Alexander Zverev and fellow Grand Slam veteran Grigor Dimitrov look to make the US Open semi-finals on Tuesday and take a step closer to maiden Grand Slam titles. US duo Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe are standing in their way as they aim to end their country’s 21-year wait for a male Slam champion. In the women’s draw, world number two Aryna Sabalenka, the runner-up in 2023, faces Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen while Emma Navarro takes on Paula Badosa in a clash between two women born in New York.

AFP Sport looks at Tuesday’s four quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows (x denotes seeded player):

Taylor Fritz (USA x12) v Alexander Zverev (GER x4)

Head-to-head: Zverev leads 5-4

— Zverev was runner-up to Dominic Thiem in the 2020 US Open final where he gave up a two sets lead.

The German star also came off second-best to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final in June this year in another five-setter.

With four-time champion Novak Djokovic knocked out in the third round, the 27-year-old Zverev is the highest-ranked man left in his half of the draw as he seeks a third appearance in the semi-finals in New York.

“I’m doing everything I can to win a Slam, everything else is out of my power,” he said.

“I’m trying my best and hopefully it will be enough at some stage in my career.”

Fritz made the last-eight in 2023 and has already reached three quarter-finals at the Slams this year.

Fritz defeated Zverev in the fourth round at Wimbledon in July from two sets down with the German hampered by a knee injury which forced him to complete the match “on one leg”.

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x9) v Frances Tiafoe (USA x20)

Head-to-head: Dimitrov leads 3-1

At 33, Dimitrov is the oldest man left in the draw and is seeking a second semi-final spot in New York after making the last four in 2019.

Back then, Dimitrov defeated Roger Federer in the last-eight, ending the Swiss legend’s US Open career before losing to Daniil Medvedev.

Widely regarded as one of the finest players never to win a Grand Slam title, Dimitrov has yet to even make a final at the majors after 15 years of trying.

Tiafoe, the tournament’s great entertainer, is in the quarter-finals for a third successive year.

He made the semi-finals in 2022 where he lost in five sets to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Paula Badosa (ESP x26) v Emma Navarro (USA x13)

Head-to-head: Badosa leads 1-0

— Badosa is in the last-eight in New York for the first time having never previously passed the second round.

The Spanish star, who was born in the city, has enjoyed a dramatic reversal of fortunes after being on the brink of retirement just three months ago due to a stress fracture of the back.

“I was feeling pain every day I was waking up. So for me, it didn’t make sense,” said Badosa of the injury which sent her world ranking plummeting out of the top 100.

Badosa is the first Spanish woman to make the quarter-finals since Carla Suarez Navarro in 2018 while it has been 28 years since a Spaniard last reached the semi-finals. That honour fell to Conchita Martinez.

Navarro made her first US Open quarter-final by knocking out defending champion Coco Gauff in three sets on Sunday.

Before this year, the 12th-ranked American had lost in the first round in her two previous visits.

Zheng Qinwen (CHN x7) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2)

Head-to-head: Sabalenka leads 2-0

— Olympic champion Zheng seeks to avenge her Australian Open final defeat to Sabalenka.

The Chinese star has made the quarter-finals for a second successive year after also losing to Sabalenka in 2023.

Zheng has already made history at this year’s US Open by defeating Donna Vekic in the latest ever finish for a women’s match of 2:15 a.m. on Monday.

She is only the second Chinese woman to have reached two quarter-finals in New York after famed compatriot Li Na in 2009 and 2013.

Zheng has sent down a tournament-leading 49 aces over four rounds while the equally powerful Sabalenka has only dropped serve four times.

Sabalenka is in her fourth successive US Open quarter-final.

Zheng Qinwen ended Iga Swiatek’s 25-match unbeaten streak at Roland Garros on Thursday to become the first Chinese player to reach an Olympic Games singles final as Carlos Alcaraz marched closer to a showdown with Novak Djokovic. Defending champion Alexander Zverev however crashed out, losing his quarter-final to a fired-up Lorenzo Musetti of Italy.

Seventh-ranked Zheng triumphed 6-2, 7-5 over world number one Swiatek and will face either Croatia’s Donna Vekic or Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia for gold. 

“I feel more than just happy, happy isn’t enough to describe how I feel,” said Zheng, who had played back-to-back three-hour matches to make the semi-final. “If you ask me to play another three hours for my country, I would.”

Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion at Roland Garros, went into the match having not lost in Paris since 2021. The 23-year-old had also defeated Zheng in all of their six previous meetings.

However she was hit off the court by the powerful 21-year-old Australian Open finalist who broke the Pole three times in the opening set. 

Swiatek appeared restored by a 10-minute break and quickly stretched out to a 4-0 lead in the second set before Zheng battled back, retrieving both breaks for 4-4. 

The Chinese star broke again for a 6-5 lead against the error-plagued Swiatek and claimed victory in the next game. By making the final, Zheng is the first Chinese man or woman to reach an Olympic singles gold medal match, bettering the run of Li Na, who finished fourth in the women’s event at Beijing in 2008.

China’s only Olympics tennis gold came thanks to Li Ting and Sun Tiantian in the women’s doubles at Athens in 2004.

‘About the fight’

Alcaraz, back at Roland Garros where he won a maiden French Open in June, became the youngest Olympic semi-finalist since Djokovic in 2008.

The second seed saw off 13th-ranked Tommy Paul of the United States 6-3, 7-6 (9/7) after recovering from a break down in the second set and saving a set point in the tie-break. “It’s all about the fight,” said Alcaraz, 21, who was playing the day after he and Rafael Nadal suffered a heartbreaking doubles loss in what was probably the veteran’s final appearance at Roland Garros.

Alcaraz will next face Felix Auger-Aliassime, who became the first Canadian to make the semi-finals with a 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3 win over sixth-seeded Casper Ruud, a two-time French Open runner-up.

Champion Zverev out

Musetti stunned Zverev 7-5, 7-5 on the back of 20 winners as the world number 16 became the first Italian to reach the singles semi-finals since tennis returned to the Olympics at Seoul 1988. He will face either top seed Djokovic, who beat him in the Wimbledon semi-finals, or Stefanos Tsitsipas for a place in the gold medal match.

When asked who he’d prefer to face, Musetti replied: “Neither of them, of course.” Zverev said illness was partly responsible for his defeat but also blasted the schedule as “a disgrace” after playing his quarter-final less than a day after his last-16 tie.

Carlos Alcaraz lifts the Wimbledon 2024 title after beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets in the final.© AFP

Taylor Fritz fought his way back from two sets down to beat Alexander Zverev in 4th round.© AFP

Alexander Zverev rallied from a double break down in the fifth set to beat Dutch 26th seed Tallon Griekspoor 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (10/3) to reach the French Open last 16 on Saturday. Zverev trailed 4-1 in the decider but produced an astonishing comeback to make the fourth round at Roland Garros for the seventh consecutive year, the day after the start in Berlin of a trial against him over allegations of assaulting an ex-girlfriend.

Fourth seed Zverev, who effectively ended Rafael Nadal’s French Open career in the first round, will meet 13th seed Holger Rune or world number 145 Jozef Kovalik for a place in the quarter-finals.

The German arrived in Paris on the back of winning the Rome Open title and is the only player to reach the semi-finals at the last three French Open tournaments.

Medvedev advances

Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev beat Tomas Machac in four sets to reach the last 16 at the French Open for the third time in his career.

Medvedev won 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 against the world number 34 from the Czech Republic and will play Alex de Minaur or Jan-Lennard Struff for a spot in the quarter-finals.

“It was a very hard match,” said Medvedev. “I’m happy I stayed consistent despite some tough moments in the third set.”

Auger-Aliassime sets up Alcaraz last 16 clash

Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime booked a French Open last 16 clash against Carlos Alcaraz after sweeping past Ben Shelton of the United States.

The 21st-seeded Canadian cantered to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 win over his 15th-ranked opponent in a tie held over from Friday.

Auger-Aliassime reached the fourth round in Paris in 2022 when he lost in five sets to Rafael Nadal.

The 23-year-old holds a 3-2 career lead over world number three Alcaraz although the two men have never met on clay.

Rafael Nadal’s record-breaking French Open career came to its likely end on Monday when the 14-time champion slumped to a demoralising first round defeat against Alexander Zverev. Nadal, who turns 38 on June 3, went down 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to world number four Zverev, suffering only his fourth loss in 116 matches at Roland Garros since his 2005 title-winning debut. It was the first time he had been defeated in Paris in the opening round and will again lead to questions over his long-term future in the sport.

