Daily sports headlines: Novak Djokovic wins epic at French Open, Football Ferns lose again
From the French Open fourth round to the Cricket World Cup and the Football Ferns, there is plenty of live sport today.
Cameron McMillan
French Open updates
Cameron McMillan
Alexander Zverev v Holger Rune
4-6, 6-1, 5-7
Rune takes a 2-1 lead after winning the third set.
Baseball betting scandal
Cameron McMillan
San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is under investigation by Major League Baseball for allegedly betting on baseball and could be subject to a possible lifetime ban, according to a person familiar with the probe.
MLB is looking into allegations Marcano bet on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates while on the team’s injured list last season, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Marcano, 24, has not played since tearing his right ACL last July 24. He was claimed by the Padres off waivers on Nov. 2 and placed on the 10-day injured list March 19. - AP
Take on the Hat-Trick quiz
Cameron McMillan
England name training camp to face All Blacks
Cameron McMillan
England coach Steve Borthwick has named a 33-man training camp ahead of their tour of Japan and New Zealand - though it doesn't include players from Northampton Saints or Bath who are playing in the Premiership final this weekend.
Tom Curry returns despite playing just once since the Rugby World Cup.
33-player squad named for England training camp
Forwards (20):
Fin Baxter (Harlequins), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), Theo Dan (Saracens), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins), Ben Earl (Saracens), Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs), Jamie George (Saracens), Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), Joe Marler (Harlequins), George Martin (Leicester Tigers), Gabriel Oghre (Bristol Bears), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs), Rusi Tuima (Exeter Chiefs), Tom Willis (Saracens)
Backs (13):
Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Ford (Sale Sharks), Max Malins (Bristol Bears), Luke Northmore (Harlequins), Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Marcus Smith (Harlequins), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers).
17-year-old reaches French Open quarters
Cameron McMillan
Mirra Andreeva, unseeded and just 17, has reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal by defeating Varvara Gracheva 7-5, 6-2 at the French Open.
Despite occasional boos from the French crowd supporting Gracheva, Andreeva has advanced to face No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.
The impressive Andreeva is just the third player under 18 to reach the Roland Garros quarterfinals in the last 18 years. The women’s quarterfinals are set to begin tomorrow with Coco Gauff facing Ons Jabeur and two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek taking on Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova.
Women's quarter-final draw
1-Iga Swiatek v 5-Marketa Vondrousova
3-Coco Gauff v 8-Ons Jabeur
12- Jasmine Paolini v 4-Elena Rybakina
2-Aryna Sabalenka v Mirra Andreeva
- AP
Cameron McMillan
Police snipers will patrol the India vs Pakistan match in New York this weekend.
Cameron McMillan
OlyWhites probably won't face Kylian Mbappé
Cameron McMillan
Kylian Mbappé hasn't been named in France's provisional squad for the Paris Olympics. Coach Thierry Henry did not completely rule the World Cup winner out of the Games, saying there was still time to change his final selection.
Unlike most international tournaments like the World Cup, European Championship and Copa America, clubs are not required to let their players compete at men’s Olympic tournaments. With Mbappé set to captain France at the Euros, his involvement at the Paris Games would have meant he was unlikely to get a break during the offseason.
France are in the same group as New Zealand, USA and Guinea at the Olympics.
Cameron McMillan
All Whites legend Ryan Nelsen believes Chris Wood has placed himself into a new echelon of footballers, after another remarkable season in the English Premier League.
Cricket World Cup updates
Cameron McMillan
Not really a T20 thriller between Sri Lanka and South Africa in their pool game. Sri Lanka batting first in New York were bowled out for 77 (in the final over). South Africa then took their sweet time to chase it down, winning by six wickets with 22 balls remaining. Not the best advertisement of T20 cricket for America - each team struck three sixes.
French Open results - Women's singles
Cameron McMillan
Women’s second seed Aryna Sabalenka and fourth seed Elena Rybakina advanced to the quarter-finals, both in straight sets.
That means of the eight in the women's quarters, seven of the players are seeded.
French Open results - Men's singles
Cameron McMillan
Djokovic joins Aussie Alex De Minaur in the final eight after he defeated Danil Medvedev 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3. He'll face either Zverez or Rune in the quarters.
On the other side of the draw - it's Tsitsipas v Alcaraz and Dimitrov v Sinner.
Cameron McMillan
Cameron McMillan
French Open updates: Novak Djokovic beats Francisco Cerundolo
Cameron McMillan
That's why he's one of the greats.
Down two sets to one, Novak forces a fifth set and then outduels Cerundolo to advance to yet another French Open quarter-final. What a match and what a comeback from top seed and three-time winner at Roland Garros.
