 regular-season record in this matchup. The omens are better at Fiserv Forum, where both of the 2020-21 wins came as the Bucks improved to 66-32 at home versus the Nets in the regular season and postseason combined.
Durant is 7-5 at Milwaukee, averaging 26.8 points per game – more than any Buck so far in this series.
Donovan Mitchell starred and Rudy Gobert produced a game-clinching block as the Utah Jazz drew first blood against the Los Angeles Lakers in their Western Conference semi-final opener.
Mitchell dropped 32 of his 45 points in the second half to guide the top-seeded Jazz to a thrilling 112-109 win at home to the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1 on Tuesday.
Fellow All-Star Gobert – who finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds – came up big at the death, denying Marcus Morris Sr. and his potential game-winning three-pointer.
Kawhi Leonard (23 points) and Paul George (20 points and 10 rebounds) were unable to lift the fourth-seeded Clippers in Utah.
Earlier in the day, a disappointed Joel Embiid had a point to prove as he fuelled the Philadelphia 76ers' 118-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2.
Embiid's MVP hopes were dashed by Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, who was crowned the league's Most Valuable Player on Tuesday.
Already frustrated following a shock loss to the Hawks in the Eastern Conference semi-final opener, Embiid came out and scored 40 points with 13 rebounds to help level the series.
Embiid became the first 76ers player with 40 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham in 1970, while his postseason career-high points haul saw him become the first Philadelphia player with 40-plus points in a playoff contest since Hall of Famer Allen Iverson in 2003.
Tobias Harris chipped in with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists for the 76ers at Wells Fargo Center, where he had 16 first-quarter points on eight-for-nine shooting.
It was not all smooth sailing after a fast start as Philadelphia squandered a 21-point advantage – Trae Young's pair of free throws giving Atlanta their first lead in the third quarter, 80-79.
But Shake Milton – who did not play in the first half – stepped up to the plate, scoring 14 points to help withstand Young (21 points and 11 assists) and visiting the Hawks.
Nuggets at Suns
In the only game on Wednesday, the second-seeded Phoenix Suns will look to claim a 2-0 lead over the Nuggets in the Western Conference second round.
Joel Embiid expressed his disappointment after losing out to Nikola Jokic in the MVP race, though the Philadelphia 76ers star insisted "if and when I'm holding that trophy, anything else won't matter" in pursuit of an NBA championship.
Denver Nuggets star Jokic was crowned the league's Most Valuable Player on Tuesday with 91 first-place votes and 971 total points, ahead of runner-up Embiid (586).
In response to the snub, Embiid posted 40 points and 13 rebounds to lead the 76ers past the Atlanta Hawks 118-102 as the top seeds levelled the Eastern Conference semi-final series at 1-1.
Embiid became the first 76ers player with 40 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham in 1970, while his postseason career-high points haul saw him become the first Philadelphia player with 40-plus points in a playoff contest since Hall of Famer Allen Iverson in 2003.
Reacting to Jokic's MVP victory, Embiid – who missed game time during the regular season due to a knee injury – told reporters following Game 2: "There's only some things I can control. Obviously, we as a team we had a good year and I was a part of it.
"It's disappointing because as a player, you worked hard for moments like this, but then again, it's out of my control. There's nothing I can do about it. I just got to come out every year, and just be ready and do my job."
Embiid, who has been dealing with a small meniscus tear as the 76ers chase their first NBA title since 1983, added: "I'm focused on the playoffs, focused on winning the championship.
"I've been saying all season we got a good chance, so I'm not worried about those awards and stuff. If and when I'm holding that trophy, anything else won't matter."
Tobias Harris chipped in with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists for the 76ers at Wells Fargo Center, where he had 16 first-quarter points on eight-for-nine shooting.
"We're not really worried about that," Harris said in response to Embiid missing out on MVP honours. "Jokic had a great year. Congrats on MVP for him.
"Joel Embiid has had a great year, he's been the MVP for our team. Obviously, there was a period of time where he didn't play X amount of games. I think that played a factor into it, but we get to the Finals and that's the goal for our team. Go get the MVP there so that's just our mentality. We don't only focus on those things anymore."
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers said Joel Embiid was spurred on after missing out on the NBA MVP award to produce a "dominant" performance in Tuesday's 118-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Embiid posted 40 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals for the top-seeded 76ers, who levelled their Eastern Conference semi-final series at 1-1 in the playoffs.
All-Star Embiid's 40-point haul was a personal playoffs career high as he became the first 76ers player with 40 points in a postseason game since Allen Iverson had 45 in 2003.
