Murray Wood: Of Easter bunny bells and Juicy Fruit gum
For Murray Wood, Easter brings to mind grandma's practical advice about repurposing, and some of life's little lessons.
PARIS — The Latest from the French Open (all times local):
___
2:30 a.m.
The sports psychologist working at the French Open with women’s finalist Iga Swiatek says she’ll use the 19-year-old’s defeat in doubles to remind her of the need to stay focused in the singles finale on Saturday.
The Pole hasn’t lost a set in singles play but spent an energy-expending 2 1/2 hours on court in a three-set loss in the doubles semifinals on Friday.
Psychologist Daria Abramowicz told The Associated Press she’ll use the setback as a motivational tool, as she has done with other defeats in Swiatek’s young career, notably a stinging 6-1, 6-0 loss in the French Open fourth round last year to Simona Halep, who she then beat 6-1, 6-2 this year at the same stage.
“It’s a reminder that it’s very important to be in every point, that it’s very important and crucial to be in a good zone, very focused,” Abramowicz said. “I’m not going to talk about it much before tomorrow but I will use it, as always.”
But the top priority is rest, “physically but mentally as well,” she said, speaking by phone from Roland Garros after Swiatek and partner Nicole Melichar were beaten in doubles by the pairing of Alexa Guarachi and Desirae Krawczyk 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-4.
And that means no Guns N’ Roses, the rock band Swiatek likes to listen to, at least not before she is preparing to step on Court Philippe Chatrier against Sofia Kenin in Saturday’s final.
“We have our own routines,” said Abramowicz, who has been working with Swiatek since last year. “Very, very simple things.
“We have our own games, books, music. It won’t be Guns N’ Roses during the rest period.
“Because it’s maybe a little bit too loud and energetic and too fast for that. So maybe more jazz.”
___
10:35 p.m.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has reached the French Open final for the fifth time.
He defeated fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 4-6, 6-1 in their semifinal.
Djokovic will meet defending champion Rafael Nadal in the final on Sunday.
Tsitsipas saved a match point with Djokovic serving at 6-3, 6-2, 5-4 and turned the match around.
But Djokovic found a second wind in the deciding set to secure consecutive breaks of serve to lead 4-1.
Tsitsipas saved a second match point serving at 1-5, 30-40 when Djokovic returned a forehand into the net.
The Serb sealed the win on his third match point after 3 hours, 54 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Djokovic came into the match with a 215-1 record when winning the first two sets of a Grand Slam match.
Only Jurgen Melzer has beaten him from two sets down in the 2010 French Open quarterfinals.
Nadal has a staggering 99-2 record at Roland Garros and has twice beaten Djokovic in the final.
But he lost in straight sets to Djokovic in the 2015 quarterfinals. Djokovic won his lone French Open title the next year.
____
10 p.m.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has won the fourth set against top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-4 to take their semifinal into a deciding set as the clock ticked onto 10 p.m.
Tsitsipas saved four break points in the seventh game and the fifth-seeded Greek saved a break point in the ninth game with an ace.
Djokovic was serving to stay in the set and tried one drop shot too many. His last effort was too short and sank into the net.
Tsitsipas saved a match point in the third set when Djokovic was serving at 6-3, 6-2, 5-4.
The winner faces defending champion Rafael Nadal.
____
9:05 p.m.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has saved a match point against Novak Djokovic on his way to winning the third set 7-5 in their French Open semifinal.
The top-ranked Djokovic was serving at 5-4 up and advantage but the fifth-seeded Tsitsipas saved the match point.
Djokovic was given a time violation in that game on his way to dropping his serve for the first time.
Djokovic won the first sets 6-3, 6-2.
The winner faces defending champion Rafael Nadal.
___
8:00 p.m.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic is closing in on the French Open final after winning the second set against fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2.
Djokovic saved two break points in his opening service game on Court Philippe Chatrier.
But he was commanding after that and held to love for a two-set lead after winning the first 6-3 against the big-hitting Greek.
The winner faces defending champion Rafael Nadal.
___
7:20 p.m.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic has won the first set against fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 in the second French Open semifinal on a chilly Court Philippe Chatrier.
Midway through the set a cool breeze started to pick up a little and the temperature dropped.
Djokovic, the 2016 champion, trailed 0-40 in the opening game but was largely in control after holding it.
Djokovic leads his Greek opponent 3-2 in their matchups and won their only one on clay.
Tsitsipas saved three set points but hit a forehand long on the next.
The winner faces defending champion Rafael Nadal.
___
6:15 p.m.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal is through to a 13th French Open final after beating Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (0).
The 12th-seeded Argentine won their previous meeting last month in the Italian Open quarterfinals. But this was his 10th defeat in 11 career matches against Nadal.
Schwartzman trailed 3-1 and 4-2 in the third set but rallied to make it 5-5.
Nadal had to save three break points in a tense 11th game lasting 12 minutes.
He is aiming to win a record-extending 13th title at Roland Garros and a 20th major title to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record.
Nadal plays top-ranked Novak Djokovic or fifth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.
A victory would give Nadal his 100th win at Roland Garros.
___
5:25 p.m.
Iga Swiatek no longer has a chance to become the first woman in 20 years to win both the singles and doubles trophies at the French Open.
And the 19-year-old also burned through considerable energy ahead of her singles final on Saturday by losing in three sets in women’s doubles Friday.
The Pole has less than 24 hours to recover ahead of the final after spending 2 hours, 28 minutes on court with her partner Nicole Melichar in the semifinal, won 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-4 by the pairing of Alexa Guarachi and Desirae Krawczyk.
The last woman to win the women’s singles and doubles trophies in Paris was Mary Pierce in 2000.
In the singles final, the unseeded Swiatek plays fourth-seeded Sofia Kenin.
The women’s doubles final will be Guarachi and Krawczyk, seeded 14th, against the second-seeded pairing of Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic.
___
4:55 p.m.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal is a step closer to reaching a 13th French Open final after winning the second set 6-3 against Diego Schwartzman in their semifinal.
The 12th-seeded Argentine was broken in the third game and Nadal broke him again to clinch the set when Schwartzman swatted a forehand long from the back of the court.
The second-seeded Nadal won the first set 6-3.
He is aiming to win a record-extending 13th title at Roland Garros and a 20th major title to equal Roger Federer’s men’s record.
Schwartzman beat Nadal in their last match but lost all nine of their encounters before that.
___
4:20 p.m.
Rafael Nadal had to work hard to win the first set of his semifinal match against 12th-seeded Diego Schwartzman at the French Open.
Nadal was broken once and had to save three other break points before winning the set 6-3 with the roof open on Court Philippe Chatrier.
The second-seeded Spaniard is chasing a 13th French Open title. He has never lost the opening set of a semifinal match at Roland Garros and has won all 12 of his previous semifinals.
The first set was marked by many long rallies. Nadal played 47 points on his serve and 18 were rallies of 10 shots of more.
Nadal broke Schwartzman in the second and fourth games but was broken himself in the third game.
___
1 p.m.
Yui Kamiji won her fourth French Open title in the women’s wheelchair singles by beating Momoko Ohtani 6-2, 6-1 in an all-Japanese final.
Ohtani upset defending champion Diede de Groot to advance to the final. The Dutchwoman had beaten Kamiji in last year’s final.
___
More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The Associated Press
