PARIS — The Latest from the French Open (all times local):
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8 p.m.
Andy Murray has some thoughts about the way reporters keep track of everything he does during a tennis match — including between points.
The three-time major champion and current No. 1 player is known for muttering to himself and gesticulating, often while looking at coach Ivan Lendl and other members of his team.
At the French Open on Saturday, Murray was asked by a reporter why he appeared to repeatedly be shushing himself during a three-set victory over Juan Martin del Potro in the third round.
“I don’t know why I was doing it. Why does it matter? What’s the big deal? I don’t get it,” Murray began with a smile.
He continued, good-naturedly: “If I say something … you guys ask me what I was saying. If I say nothing, you ask me why I don’t say anything. What do you want me to do? What do you want me to say? It’s irrelevant. What’s relevant is what happens, you know, during the points.”
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7:15 p.m.
Play has been suspended for the day at the French Open because of rain.
Three men’s singles third-round matches were halted in progress: No. 8 Kei Nishikori leads Chung Hyeon 7-5, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 0-3; Karen Khachanov leads No. 21 John Isner 7-6 (1); and No. 15 Gael Monfils leads No. 24 Richard Gasquet 6-5.
Four women’s singles matches never even got started before the showers came, including No. 2 Karolina Pliskova vs. Carina Witthoeft, and No. 5 Elina Svitolina vs. Magda Linette.
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6:30 p.m.
Former top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki considers Svetlana Kuznetsova the favourite for their fourth-round match at the French Open on Sunday.
Wozniacki, the 11th-seeded Dane, advanced to the final eight after beating American teen CiCi Bellis 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
This sets up a 14th meeting with the eighth-seeded Kuznetsova, who won the French Open in 2009.
Although Wozniacki leads the Russian 7-6 overall, it will be their first match on clay.
“We have had a lot of crazy matches in the past, and some thrillers,” Wozniacki said. “She obviously loves the clay. I would give a little bit of the favouritism to her, but at the same time I feel like I have been playing well.”
Bellis has, too, and Wozniacki predicted a bright future for the 18-year-old from California.
“I have a lot of respect for her game. I think we are going to see a lot more of her,” Wozniacki said. “She’s one of those youngsters I see working very hard and fighting for every point. She just keeps her head down. I like that about her.”
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5:15 p.m.
Play has been suspended on all courts at the French Open because of rain.
Third-seeded Stan Wawrinka had just beaten Fabio Fognini on Court Suzanne Lenglen when the rain began to fall.
Richard Gasquet was playing French compatriot Gael Monfils on Court Philippe Chatrier and Kei Nishikori was taking on Hyeon Chung on Court 1.
John Isner of the United States had not yet started his third-round match against Karen Khachanov.
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5 p.m.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka is through to the fourth round of the French Open with a 7-6 (2), 6-0, 6-2 win against Italian Fabio Fognini.
“It was a very tough first set and after that I really got into it,” said Wawrinka, the 2015 champion. “I started playing much quicker.”
The third-seeded Swiss next plays the winner of an all-French match between No. 15 Gael Monfils and No. 24 Richard Gasquet.
Fognini briefly rallied in the third set for three break points in the sixth game. But Wawrinka saved all three, including an athletic volley at the net on the third one, to hold for a 4-2 lead.
The 28th-seeded Fognini, who comes with a reputation for having a fiery temper, briefly grumbled at the chair umpire moments later.
Wawrinka broke him in the next game and then served out the match. The three-time Grand Slam champion clinched victory on his third match point when Fognini swiped a forehand return into the net.
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4:15 p.m.
Former top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki is through to the fourth round of the French Open after beating American teenager CiCi Bellis when their match resumed.
The 11th-seeded Wozniacki won 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.
Play was suspended on Friday because of darkness with Bellis leading 5-2 in the second set and serving to level the match. The 18-year-old from California did so when play resumed Saturday and went a break up early in the third set.
Wozniacki immediately broke back and also took the eighth game to leave her serving for the match.
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3:50 p.m.
Top-ranked Andy Murray beat Juan Martin del Potro in a match much closer than the straight-set scoreline might indicate to reach the French Open’s fourth round.