He'll face either Taylor Fritz or Casper Ruud in the next round.
French Open updates: Novak Djokovic v Francisco Cerundolo
Cameron McMillan
6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 5-3 Djokovic
Novak breaks. He was 0-40 down in the eighth game but forced deuce and then gets the vital break. He's serving for the match.
French Open updates: Novak Djokovic v Francisco Cerundolo
Cameron McMillan
6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 4-3 Djokovic
All going to serve in the final set so far. Novak wins the seventh game without dropping a point.
US Open golf qualifiers
Cameron McMillan
It's the 'longest day' is today at the US Open qualifying with 10 tournaments on the go. 937 players competing for 68 spots.
Kiwi Jimmy Zheng currently sits second at the qualifying event in North Carolina. The top seven players make the US Open later this month. He's six holes into the second round, sitting at -4. Two shots back from the leader but one dropped shot from falling outside the seven.
Best of Herald Sport premium
Cameron McMillan
- Paul Lewis: Who will be Razor's first All Blacks bolters?
- First XV rugby wrap: Hamilton Boys' High retain 106-year-old trophy amid sponsor controversy
- Chris Rattue: What is the point of Super Rugby Pacific’s bonus points?
- Phil Gifford: Crusaders should stick with coach Rob Penney
French Open updates: Novak Djokovic v Francisco Cerundolo
Cameron McMillan
6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 2-2
Novak takes a tumble and has clay all over him. He takes a break to towel himself down but Cerundolo takes out the fourth game to make it 2-2 in the decider.
Football Ferns 1 Japan 4
Cameron McMillan
It was looking good for the Football Ferns for the first 49 minutes.
Novak Djokovic was bothered by his right knee, then found himself down a set and a break, before doing what he does so well, coming back to beat No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the French Open’s fourth round on Monday for his record 370th win in a Grand Slam match.
Djokovic, the defending champion at Roland Garros, broke a tie with Roger Federer for the most match wins at major tournaments — and also for the most Slam quarterfinals for a man by reaching the 59th of his career.
And the No. 1-ranked Djokovic did it in ways he has so often over his years of dominance and 24 major trophies, both turning around a contest after trailing — go ahead and ask Federer about holding match points against the guy — and emerging when the tension is greatest. This victory across more than 4 1/2 hours means that Djokovic is now 40-11 in fifth sets over his career; compare that to Cerundolo’s 1-3 mark, and the outcome should surprise no one.
For Djokovic, this was the second consecutive match that lasted more than 4 hours, that he he fell behind 2-1 in sets and that he won in five. In the third round, he made his way past No. 30 Lorenzo Musetti, a 22-year-old from Italy, finishing Sunday after 3 a.m., the latest finish in French Open history.
This time, against Cerundolo, a 25-year-old from Argentina who was trying to reach his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, the 37-year-old Djokovic again used all of his skills, experience and ability to adjust on the fly. He came through, in part, by playing more aggressively and putting extra speed on his groundstrokes, while dealing with whatever was going on with his knee.
Djokovic trailed 4-2 in the fourth set but surged from there.
At 2-1 in the crucible of the fifth set, Djokovic’s feet gave way as he chased a ball to his right, and he rolled on the ground, caking his white shorts, his red shirt and parts of his arms and legs with the rust-coloured clay. As he walked to the sideline to grab a bottle of water to help clean off, he gave a piece of his mind to anyone who would listen, renewing an earlier complaint about wanting the court to be swept to improve traction.
“Well done, supervisor and everybody,” Djokovic said, his voice drenched in sarcasm. “Not slippery at all.”
Yet he was just fine at 3-all in that set, when he stretched and slid, doing the splits, while somehow getting his racket on the ball for a drop volley to win a point. His chest on the ground, Djokovic stuck out both arms, mimicking an airplane, and smiled.
The first signs of trouble came much earlier, in the second set, when Djokovic began flexing his right leg. He took a medical timeout and laid down on a towel placed on the sideline, where a trainer massaged that knee, then had Djokovic flip onto his belly to work on his hamstring.
Djokovic winced as his right leg was manipulated, a scene repeated at subsequent changeovers.
During play, Djokovic stumbled occasionally. Or limped a bit. After some lengthier points, he leaned on his racket or bent at the waist and rested with his hands on his knees or crouched.
When he missed a backhand that allowed Cerundolo to convert a break point for the first time in 13 tries, Djokovic handed over the second set. Soon, Djokovic was staring at a two-sets-to-one hole. And not long after that, he was down 4-2 in the fourth.
Another athlete might cower. Not Djokovic.