French Open 2021: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal surge into Round 4
It's a day of big names at the French Open as Round 3 comes to a close. The Big Three — Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer — all take the clay on Saturday. It's big day for American women as well, with Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens, Sophie Kenin, and Jessica Pegula all fighting to advance to Round 4.
Follow along below for updates on the final day of Round 3 play.
Roger Federer finds late life in an empty stadium
As far as tennis in 2021 goes, few moments were more surreal than a 39-year-old Roger Federer lagging in an empty stadium past midnight local time.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion found himself in trouble against Dominik Koepfer on Saturday, trailing by a break in the third set while tied 1-1. He responded with his own break, then prevailed in the tiebreaker and next set to survive a grueling match 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4), 7-5.
All it took was three hours and 36 minutes.
3️⃣ hours and 3️⃣6️⃣ minutes!
At 12:43 am, @rogerfederer slams the door on Koepfer 7-6(5), 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 7-5 to reach the final 16.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/bBeZOX3Qgc— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2021
Federer is now set to face Matteo Berrettini in the fourth round, but told reporters after the match that he's not 100% sure he'll continue due to concerns about his readiness for grass season.
Rafael 'King of Clay' Nadal continues to reign
It's no big surprise that 13-time French Open champion Nadal won his Round 3 match against Cameron Norrie. Clay is where his skill set shines the brightest, and the bumps along the road to his 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win only showed why he's the King of Clay.
For example, he let Norrie get ahead in the second set, and then he turned on the gas and won five straight games. He capped the mid-game comeback with this utterly fantastic court-spanning volley.
What. A. Set. 🤯
Trailing 1-3, Nadal storms back with five straight games and seals the second 6-3 with this mind bender!#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/qEDbODv4ZS— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2021
Here's another mind-melting return from Nadal.
He just keeps coming 👀#RolandGarros | @RafaelNadal pic.twitter.com/xuOK5xNVwX
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2021
Who does that!? Well, Nadal does. He wasn't at his best on Saturday, but he still got the job done well and with flair. In Round 4, he'll face Italian Jannik Sinner, who is seeded at No. 18.
Coco Gauff advances on a walkover
Gauff barely broke a sweat during her Round 3 match against fellow American Jennifer Brady, who was seeded at No. 13. It lasted all of 23 minutes, with Gauff dominating Brady in the first set 6-1 before Brady retired due to a persistent foot injury that had flared up on Saturday.
Jennifer Brady forced to retire due to injury. Been suffering from plantar fasciitis and a bone bruise in her foot since Rome. Considered not playing #RG21.
"I woke up and it was just worse. I couldn't really play my game. I was moving about 20%." #RG21 pic.twitter.com/Car5d7VYpn— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) June 5, 2021
Winning by default isn't how Gauff probably envisioned making it to Round 4 at Roland-Garros for the first time ever, but how she got there doesn't really matter. She'll have the opportunity to advance to the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of her entire career on Monday when she plays No. 25 seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisa.
Djokovic cruises into Round 4
It was just another day at the office for Djokovic, who crushed his Round 3 opponent Ricardas Berankis 6-1, 6-4, 6-1 in a match that lasted just one hour and 32 minutes.
He's in familiar territory. 😏@DjokerNole books a spot in the fourth round for the 12th year in a row, taking out Berankis 6-1, 6-4, 6-1.
Read more: https://t.co/1Asrbgzn59#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/3FAg3gWBvk— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 5, 2021
Djokovic, who has yet to be tested at Roland-Garros, is through to his 12th straight Round 4 at the French Open, setting a new Open Era record for most consecutive Round 4 appearances at the French Open. He'll next face 19-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti on Monday.
Sloane Stephens stuns with another upset
Sloane Stephens is looking like her old self again, and it couldn't have happened at a better time.
Stephens, ranked No. 59 in the world coming into the French Open, upset her second straight Top 20 opponent with her straight-sets win over No. 18 Karolina Muchova. Stephens sent Muchova home after a 6-3, 7-5 match that lasted nearly two hours. She had to battle in the second set when Muchova started to make a surge, but she kept her head down and pulled out her first trip to Round 4 since she was at Roland-Garros two years ago.
Clay court code: cracked. ✔️@SloaneStephens rolls on in straight sets, defeating Muchova 6-3, 7-5 to advance in Paris.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/EFG4aRxiih
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 5, 2021
After the match, Stephens said that she felt like she was about to break out recently, and she's pleased that the results are finally showing on the court.
Business mode is activated. 💼@SloaneStephens is into week 2. @jon_wertheim | #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/smxSOapVm1
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 5, 2021
In Round 4, Stephens will face Barbora Krejčíková, who knocked out No. 5 Elina Svitolina earlier on Saturday.
American women continue to shine as Kenin defeats Pegula
It's been an outstanding tournament for American women, and that was on full display with the Round 3 match between No. 4 Sofia Kenin and No. 28 Jessica Pegula. It was a highly competitive match, but Kenin pulled out the 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win after narrowly losing the first set. She smashed 24 backhand winners and showed no indication of the tough year she's been having, which has included an appendectomy and a high-profile split from her coach, who also happens to be her father.
In today's first clash of the stars and stripes, @SofiaKenin comes out on top. 🇺🇸
The No. 4 seed gets past Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
How it happened: https://t.co/1Asrbgzn59#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/iMjWIYFzQf— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 5, 2021
Kenin, who made it to the finals at Roland-Garros last year, will face either No. 14 Elise Mertens or No. 17 Maria Sakkari in Round 4.
Seventh Top 10 woman exits competition as Elina Svitolina falls
It hasn't been a great tournament for top-ranked women, and that continued on Saturday. No. 5 Elina Svitolina was knocked out by No. 33 Barbora Krejčíková, making her the seventh Top 10 female player to exit Roland-Garros.
Svitolina fell 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 39 minutes. She was really never able to get her footing against Krejčíková, who played confident tennis from her very first shot.
Another Top 10 win in the books for @BKrejcikova. 💪
The Czech takes out No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/K977Be5oGj— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 5, 2021
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