Embiid is also the first 76ers player with 40 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Hall of Famer Billy Cunningham in 1970.
Rivers hailed Embiid's display after he finished second to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in the MVP race earlier on Tuesday.
"It was awesome," Rivers said during his post-game news conference. "I remember being on the other side of it the night David Robinson got the MVP and we had to play [Hakeen] Olajuwon.
"I was on that spurs team, that didn’t go well for us. Tonight you felt like that was Joel. He was that magnificent and dominant for us early on.
"It was absolutely a team effort but he set the tone for us. That's what he has to do."
Rivers lauded Philadelphia's collective effort, particularly in the second half, stretching their lead from four points to 18 when Embiid was benched at one stage.
"It was huge. You'd think it was the worst time to take Joel out," Rivers said. "We felt we'd need him down the stretch.
"The fact that the second unit, we could wait until seven minutes to put Joel back in and he's come back with an 18-point lead, that was absolutely wonderful."
Rivers reserved special praise for Shake Milton, who contributed 14 points off the bench, sparking the 76ers in the third quarter, as well as George Hill and Matisse Thybulle for their defensive efforts.
The series moves to Atlanta, with Game 3 on Friday.
"It was big because we lost Game 1," Rivers said. "We don't ever want to go down 2-0 in a series. It's 1-1, we have to go to Atlanta and get home court back."
Nikola Jokic admitted "I didn't even think I would be in the NBA" after being crowned the league's MVP in historic fashion on Tuesday.
Denver Nuggets star Jokic became the first player in franchise history to be named the Most Valuable Player and the lowest draft pick ever to receive the individual honour.
Jokic – the 41st overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft – beat Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid (586) and Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry (453) to the award with 91 first-place votes and 971 total points.
In the regular season, Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game – the combined total of 45.5 leading the NBA alongside triple-double king Russell Westbrook.
The Denver center shot 56.6 per cent from the field, 38.8 per cent from beyond the arc and 86.8 per cent from the free-throw line. No player to attempt 30 or more field goals across a season in NBA history has topped Jokic in all three metrics.
"To be honest, I didn't even think I would be in the NBA," said Jokic, who became the first player from Serbia to be named MVP, joining Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) as European winners.
"My goal when I started to play basketball back home, it was playing in Euroleague because that was kind of the closest top league to my country."
Jokic is the first center to win the MVP since Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 and just the sixth center to claim the award since the three-point line was introduced in 1979-80.
"The Denver Nuggets drafted me, it was an opportunity for me to become an NBA player," Jokic said. "I think I did a good job of using that opportunity."
During a season in which a number of other superstars faced stretches on the sidelines with injuries, Jokic started all 72 games for the Denver Nuggets.
The Nuggets finished third and have since advanced to the Western Conference semi-finals, although they trail the Phoenix Suns after Game 1.
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said: "I'm so happy and respect so much the hard work and dedication that he’s put in to reach this point.
"I've been lucky enough to coach Nikola his entire career, and to see his growth from a second-round pick trying to learn the NBA to a perennial All-Star and now the MVP is truly extraordinary. He deserves this honour and I don't take for granted getting to coach a player, and more importantly a person like Nikola."
"Nikola's journey from the 41st pick in the draft to MVP is one of the most remarkable individual stories we have witnessed in sports," said Nuggets chairman Stanley Kroenke.
"His hard work, commitment and dedication to his craft, team and community are second to none. We couldn’t be more proud and fortunate to have him with us in Denver."
Nikola Jokic is the NBA MVP for 2020-21 after earning 91 first-place votes and 971 total points.
Jokic had previously been confirmed as a finalist alongside Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid and Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry but was long considered the clear favourite.
During a season in which a number of other superstars faced stretches on the sidelines with injuries, Jokic started all 72 games for the Denver Nuggets.
Embiid sustained a knee injury in March and Los Angeles Lakers great LeBron James went down with a high ankle sprain just eight days later.
Fitness issues robbed Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden of an unlikely run, too, while Curry saw off a tailbone concern but could only lift the Warriors to ninth in the west, as they lost consecutive play-in games to the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies.
The Nuggets finished third and have since advanced to the Western Conference semi-finals, although they trail the Phoenix Suns after Game 1.
In the regular season, Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game – the combined total of 45.5 leading the NBA alongside triple-double king Russell Westbrook.
The Denver center shot 56.6 per cent from the field, 38.8 per cent from beyond the arc and 86.8 per cent from the free-throw line. No player to attempt 30 or more field goals across a season in NBA history has topped Jokic in all three metrics.
