Game On: Sports News, Highlights & Commentary
- Elena Rybakina brushes aside Naomi Osaka in straight sets, dominating with a violent forehand and clinical serving.
- Qinwen Zheng stuns Iga Swiatek, prompting concern about Swiatek’s form and mental resilience.
- Alexander Blockx reaches his first grand slam quarter-final after a gritty comeback win over Francisco Cerúndolo.
- Elena Rybakina sits close to world number one if she reaches the semis, openly aiming for the top ranking.
- Rybakina’s composed, powerful play and forehand dominance left Osaka largely toothless and warned the rest of the draw.
Key events
Righto, that’s it from us for today … but we’ll be with you tomorrow, and stay with you for the evening matches. Until then, though, peace out.
From the second game he felt really sharp pain in his rib so he was just hanging in there. He might’ve lost the first set – Cerundolo had chances – but the doctor gave him something magic that, from the third set, took the pain away, and he thinks he’ll need the same thing again.
Already this morning, it felt unreal stepping out on to Ashe, so winning a match on it is even crazier. Asked how he does it, he says he works hard and even though he’s had bad results, he knows the good times are always coming and this is one, so he’s going to enjoy it.
Blockx celebrates with his team, and rightly so. Not that long ago, he was prostrate on the ground, taking treatment, and now h’s taken the opportunity of a lifetime away from Cerundolo, who started in a temper then, when he calmed down, lost the big points. And here he is…
Alexander Blockx (28) beats Francisco Cerúndolo 3-6 6-4 7-5 7-5
A fantastic display of heart, composure and power from the 21-year-old who, struggling with injury, stuck in rallies, served big, and found winners at good times to reach his first grand slam quarter-final. Next for him: Kahchanov or Tien.
Rybakina reckons she played well against a tough opponent, thanking the crowd for the atmosphere. As for taking the world no 1 spot, hers if she wins her next match, she says of course she wants it, who wouldn’t. And that’s about it.
Elsewhere, Gea leads Van de Zandschulp 4-3 on serve, while Blockx is a game away against Cerundolo, up 2-1 6-5 – but also on serve.
Elena Rybakina (2) beats Naomi Osaka (13) 6-1 6-4
A complete going-over, sealed with ace. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Osaka made to look so toothless and Rybakina meets Qinwen Zheng next.
Rybakina is just so chill out there, making 30-0 with no hint of nerves, then lashing an overhand forehand cross-court from the backhand corner for a clean winner. She raises three match points, and the rest of the field should pay close attention; this is every bit as ominous as Alcaraz’s undressing of Paul yesterday.
I think a problem Osaka has is she lacks a bit of variety – she can’t really chip and charge, nor crush and rush, so if she’s getting outhit from the back, all she can do is hope to play better. In comms, a bit more spin has been suggested, but I’m not sure she wants to sit balls up for an opponent with Rybakina’s power.
A tremendous return takes Rybakina to 0-30, it’s soon 15-40, and two match points; this has been an absolute clouting. But the first match point is burned with a backhand into the net, the second confiscated with a decent forehand down the middle. But when Osaka makes advantage, a a pair of backhands, the second hooked to break the sideline, restore deuce … then she closes out, forcing Rybakina to serve for it at 6-1 5-4.
The consistency of Rybakina’s power and depth is just too much for Osaka, who’s being denied angle and power. The consolidation is secured to 15, the lead 6-1 5-3, and I’d not be surprised if the match was sealed with a break.
Back on Armstrong, Blickx leads Cerundolo 2-1 3-3, while Gea and Van de Zandschulp have swapped breaks, the former up 3-2 on serve.
Oh dear. Two doubles help Rybakina to 15-40 and should she take one, it’ll feel like the match. And she does, Osaka a victim of her own unforceds; the world no 2 leads 6-1 4–3, just two games away.
A friendly net cord takes Osaka to 0-15, but four points in a row see Rybakina to 6-1 3-3, still by far the better, more confident player. She’s been really impressive so far today, not overhitting as she sometimes can but keeping things simple by hitting telling shots when they’re there or otherwise waiting for the error.
Gea’s shorts are so tight you fear they’ll do him a mischief – pic to come – while he and Van de Zandschulp are level at 1-1 in the first. Meantime, Rybakina makes 30-40 on the Osaka serve, only to net, and when the hold is secured through deuce for 1-6 3-2, the crowd holler in approval. Making an impression on return, though, is an entirely different samovar of marine life.
Osaka fight back from 40-0 to 40-30 … for all the good it does her, Rybakina holding from there to lead 6-1 2-2. Her forehand is such a joyous weapon, loose, uncomplicated and violent; it’s currently dominating the rallies so dominating the match.
