French Open. Two four-times grand slam winners.
The two players are out on the court at Philippe-Chatrier and will begin their final warm ups.
Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka have faced each other twice.
In 2019, Osaka defeated the now world No 1 in Toronto in a close two set match. Three years later, it was Swiatek who got the better of her opponent in the final of the 2022 Miami Open.
Swiatek, of course, heads into this match up as the heavy favourite. Not only is she the best women’s tennis player in the word right now, but clay is her specialty. Three of Swiatek’s grand slam wins have come in Paris and she is currently unbeaten in her last 13 matched on red dirt.
Osaka, on the other hand, has never been past the third round at Roland Garros, nor has she reached the final of any clay-court event. She is currently ranked No 134 in the world and is attempting to make her way back to the top after time away to give birth.
A blockbuster of a match up next.
Up next for Alcaraz, it will either be the American Sebastian Korda, who is seeded 27th, or South Korea’s Kwon Soon-woo in the third round.
Carlos Alcaraz says that his match against Jesper De Jong shows that the rankings don’t matter on the court.
This kind of tournament, every player can give you trouble. You have to be focused in every match, every game and every point. It doesn’t matter that I am top of the rankings and you are playing someone outside of the Top 100. The work and the level you show is what matters. I am sure he will break the Top 100.
On when he realised during the match he could not have fun:
In the third set I had to forget about putting on a show and put myself a chance in the rallies. I was in trouble a little bit.
On if the long match was good for him given that he has not played much on clay this season due to his earlier arm injury:
I prefer not to spend too much time on the court but every match is different. It is good for me to get the time but I prefer to spend less hours on the court.
A sigh of relief from Alcaraz before pumping his fists up once De Jong nets his shot on the match point. After three hours and nine minutes, he obviously did not want this to go to five sets.
Thanks Daniel, and hello all. It has been a bit of a nervy one here for Alcaraz but he is now up 5-2 in the third set. De Jong tries to elicit some cheers after a drop shot (the crowd do love an underdog but I think they might love Alcaraz more) but the Spaniard makes him work defensively and it does not fall his way.
Righto, that’s it from me for now – here’s Yara El-Shaboury to chill with you through the next bit.
A moment ago I almost called De Jong “the youngster” by way of inelegant variation to avoid repeating his name, only to realise he’s a coupe of years older than Alcaraz. Which tells us what a freak of nature “the Spaniard” is, but that shouldn’t distract us from the poternial of “the whippersnapper”. If he can recapture this level, rather than make this the performance of his life, he can do plenty, but as I type an Alcaraz forehand winner not only raises two break points but shows us that De Jong is bushed – he tried chasing it, but without the conviction he might get it. And shonuff, another error follows, so Alcaraz now leads 6-3 6-4 2-6 4-2. Oh, and Rublev has just broken Martinez for 5-2 in set one.
On Lenglen, Rublev leads Martinez – who’s beaten Casper Ruud on clay this season – 3-2 on serve.
Alcaraz makes 0-30 then, sent another drop – De Jong has hit loads, perhaps uncovering a weakness – he misses with his pick-up! I’m not sure I’ve seen the world number three play this miserably, and an ace brings us back to 30-all. So we wind up at deuce and De Jong serve-volleys only to dump into the net … then serve a double you coul see coming after the first delivery hit the tape. We’re back on serve at 2-2 in the fourth, but even if Alcaraz progresses, this is the kind of performance that makes you wonder if a player can win a tournament. And I’m certain others will be watching fancying themselves to try the drops that’ve brought De Jong so much joy.
De Jong had the trainer out between sets, working what looked like an ankle, but he seemed fine. And look at him now, breaking again – Alcaraz is struggling mentally here, no longer the happy boy who just enjoys tennis – for 2-1 before calling for help once more.
I wonder if Alcaraz assumed that at 2-0 up, the rest of the match would take care of itself – with good reason, it’s fair to say. But De Jong has maintained his level throughout though, as I type, he sends down a double at 30-all. He’s saved plenty of break points today too, but this time Alcaraz measures his return rather than going for the line, and it elicits the error. We’re back on serve at 1-1 in the fourth.
On Lenglen, Martinez and Rublev are under way.
What on earth is going on?! I’ve was more focused on Jabeur v Osorio the lastbit, for obvious reasons – a decider with a seed in serious trouble – but I did notice Alcaraz overhitting, perhaps sacrificing a set already half-gone to test out his forearm. But he’s not got his rhythm back yet, down break point and again going long on the forehand! De Jong leads 1-0 in the fourth and what a performance this is from him!
I was impressed with De Jong against Draper but playing like that on Chatrier, against Alcaraz is another matter entirely. He serves out the set superbly to 15, and now trails 3-6 4-6 6-2! Incredible!
Alcaraz has dropped here – perhaps because the set is going away from him, perhaps because he’s saving himself physically, post-injury. De Jong leads 5-2 in the third, and will shortly serve for the set.
And don’t forget, when De Jong v Alcaraz is done, we’ll wade into Swiatek v Osaka. It’s not a bad old life.
Next on Lenglen: Andrey Rublev (6) v Pedro Martínez.
Back on Chatrier, De Jong has broken Alcaraz again! He trails 3-6 4-6, but leads 4-1 in set three!
Jabeur says it was an honour to play such a great player, but she was able to fight her way through. The love from the crowd gives her lots of energy, especially in these kinds of matches, and she hopes to see more Tunisian flag and Tunisian people.