Jokic – the first MVP from Serbia – had only once previously scored more than 20 points per game in a campaign since he was selected 41st overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Behind the Serbian, Embiid came second with 586 points, as Curry received 453 points.
Utah Jazz All-Star Mike Conley has been ruled out for Game 1 of the Western Conference semi-finals due to a right hamstring strain.
Conley was in doubt for the second-round opener against the Los Angeles Clippers after sustaining the injury in the Jazz's series-clinching Game 5 win over the Memphis Grizzlies last week.
The 33-year-old guard – who took only four shots in his last game, his lowest total in any of his 66 playoff games – will now watch from the sidelines as the top-seeded Jazz face the Clippers on Tuesday.
"Hopefully, we'll get him back as quickly as possible," Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said. "But those things are hard to predict."
Conley has been averaging 17.4 points, a postseason career-high 8.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds through five games in the playoffs.
During the regular season, Conley averaged 16.2 points, 6.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
The Jazz have won all three previous playoff series between these teams in 1992, 1997, and 2017. That is Utah's most playoff series wins without a loss against one opponent, and it is the Clippers' most losses without a victory against one foe.
The Jazz have scored 120 or more points in each of their last four games, tying the longest streak in team playoff history (first achieved last August). Utah have had five consecutive games of 120-plus points in the regular season only twice, in 1982 and 1984.
Top seed Johanna Konta started her grass-court season with a straight-sets victory over Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove in the second round of the Nottingham Open.
Konta parted with her coach Dimitri Zavialoff for a second time after crashing out of the French Open at the hands of Sorana Cirstea in the first round.
The British number one was back in business on home soil on Tuesday, dispatching Pattinama Kerkhove 6-1 6-3.
Kateryna Kozlova will be Konta's next opponent after she upset 13th seed Madison Brengle 6-3 5-7 6-3.
Donna Vekic, the third seed from Croatia, breezed into the third round with a 7-5 6-1 success over Leonie Kung.
Viktorija Golubic also progressed, having won the first set 6-1 before Kristie Ahn retired, while Nina Stojanovic got the better of Oceane Dodin 7-6 (7-4) 7-5.
Georgina Garcia Perez fought back to knock out 18th seed Christina McHale, and there were also wins for Tereza Martincova and Zarina Diyas.
Alexander Zverev finally advanced to the semi-finals of the French Open with a comfortable 6-4 6-1 6-1 win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Tuesday.
The sixth seed was playing in the last eight at Roland Garros for the third time in four seasons but had twice previously fallen at this stage.
Some inconsistent early serving aside, another slip-up never appeared likely as Zverev secured swift progress on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Next is the winner of Daniil Medvedev versus Stefanos Tsitsipas, the other quarter-final in the bottom half of the draw that should prove rather more testing for the victor.
A peculiar first set saw only four games stay on serve as both players showed signs of frustration, first with Zverev offering an incredulous response to a tight but correct line call that allowed his opponent to hold.
Zverev's anger was short-lived, though, as error-strewn serving on both sides of the net ensured regular opportunities.
Davidovich Fokina inadvertently threw his racket into the stands after sending a deep forehand wide and another poor shot into the net sealed the opener for Zverev, who seized on the Spaniard's sloppy play once more to lead early in the second.
This was not an advantage he would cede, racing through the set in only 26 minutes as a tiring Davidovich Fokina won a meagre 11 points.
The struggling underdog saved two break points at the start of the third but then went long to tee up another opportunity that was duly taken, quickly bringing the finish line into view for Zverev.
Indeed, just 21 minutes were required this time to see out the match as Zverev's power made light work of the 22-year-old with two more ruthless breaks.
Data Slam: Second serves sting Spaniard
Neither player served well in the first set, but Zverev crucially managed to win 44 per cent of points on second serve. That modest return gave him the edge over Davidovich Fokina's 26 per cent, even as the Spaniard had two double-faults to his opponent's three.
Once Zverev had the lead, this was an uphill task for Davidovich Fokina, who had run a marathon to reach this stage, notably outlasting Casper Ruud over four hours and 35 minutes.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Zverev – 24/16
Davidovich Fokina – 16/37
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Zverev – 3/3
Davidovich Fokina – 0/3
BREAK POINTS WON
Zverev – 9/15
Davidovich Fokina – 3/6
There were no shocks at the Stuttgart Open on Tuesday as Marin Cilic and both seeds advanced.