Rude.
Wild applause as Osaka, down 1-6 1-1 30-40, nails a service winner for deuce, then secures her hold in impressive style. On Grandstand, Gea and Van dee Zandschulp have just started, while Blockx leads Cerundolo 2-1 2-1 and, in comms, they’re raving about his squash shot. As for me, I’m blown away by his fortitude and mentality – he’s pushing his body to ridiculous lengths but not in desperation.
Important hold for Osaka to get on the board in set three, then Rybakina strays wide with a forehand and, at 30-all, a sniff. Quickly conflicted, the world no 2 finding first serves when she needs them to level at 1-1 in the second having taken the first 6-1. Osaka does, I think, need to hit harder and flatter – more easily said than done.
Blockx earns a second set point, and this time, Cerundolo sucumbs to pressure, sending down a double. The young Belgian leads 6-3 4-6 7-5 and is within a set of his maiden grand slam quarter-final, not something I imagine he expected when arrived here. But he’s earned the posterior out of it, competing with pluck and intelligence; if he can hold his serve and hold it down, he’s a really goods chance of moving on.
An amazing forehand from Blockx, ripped cross on the run, has Cerundolo applauding , and it takes him to 6-5 30-15. And he then makes 30-all, so is two points from the set – not for the first time – then again at deuce, raising set point when he nails a return that’s too good. Meantime, Rybakina serves out for a 6-1 set; Osaka has a lot of thinking to do, because she’s barely participated thus far.
Rybakina is too good for Osaka currently, earning two break points, zoning to net, and watching her opponent dump a forehand. At 5-1, she’ll now serve for the set.
I complimented Blockx’s mentality earlier in the match and he shows it again, fighting back from 0-40 by playing his normal attacking game. He then moves through deuce and secures his hold to lead 1-1,6-5.
Blockx holds for 5-4 and makes it to deuce on the Cerundolo serve, but the Argentine shows good composure to hold, while Rybakina saves break point with an ace, then closes out the game with a forehand winner. She leads 4-1 in the first and, so far, looks in pretty good touch and control.
Two doubles and a forehand hit long help Rybakina to 15-40 … and a further double cedes a tame break. That’s very poor indeed, her lead now 3-1 in the first.
A confident hold from Rybakina, who’s swinging freely; on Ashe, Cerudulo and Blockx are now level at 1-1 4-4.
“Wow! Just wow!” begins Jim. “I think Zheng is fantastic, but I wrote her off earlier. I’ve now backed her at 40-1 to win it. She never knows when she’s beaten. Amazing player and role model for the future of the women’s game. Wow!”
I wrote her off too, but she did brilliantly – though I’m concerned by what happened to Swiatek. It’s hard to call it a slump when she won Wimbledon a year ago, but it’s two years since she took the last of her four French Opens, and mentally, she’s no longer impregnable.
Consecutive errors from Rybakina hand Osaka a start, but four cheap points follow and she leads 1-0, but Cerundolo and Blockx are level at 1-1 3-3.
It’s a hard match to pick but I’ve got to go with Rybakina because Osaka hasn’t won many of these matches since returning – she beat Sabalenka at Wimbledon, but that’s about it.
Rybakina, by the way, isn’t just trying to win this competition but to become world no 1. If she gets to the semis, she’s there, likewise if she doesn’t, but the trophy doesn’t go to one of Aryna Sabalenka, Jess Pegula and Coco Gauff.
Out comes Osaka, in a coat printed with a scene to look like a painting and topped with a fur collar; while that’s going on, Cerundolo breaks Blockx back to trail 1-1 2-3.
Brilliant from Blockx, who breaks for 3-1 in the third, sealing the advantage by winning another physical point, running to net and finding a clever angle to which Cerundolo couldn’t respond.
I couldn’t be more impressed with Blockx, who holds for 1-1 2-1. This is the biggest match of his career, so I don’t expect him to quit, but the way he’s maintained his composure and played with wisdom as well as guts, bodes well for his future.
Oh, and we’ll also soon have singles on Grandstand, Gea and Vn de Zandschulp ready to come out.
Siniakova/Townsend, no 1 seeds in the women’s doubles, have beaten Hunter/Krawczyk, meaning Osaka v Rybakina is imminent. Oooh yeah.
Cerundolo makes 0-30 on the Blockx serve, then nashes in to retrieve a net cord that, once he’s there he should get back … but cannot, the game levelled when he goes long with a lob. he does, though, make 30-40, the match now seemingly on his racket, but Blockx does superbly to stick in the next point long enough to win it at net before securing his hold. He’s in a fair bit of pain, making this a really impressive feat; he leads 1-1 1-0.
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