Osorio unloads the suitcase at a cross-court return, missing, just, and that’s a brilliant win in a thrilling match for Jabeur; she meets Fernandez or Wang next. But well played Osorio, who gave her plenty, and at just 22, if she can build on this she can make rain.
Dearie me, at 15-all Jabeur opens body only to wipe an inside-out forehand wide, but a loopy forehand cross-court to the corner facilitates the clean-up winner down the line; she’s two points away. And this time it’s her backhand that does the work, two heavy swings raising break point; what does Osorio have left?!
Oh Ons! An error from Osorio, a forehand that’s long, means yet another break point, and how well Jabeur plays it, a decent return into the backhand corner eventually allowing her a drop and pick-up winner! She’ll now serve for a tremendous match.
On Chatrier, De Jong isn’t just maintaining his level, he’s bettering it! A colossal forehand facilitates a putaway at net, his backhand volley pinging the tape and dropping over! He leads 2-1 in the third and what a performance this is; I wonder if Jack Draper is feeling a bit better about himself as a consequence.
De Jong secures a big hold for 1-1 in the third – he’ll have a suspicion the match has gone, but the way he’s played, he owes it to himself to maintain his level until the end. Jabeur, meanwhile, is serving at 4-2 in the third, and a high, deep ball, followed by a low backhand slice gives Osorio break-back point. And with a second serve at which to go, she lands a return on the line, Jabeur can’t deal, and this match is still bang in the balance!
This time, Jabeur consoildates well, and at 4-1 might just’ve landed the decisive blow.
An inside-out forehand followed by a drop earns Jabeur two break points, and though Osorio saves the first, the second is claimed, and whatever else we can say about how the Tunisian is playing at the moment, she’s an arch competitor and leads 3-1 in the third. Meantime, De Jong finally yields, Alcaraz breaking him to pinch a belting set for a 6-3 6-4 lead.
Osorio isn’t going away, fighting back from 40-0 to make deuce, and two sizeable forehands mean we’re back on serve at 1-2! Jabeur just can’t find any confidence or consistency!
De Jong is starting to believe he can nick this set, a lovely drop making 30-40. Yeah, good luck with that old mate: Alcaraz unleashes a weapons-grade forehand that breaks the sideline – what an angle! – saving the 10th break point of the set. And from there, he closes out for 4-5, the pressure placed firmly back on to his opponent, he must now serve to stay in the second set.
Eeesh again, there’ll now be no play on outside courts before 3pm BST.
Eeesh, a double from Osorio hands Jabeur a break point, and a gigantic forehand down the line secures a 2-0 lead. Is class telling, or will Osorio break back as she has done several times today already.
Jabeur holds at the start of set three – she needed that – while De Jong saves more break points before punishing a glorious forehand winner down the line for 3-6 4-4. He’s turned up on Chatrier and man is he making the most of the opportunity.
Osorio needs two goes to do it but she gets there: a 6-1 set, and all the momentum going into the decider.
Osorio quickly breaks again, and will now serve for a decider at 5-1 in the second. And you worry for Jabeur because, though she can raise it, she looks a lot less happy on court than her opponent.
Jabeur hammers away and eventually finds a shot that’s too good, a backhand down the line to earn her deuce. For all the good it does her, a long forehand consolidating Osorio’s break and at 4-1 she’s close to forcing a decider. Meantime, De Jong fights back from 0-40 to eventually secure a hold for 3-6 3-3, and even if we know how this’ll end, he’s giving Alcaraz loads.
An error from Jabeur, overhitting a high-bouncer, means she’s down break point, but a big forehand elicits the error that brings deuce. Another monstrous forehand then saves another opportunity, but a gorgeous drop from Osorio means another advantage and this time, the Colombian finds a huge forehand and follows it up with a putaway volley! Jabeur leads 6-3 1-3, but her opponent is in the ascendancy now!
Lovely work from De Jong, opening body and shoulders to massacre a forehand winner cross-court that breaks the sideline. It gives him a hold for 2-2, after a serious ruckus, and I hope he can hit this level when he’s back playing Challengers.
I’d not seen De Jong play until he despatched Draper in round one, but he looks decent: power, hands, creativity and moxie. But he’s struggling to hold at 3-6 1-2, Alcaraz just netting a leaping backhand tickle-overhead when up advantage.
This time, Jabeur consolidates, which means she takes the first set 6-3. This is actually a good match for her: one she should come through but one that’s testing enough to fortify her with confidence.
Mac reckons Shelton is a potential major-winner, saying he’s got a big game and a great personality – he was evaluating Sinner and Alcaraz at the time. And the Spaniard leads De Jong 6-1 1-1, while Jabeur breaks Osorio yet again – this time to love – for 5-3. She’ll now serve for the first set.
Osorio, though, isn’t going away, a tentative forehand followed by a wilder one returning the break a second time. This is developing into a really fun match.
Lovely stuff from Ons, forcing another break point before unleashing a succession of punishing groundstrokes before one allows her into the net, whereupon she seizes her break back with an overhead. She leads 4-2 in set one.
Alcaraz is grooved now and he breaks De Jong again for a 6-3 set. I’m afraid, though, that it’s still raining and our earliest restart time has been put back again, to 2.30pm BST.
Osorio is on the board, holding – just – to trail Jabeur 1-3. But our Ons is playing well, so stopping her will take something. And has Osorio found it? A lovely backhand pass down the line raises break point, a double follows, and that can happen when you’ve been out of form: it doesn’t take much for doubt to set in. We’re back on serve at 2-3.
