French Open: Murray, Nadal & Djokovic make cut as quarter-finals set to begin
Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic and Kei Nishikori took their places in the quarter-finals of the French Open on a day of few shocks in the men’s singles at Roland Garros.
Murray and 2015 champion Wawrinka each advanced with respective straight-sets victories over Karen Khachanov and Gael Monfils respectively.
Nishikori, meanwhile, recovered from a first-set bagel at the hands of Fernando Verdasco to progress in four sets, while in Monday’s other fourth-round match Cilic was 6-3 3-0 up on Kevin Anderson when the South African retired with a hamstring injury.
Cilic will go up against Wawrinka for a place in the last four, while Murray will meet Nishikori.
Men’s QFs set:
Murray vs Nishikori
Wawrinka vs Cilic
Carreño Busta vs Nadal
Thiem vs DjokovicPredictions? #RG17
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2017
TENNIS BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER – MURRAY
Following the recent terror attacks in Manchester and London, Murray was asked about tennis’ ability to promote more altruistic values.
“I think one of the great things about tennis is that, I don’t know exactly how many different countries are represented here in the men’s and women’s events, but it’s a lot,” said Murray after his 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over Khachanov.
“We all share locker rooms together, practice courts together. We compete against each other. For the most part, the players get on very well with each other. We travel all around the world. We play in cities all over the world and different continents. We get fantastic support everywhere we go.
“I do think sport, and tennis in particular because of the nature of it, is such a global sport, it does bring lots of people together from many different places.”
@andy_murray notches 650th ATP-level match-win, besting Khachanov 6-3 6-4 6-4. He’s through to QFs for 4th consecutive yr.#RG17 pic.twitter.com/jip3RLQmt5
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2017
ANDERSON HAMSTRUNG BY INJURY
It was a disappointing end to an otherwise positive Roland Garros campaign for Anderson, who was understandably gutted to have to retire in the second set against Cilic.
“It almost started in my first-round match. I noticed it very, very lightly,” he said. “I wasn’t really that concerned about it. And it just progressively worsened, sort of each match and each day in between the matches.
“It’s tough. It hurts just to retire. I would like to just finish the match. But, you know, with the grass just around the around the corner, I have to look after my body. And I’ve been through quite a bit. So hopefully right now I’ll be able to recover rapidly.”
Anderson à terre.
Le Sud Africain, blessé et contraint à l’abandon, permet à Cilic d’être le croate à atteindre les 1/4 à Paris#RG7 pic.twitter.com/S4EFhgaJRE— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2017
PARIS ELEMENTS PUT THE WIND UP MONFILS
After battling hard in the first two sets against Wawrinka, Monfils’ resistance was swiftly ended in the third as he bowed out 7-5 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 and the last home hope in the men’s singles draw found conditions tricky on Court Philippe Chatrier.
“Well, when we were playing against, we were definitely playing against the wind, and it changes the trajectory of the ball,” he said.
“If you get very defensive, it becomes more difficult and at the same time easier for the opponent. So tactically speaking, you had to really think very carefully each time you were playing against the wind.”