Murray got past the 29th-seeded del Potro 7-6 (8), 7-5, 6-0 on Saturday at Court Philippe Chatrier in a match that lasted nearly 3 hours. It was a rematch of the 2016 Rio Olympics gold-medal final won by Murray.
Del Potro had four set points in the opening set Saturday but lost each one, including when he double-faulted while ahead 7-6 in the tiebreaker.
Murray is a three-time major champion and was the runner-up at Roland Garros a year ago. He has made it to the fourth round for the eighth time in 10 appearances at the clay-court tournament.
Del Potro was the 2009 U.S. Open champion. This was his first French Open since 2012 because of a series of operations on his left wrist.
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2:50 p.m.
Third-seeded Simona Halep eased into the fourth round of the French Open with a 6-0, 7-5 win against Daria Kasatkina.
Halep wrapped up the first set in 27 minutes and broke her Russian opponent’s serve six times.
“It’s nice to be in Paris in the fourth round,” Halep said on Court Suzanne Lenglen moments after her win.
She was asked to say a few words in French — and hesitated.
“I only say ‘Merci beaucoup’ (Thank you very much) but I hope I can learn,” Halep said. “I like it a lot, but it’s tough to talk.”
The 25-year-old Romanian, runner-up here in 2014, was a doubt for the tournament with an ankle injury.
“Well now it’s pretty OK. I can run, I can slide everywhere. I can move pretty well,” Halep said. “I can say I’m strong on court.”
Halep, who has reached at least the quarterfinals at each of the four majors, next plays Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro.
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1:55 p.m.
There will be a Frenchwoman in the quarterfinals of the French Open after Caroline Garcia beat Hsieh Su-wei to set up a fourth-round match against compatriot Alize Cornet.
Garcia, who is seeded 28th, won 6-4, 4-6, 9-7. She sealed the result on the first of two match points to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
Both players had chances to serve for the match in an intriguing third set.
Hsieh of Taiwan upset seventh-seeded Johanna Konta in the opening round.
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1:10 p.m.
Marin Cilic is through to the fourth round of the French Open after swatting aside Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.
The seventh-seeded Croat dropped his opening service game, and then won eight straight games to take complete control against Lopez.
The 35-year-old Lopez had beaten Cilic twice before on clay — his only wins against him — but never looked in contention on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Cilic took the second set when he broke Lopez to love and served out the match to win in 1 hour, 47 minutes.
“My return was working extremely well today,” said Cilic, who had eight aces.
The 2014 U.S. Open champion next faces either Britain’s Kyle Edmund or big-serving South African Kevin Anderson.
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12:45 p.m.
Ninth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland is out of the French Open after losing to Frenchwoman Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1 in the third round.
Radwanska had won seven of their eight previous matches, including the only one on clay — at the French Open nine years ago — but was never in contention this time.
Cornet’s only moment of trouble came from a difficult bounce of the ball as it flew under her racket at 30-15 in the final game.
She won the next point to set up a match point, but wasted it when her drop shot sank into the net.
Cornet punched the air with delight after sealing victory on her next chance with a clipped backhand at the net.
“You work all year for moments like this,” said Cornet, who was tearful in her interview on court. “I couldn’t dream of a better scenario. I feel so good on this centre court.”
Cornet plays either countrywoman Caroline Garcia — seeded 28th — or Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan in the fourth round.
Cornet has never been further than that in Grand Slam tournaments.
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11 a.m.
Top-ranked Andy Murray takes on familiar rival Juan Martin del Potro in remaining third-round play at the French Open on Saturday.
They each had a significant win last year with Murray taking gold at the Rio Olympics final and Del Potro edging a five-set thriller when Argentina beat Britain in the Davis Cup semifinals.
Murray leads the 29th-seeded Del Potro 6-3 in head-to-head matches, but this is their first meeting in a major since Murray’s win at the U.S. Open quarterfinals in 2008.
Following them onto Court Philippe Chatrier will be No. 15 Gael Monfils and No. 24 Richard Gasquet. The Frenchmen meet for the 14th time with Monfils 7-6 up.
Over on Court Suzanne Lenglen, 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka takes on Italian Fabio Fognini, who is seeded 28th.
Second-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova and No. 3 Simona Halep of Romania headline women’s play.
Pliskova faces Germany’s Carina Witthoeft and Halep plays No. 26 Daria Kasatkina of Russia.
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The Associated Press