“I don’t know if this is the last time I will be here, I am not 100% sure but if it is then I wanted to enjoy it,” said Nadal. “The feelings today are difficult to describe in words.”

Plagued by injuries, which had limited him to just four events since January last year, former world number one Nadal is now 275 in the rankings and was unseeded in Paris.

However, he insisted on the eve of the tournament that he was “100% keeping the door open” on his future in a sport which has brought him 22 Grand Slam titles.

In a repeat of the 2022 semi-final, which Nadal won when Zverev quit with ankle ligament damage, the Spaniard had his chances.

He was a break of serve up in the second and third sets, only to be pinned back on both occasions by his in-form 27-year-old opponent.

Chants of “Rafa, Rafa” had loudly echoed under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier which was shut tight against the torrential rain sweeping across the grounds and bringing havoc to the schedule.

They subsided to silence when Nadal was broken to love in his opening service game and he was left to regret his inability to convert two break points in the fourth game.

Nadal saved two set points in the ninth game but surrendered the opener after 50 minutes when he buried a loose forehand into the net.

It was only the fourth opening set he had lost at Roland Garros.

Nadal broke for the first time in the match to lead 3-2 in the second set but couldn’t back up the advantage and handed the break back to three-time semi-finalist Zverev as he served for the set.

A tense tie-breaker followed which the German claimed, buoyed by stretching to 5/3 on the back of a gruelling 19-shot rally.

Nadal dug deep and with the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek having watched from the packed stands, he broke and held for 2-0 in the third set.

However, Zverev again roared back to level at 2-2 before a besieged Nadal had to save four break points in a 13-minute fifth game to stay in contention.

The effort was too much and a composed Zverev was soon 4-3 up and the match was over when Nadal fired a forehand wide and long.

Rafael Nadal admits he will be facing “one of the toughest opponents possible” when he plays Alexander Zverev in the French Open first round on Monday. This year’s event was expected to be the 14-time champion’s farewell to Roland Garros, but he has since insisted he could not confirm “100 percent” it would be his last appearance. Nadal has only played four tournaments since January 2023 after suffering a hip injury and then a muscle tear. That left him unseeded for the draw and vulnerable to a difficult opening round at a tournament where he has only lost three of his 115 matches.

World number four Zverev arrives in Paris as one of the favourites for the title after winning the Rome Open earlier this month.

“Of course on paper it is not the best draw,” Nadal said ahead of the match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“I play against one of the toughest opponents possible, and at the same time, he came here winning the last event and it’s a Masters 1000.

“It’s not a small one. So what can I do? That’s the draw. Just try to be ready for it.”

Nadal, who turns 38 in a week’s time, has shown flashes of his best form in the clay-court swing, but was thrashed 6-1, 6-3 by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz in the second round of his last outing in Rome.

He boasts a 7-3 winning record over Zverev ahead of their first meeting since the 2022 French Open semi-finals, when the German left the court in a wheelchair near the end of the second set after injuring his ankle.

“I am not anxious. No, I am focused on trying to play well. That’s it,” said Nadal.

“Maybe I go there and I repeat the disaster of Rome. It’s a possibility, of course. I don’t want to hide that.

“But in my mind, is do something different and play much better and give myself a chance to play competitive.”

‘Didn’t want’ to play Nadal

Zverev did not play again in 2022 after that ankle injury but has climbed the rankings again in recent months.

The 27-year-old has long been touted as a future Grand Slam champion but remains without one of tennis’ four biggest titles.

Clay is his strongest surface, though, and he has reached the semi-finals in each of the last three years at Roland Garros.

The men’s draw looks far more open than usual, with doubts surrounding Nadal’s fitness and Novak Djokovic having endured a turbulent start to the year.

“I can guarantee you Novak didn’t want to play Rafa in the first round and (Carlos) Alcaraz didn’t want to play, Jannik (Sinner) didn’t want to play him,” admitted Zverev.

“I don’t want to play him in the first round, but it is how it is. He has been out injured. He hasn’t played a lot of tennis. His ranking is where it is. Of course it’s not ideal, but at the same time, you know, there is nothing you can do.

