Swiatek reaches French Open last 16 as Sinner exits after illness

PARIS: Iga Swiatek moved into the French Open last 16 on Friday after a straight-sets win over Magda Linette, while the men’s draw was shaken by Jannik Sinner’s collapse and defeat following an apparent illness.

Third seed Swiatek beat Linette 6-4, 6-4 in the opening match on Court Philippe Chatrier. The Pole recovered after falling 2-0 behind early against the world number 35, who had beaten her in their previous meeting in Miami in March. Swiatek broke serve three times in the first set to edge in front and then opened a 4-1 lead in the second before overcoming a late wobble to finish the match.

After the win, Swiatek said she had produced a better display than in her loss to Linette two months ago.

“It was a good match. I played much better than Miami,”

Swiatek had moved to appoint Francisco Roig, a longtime coach of Rafael Nadal, after that defeat. She will next face 15th seed Marta Kostyuk, who continued her strong clay-court form with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic. Kostyuk has now won 15 straight matches on clay this season after titles in Madrid and Rouen.

Looking ahead to that contest, Swiatek praised her next opponent’s season but said her focus would remain on her own preparation.

“Marta is having a great season. She always had a game to play well,”

“So good for her. But I’m going to focus on myself, prepare tactically, as before any other match, and we’ll see.”

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva advanced to the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Czech 27th seed Marie Bouzkova. The eighth seed will next play either 2023 French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova or Jil Teichmann for a place in the quarter-finals.

Sinner knocked out

On Thursday, men’s world number one Sinner went out in the second round after letting slip a commanding position against Juan Manuel Cerundolo. The top seed was leading by two sets and 5-1 in the third before his movement deteriorated sharply. He lost 18 consecutive points, took a medical time-out and told officials he felt dizzy.

Sinner asked the chair umpire about his options when trailing 0-40 in the next game, before being assessed by a physio. He said he felt dizzy and needed to vomit. After leaving Court Philippe Chatrier for treatment, he returned to applause from the crowd but continued to struggle in the 32C heat and eventually lost 3-6, 2-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 to the world number 56 from Argentina.

Cerundolo took advantage of the shift in momentum and completed a comeback win over a visibly weakened opponent, who was bent over after long rallies. In another men’s result, Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the third round for only the second time in his last eight Grand Slam tournaments by beating Roman Andres Burruchaga in four sets.

Sabalenka and Gauff progress

Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka also advanced, beating France’s Elsa Jacquemot 7-5, 6-2. Jacquemot, ranked 67th, tested Sabalenka for long spells on Chatrier, but the Belarusian’s power proved decisive. Sabalenka, who is seeking a fifth Grand Slam title and her first at Roland Garros, will next face Daria Kasatkina.

Defending champion Coco Gauff booked her place in the last 32 with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Egyptian qualifier Mayar Sherif. Naomi Osaka moved closer to a possible last-16 meeting with Sabalenka by reaching the third round at the tournament for the first time in seven years after defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6 (7/1), 6-4.

Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova, who lost the Wimbledon and US Open finals last year, progressed after Julia Grabher retired following a 6-0 first set. Earlier in the week, Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina exited after surrendering a one-set lead in a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10/4) defeat to Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.