The grass-court swing got under way with four main-draw matches but little drama in Germany.
One-time Wimbledon finalist Cilic staved off the only two break points he faced against wildcard Rudolf Molleker and seized all five opportunities of his own.
A 7-5 6-3 win was enough to set up a second-round meeting with fifth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili, who beat Dustin Brown in the top half of the draw.
The defeated pair were the only home hopefuls in action, while number six seed Ugo Humbert and Lloyd Harris each also progressed.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova fought back to win a pulsating French Open battle with her doubles partner Elena Rybakina and reach an elusive first grand slam semi-final.
A decade after playing in the last eight of a major for the first time at Roland Garros, Pavlyuchenkova finally broke new ground with a hard-fought 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 9-7 victory on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old had lost six grand slam singles quarter-finals but the 31st seed will do battle with surprise package Tamara Zidansek for a place in the championship match in Paris.
Rybakina beat the great Serena Williams to reach the last eight and gave another demonstration of her huge promise, but made 43 unforced errors in an entertaining contest that took two hours and 33 minutes to settle on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
After Kazakh Rybakina claimed the first break for a 3-1 first-set lead with clean striking off both wings, Pavlyuchenkova took a more aggressive approach and that paid off when she got back on serve at 4-3.
Rybakina, the 21st seed, took that setback in her stride, storming into a 5-0 lead after a tactical first-set battle was taken to a tie-break, which ended with Pavlyuchenkova putting a backhand into the net.
Pavlyuchenkova appeared to have missed out on a fourth chance to break in a long sixth game of the second set when she slipped, but looked up while she was sitting on the clay to discover Rybakina had made a mess of a simple smash.
The 29-year-old broke again to wrap up the set and maintained her momentum in the decider, charging into a 2-0 lead - with her backhand firing.
They were back on serve at 4-4 with the nerves jangling following four breaks in five games, both players looking understandably tense but still producing some high-quality tennis.
It was Pavlyuchenkova who claimed the decisive fifth break of a long final set to advance, earning a match point with a rasping forehand winner before her young opponent double-faulted.
Data Slam: A half-century to remember for Pavlyuchenkova
Pavlyuchenkova is making her 50th grand slam main draw appearance and she has marked it with her best run. More proof that persistence pays off.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Pavlyuchenkova – 44/28
Rybakina – 46/43
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Pavlyuchenkova – 5/2
Rybakina – 5/6
BREAK POINTS WON
Pavlyuchenkova– 6/17
Rybakina – 3/7
Simona Halep will play in the inaugural Bad Homburg Open as she aims to return to fitness ahead of defending her Wimbledon title.
World number three and two-time grand slam winner Halep last month withdrew from the French Open after sustaining a calf injury.
The Romanian is targeting a return in time for the grass-court swing and will feature at the new WTA 250 event in Germany.
Designed with preparation for Wimbledon in mind, the Bad Homburg Open will run from June 20-26.
Halep, who has accepted a wildcard, is one of three former Wimbledon winners to be participating, alongside Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova.
"I have some good news to share with you," Halep said in a video posted to her official Twitter account.
"I am super excited to announce that I will be playing for the first edition in Bad Homburg and I am looking forward to seeing all of the fans in the stands."
Halep, who has also triumphed at Roland Garros, overcame Serena Williams 6-2 6-2 in the 2019 Wimbledon final.
The grand slam in London did not take place last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tamara Zidansek powered into the French Open semi-finals on Tuesday with a three-set win over Paula Badosa as her remarkable campaign at Roland Garros continued.
The world number 85 was the lowest-ranked player in the quarter-finals, which featured six players never to have reached this stage of a grand slam before, a record in the Open Era.
The first woman representing Slovenia to get to the last eight of a major, Zidansek handled the occasion better as she moved a set and 4-2 ahead on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Badosa responded with some powerful hitting as her opponent began to falter, but Zidansek summoned up energy reserves when it mattered to clinch a 7-5 4-6 8-6 win in two hours and 26 minutes.
Badosa, the 33rd seed, had never before been beyond the fourth round of a slam but came into the contest with some pedigree at this event, having won the girls' title in 2015.
The Spaniard eased into a 3-0 lead in the opening set, but Zidansek won five of the next six games to take the lead in the match for the first time. Badosa warded off a set point but succumbed to the second as a slice clipped the top of the net.
Badosa had been one of the form players on clay this year, winning in Belgrade last month after reaching the semi-finals in Madrid and Charleston, but the 23-year-old sent a tight forehand into the tramlines to hand Zidansek a 3-1 lead in the second set.
