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Alcaraz continúa luchando en el Abierto de Francia azotado por la lluvia mientras Osaka se prepara para Swiatek

Deportes miércoles 29 de mayo de 2024 -

AFP

Carlos Alcaraz needed four sets to reach the third round of the French Open on Wednesday ahead of a blockbuster clash between defending champion Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka as persistent rain caused widespread disruption to the tournament.

Alcaraz weathered a third-set blip against world number 176 Jesper de Jong before the Spaniard came through 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 under the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Wimbledon champion Alcaraz arrived in Paris with doubts over his fitness after a right forearm injury sidelined him for almost a month.

After dropping just four games in his Roland Garros opener, third seed Alcaraz looked to be cruising against De Jong, a Dutchman taking part in only his second Grand Slam main draw, but he was ultimately made to work harder than expected.

The 21-year-old Alcaraz was broken five times and hit 47 unforced errors before De Jong, playing his fifth match at the tournament, eventually wilted.

"Every player can cause you trouble," said Alcaraz.

"You have to be focussed in every round, have to play at your best, it doesn't matter what the ranking is. Jesper has the work and level to break into the top 100."

Alcaraz goes on to face either American 27th seed Sebastian Korda or South Korea's Kwon Soon-woo for a place in the last 16.

Former French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas reached the last 32 for the sixth straight year with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4 win over Germany's Daniel Altmaier.

Sofia Kenin, runner-up in 2020, became the first woman through to round three after dispatching French number one Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-3 as play on all but the main two courts was called off for the day around 1500 GMT.

The action on Court Simonne Mathieu and the other outside courts had been interrupted for five hours since just before midday local time before the decision came to call off 23 singles matches.

Eighth seed Ons Jabeur overcame Colombia's Camila Osorio in three sets in the other completed second-round tie.

- Osaka meets Swiatek -

Osaka says she is "really excited" to face red-hot tournament favourite Swiatek later on Wednesday, when men's title contender Jannik Sinner is also in action.

Former world number one Osaka won a match at a Grand Slam event for the first time since the 2022 Australian Open with her opening victory over Lucia Bronzetti.

The Japanese star returned earlier this year after a 16-month hiatus from tennis to start a family.

Osaka has never got past the third round at Roland Garros, with all four of her Grand Slam titles having come on hard courts in Australia and the United States.

She will be a big underdog against Swiatek in the pair's first ever meeting on clay and only third match on any surface.

Swiatek is bidding to become only the fourth woman in the Open era to lift four Roland Garros titles and just the second -- after Serena Williams -- to complete the clay-court treble of Madrid, Rome and French Opens in the same season.

"Sinceramente, estoy muy emocionada. La veía mucho cuando estaba embarazada", dijo Osaka sobre su oponente.

"Y, sinceramente, creo que es un honor jugar contra ella en el Abierto de Francia, porque seguro que ha ganado más de una vez aquí. Es un gran honor y un desafío para mí".

Osaka ganó su primer encuentro contra un entonces adolescente Swiatek en Toronto en 2019, mientras que la polaca se impuso en su otro choque en la final del Abierto de Miami de 2022.

Swiatek, de 22 años, no dará nada por sentado contra Osaka, que mostró destellos de su mejor forma en Roma a principios de este mes, eliminando a las cabezas de serie Marta Kostyuk y Daria Kasatkina en su camino a los octavos de final.

"Los partidos que jugamos en pista dura siempre fueron muy intensos y duros", afirmó el actual número uno del mundo.

"Así que me alegro de que haya regresado y esté jugando más torneos que antes del receso.

"Hoy en día, en el cuadro femenino puedes jugar contra campeones de Grand Slam al principio del torneo".

Sinner, segundo favorito masculino, tendrá que calmar al público francés cuando se enfrente al favorito local Richard Gasquet en el partido de la sesión nocturna.

El campeón del Abierto de Australia llegó al torneo bajo una nube de lesiones tras retirarse de Madrid y saltarse Roma por un problema en la cadera.

Sinner logró una victoria en la primera ronda sobre Christopher Eubanks e insistió en que se sentía cerca de estar en plena forma.

"La cadera está bien, estoy muy contento", afirmó. "La forma general aún no está al 100 por ciento, así que estamos tratando de mejorar todos los días".

mw/dj