Williams sisters and Tsonga injury dash French hopes

Reuters: First the Williams sisters ambushed two home favourites, then Jo Wilfried Tsonga’s chances were shattered by injury as French hopes were battered at a stormy Roland Garros on Saturday.

Top seed Serena Williams contended with thunder, rain delays and an inspired Kristina Mladenovic roared on by a partisan crowd but it was all in day’s work for the holder as she moved ominously into the second week.

The 34-year-old American needed all her experience and tenacity to survive a compelling second-set tiebreak and claim a 6-4 7-6(10) victory to set up a last-16 clash with Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina who beat 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic 6-4 6-4.

Shortly afterwards Venus beat unseeded Alize Cornet 7-6(5) 1-6 6-0 to make the fourth round for the first time since 2010 -- keeping alive the possibility of the sisters’ first French Open clash since they contested the 2002 final.

Twice semi-finalist Tsonga was expected to fly the home flag but retired with a groin injury when up 5-2 against Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis, leaving Court Philippe Chatrier in tears.

It means of the 26 French players in the singles draws only Richard Gasquet is still standing -- the worst showing by the home nation since 2010 when Tsonga was the last man standing.

Despite the rain which saw matches shifted to different courts the last-16 lineups are complete.

Men’s top seed Novak Djokovic cut it fine though.

The Serb was never in any danger of losing to Britain’s Aljaz Bedene but had to race through the points to win 6-2 6-3 6-3 before the light made the courts unplayable.

His quest for a first French Open title continues on Monday against Roberto Bautista -- the Spanish 14th seed outclassing Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-2 6-3 6-3.

Seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych, 12th seed David Goffin of Belgium, Austria’s fast-rising Dominic Thiem and ever-reliable Spaniard David Ferrer also progressed.

Thiem, the 13th seed, outmuscled German teenager Alexander Zverev in four sets and plays Marcel Granollers next, rather than more illustrious Spaniard Rafael Nadal who rocked the tournament on Friday when he withdrew with a wrist injury.

Madison Keys made it four U.S. women through to the fourth round when she beat Monica Puig 7-6(3) 6-3.

Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, last year’s semi-finalist Swiss Timea Bacsinszky and two unseeded players, Kazakh Yulia Putintseva and Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands, also won.

With Roger Federer crocked, twice women’s champion Maria Sharapova banned pending the outcome of an anti-doping hearing, Nadal and Tsonga forced out and bad weather ever-present, it has not been a vintage French Open to date.

But at least three-times champion Serena upped the ante to repel a stirring challenge from Mladenovic.

World 108 Rogers into French Open last-eight

Shelby Rogers of US celebrates after defeating Romania’s Irina Camelia Begu yesterday at the French Open - AFP

AFP: America’s world number 108 Shelby Rogers reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Romanian 25th seed Irina Camelia-Begu.

Rogers is just the ninth woman outside of the top 100 to make the last eight in Paris since 1983.

“It’s incredible and I’m really happy that it didn’t start raining,” said Rogers who broke down in tears after the match and had to borrow a handkerchief from television interviewer Marion Bartoli, the former Wimbledon champion.

“I always dreamed of this when I was a little girl in Charleston but never really thought I would reach the quarter-finals in Paris.”

Rogers has now beaten three seeds in her run at Roland Garros having seen off 17th seed Karolina Pliskova in the first round and 10th seed Petra Kvitova in the last 32.

She will face Spanish fourth seed Garbine Muguruza for a place in the semi-finals.