The Slovenian was similarly tentative in the next game, sending a careless shot long to hand back the break to trigger a succession of unsteady service games from both players.
Badosa, who racked up five double faults in the second set, fell 4-2 behind, only to respond with three games in a row, breaking Zidansek to love before levelling the match when a strong forehand forced an error.
Just as she looked in control, Badosa slapped a forehand into the net to hand back a break, and suddenly Zidansek's laser groundstrokes began to find their mark again, a thumping winner moving her 5-4 ahead.
She dug deep to save break points and move 7-6 ahead after the longest game of the match, and one last forehand winner on the second match point was enough to end a gruelling contest and set up a semi-final against the victor of the clash between Elena Rybakina and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Data Slam: Zidansek on target at critical moments
"I was struggling a little bit but, in the third set, I managed to get my groove," said an emotional Zidansek after an exhausting match.
Her accuracy at the crucial points late in the contest proved decisive. She hit 22 of her 48 winners in the deciding set, helping her to swat away break points before clinching the victory.
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Zidansek – 48/39
Badosa – 31/47
ACES/DOUBLE FAULTS
Zidansek – 1/3
Badosa – 2/9
BREAK POINTS WON
Zidansek – 8/13
Badosa – 7/14
Andy Murray could hold the key to Iga Swiatek converting her clay-court mastery to the grass of Wimbledon.
Reigning French Open champion Swiatek has powered through to the quarter-finals this year at Roland Garros, and the 20-year-old looks the player to beat.
But soon attentions will switch from the clay in Paris to the grass of London, and Swiatek feels she could do with some pointers.
As Swiatek wrapped up a straight-sets win over Marta Kostyuk on Monday in Paris, Murray tweeted, "Love watching @iga_swiatek", followed by a heart emoji.
Swiatek responded: "Thank you Sir Andy! Are you by any chance up for a practice? I really need to improve my skills on grass."
Andy Roddick is also a fan of the 20-year-old Polish player, with the former US Open winner responding to Murray's initial tweet by saying: "Agreed. She is awesome."
Murray has been champion twice at Wimbledon, beating Novak Djokovic in 2013 and Milos Raonic in 2016.
It remains to be seen how Swiatek gets on when she heads to the All England Club, having made only one previous appearance there in the women's singles, losing in the first round to Viktorija Golubic two years ago.
She can point to some proven prowess, however, having been girls' champion in 2018.
Swiatek has a French Open campaign to complete before she can seriously begin to think about the grass, with a last-eight clash against Maria Sakkari coming up on Wednesday.
Chris Paul compared the Phoenix Suns to a wrestling tag team after they beat the Denver Nuggets 122-105 in their NBA playoffs semi-final opener.
In front of what Paul described as "crazy" home support, the Suns bossed the second half 65-47 to take first blood in the Western Conference last-four series.
Paul (21 points and 11 assists) and Deandre Ayton (20 points and 10 rebounds) fuelled the second-seeded Suns, who saw all of their starters finish with double-digit points – Devin Booker (21), Mikal Bridges (23) and Jae Crowder (14) making priceless contributions.
With the likes of Cameron Payne and Torrey Craig coming off the bench – the latter having nine points and eight rebounds in under 18 minutes on court – there are good grounds for optimism in the Suns ranks.
Paul said the key to the Suns second-half surge, after slipping 70-60 behind at one point, was "just playing with pace", and a vibrant home atmosphere, with Olympic swimming great Michael Phelps among the crowd.
"They got a nice little lead on us there in the third quarter," he said. "This crowd is crazy. It's crazy. To have the fans in there, the energy, there's nothing like it.
"I told the guys this is why we fought so hard during the regular season to get home-court advantage. I think we truly have that with our fanbase here."
For Denver, MVP favourite Nikola Jokic was limited to 22 points on 10-for-23 shooting, nine rebounds and three assists on the road.
Paul said the Suns have real character as a unit.
"It's fun to be on the team," he said. "It's almost like wrestling and you're tagging in.
"You go out of the game and there's no drop-off, there's just another unit coming in and keeping pressure on you.
"I think that's the benefit of having the team like we have."
The second game in the series takes place on Wednesday, again at the Phoenix Suns Arena.
While Paul praised others, Booker hailed Paul's contribution.
"We felt that energy. We felt that passion behind it," Booker said.
"He just made plays. Not only his scoring ability but getting everybody else involved. That's been the story of the season for us, following him in that regard."
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