“Everybody now is excited for a tough battle and tough first round. I think he’s excited and I’m excited for it.”

French Open organisers were prepared to stage a tribute ceremony to Nadal to honour his career but the Spaniard was reluctant to endorse such a celebration.

“We were ready to press the button on it,” admitted tournament director Amelie Mauresmo.

“But it’s Rafa who manages his timing, we follow what he wants. We wouldn’t want to put him in an uncomfortable position.”

Also on Monday, women’s world number one Iga Swiatek starts her bid for a fourth French Open crown against home player Leolia Jeanjean.

Victory for the top seed will give her a second round clash with fellow four-time Grand Slam title winner Naomi Osaka.

Men’s Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, former Roland Garros runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas and women’s US Open title-holder Coco Gauff all get their campaigns under way on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Rafael Nadal will face world number four Alexander Zverev in a blockbuster first round match at his farewell French Open while women’s champion Iga Swiatek and fellow four-time major winner Naomi Osaka are on a second round collision course. Defending men’s champion and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic will face French veteran Pierre Hugues-Herbert in his opener. Nadal, who has won Roland Garros on 14 occasions, is unseeded after injury saw his ranking plummet to 276. He and Zverev met in the semi-finals in 2022 when the German was forced to retire after suffering a serious ankle injury. Nadal, the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles, will turn 38 next week and this season will be his last on tour.

He holds a 7-3 winning head-to-head record against Germany’s Zverev with five of those victories coming on clay.

Zverev, 27, arrives in Paris on the back of lifting the Rome Open title last weekend.

“I’m going to play the French Open thinking that I can give my all, 100 per cent,” said Nadal after a second round exit in Rome last week.

As well as 14 titles in Paris, Nadal can boast a record of 112 wins and just three losses, two of which came against Djokovic who will be chasing a fourth French Open title.

Djokovic turned 37 on Wednesday and marked the occasion by winning the 1,100th match of his career in Geneva.

The Serb has yet to win a title in 2024 with runs to the semi-finals at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo Masters his best performances.

Following Thursday’s draw, Djokovic is seeded to face Zverev in the semi-finals.

World number two Jannik Sinner, who took Djokovic’s Australian Open title in January, faces Christopher Eubanks of the United States.

Third-seeded Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2023, plays a qualifier.

Sinner and Alcaraz are seeded to meet in the semi-finals but both men have been suffering from injuries which forced them to skip the Rome event.

Andy Murray, the 2016 runner-up, is also competing at the tournament for the final time.

The 37-year-old tackles 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka, 39, in a battle of grizzled Grand Slam veterans.

The pair have met 22 times in a two-decade rivalry with Murray boasting a 13-9 edge.

Three of those clashes have come at Roland Garros with Murray winning in the semi-finals in 2016 while the Swiss came out on top in the last-four in 2017 and first round in 2020.

In the women’s draw, top seed and world number one Swiatek will take on a qualifier with Osaka facing Lucia Bronzetti of Italy in their openers before a potential second round clash.

Swiatek is bidding to win a fifth major and fourth French Open title.

“It feels like home here,” said Swiatek who arrives at the tournament with clay-court titles in Madrid and Rome under her belt. 

Former world number one Osaka, now ranked 134, has never got past the third round in Paris. Bronzetti, the world number 48, has yet to win a main draw in two visits.

Osaka, 26, has endured a bittersweet relationship with the French Open.

In 2021, she was fined for opting out of mandatory media commitments before withdrawing from the competition after just one match insisting she was protecting her mental health.

Osaka missed the 2023 edition due to being pregnant before giving birth to a baby girl in July.

Swiatek, meanwhile, is bidding to become the first player to lift three successive women’s titles in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007.

World number two Aryna Sabalenka starts against 101-ranked Erika Andreeva of Russia.

Third seed and US Open champion Coco Gauff faces a qualifier in the first round and is seeded to face Swiatek in the semi-finals.

Double Australian Open champion Sabalenka is seeded to take on former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina in the last four.

Alexander Zverev won his second Rome Open on Sunday by beating Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 7-5 and claiming his biggest title since his horror injury at the French Open two years ago. World number five Zverev, also Foro Italico champion in 2017, comfortably won his sixth Masters 1000 title in the last major tournament before Roland Garros, which gets underway next weekend. The 27-year-old succeeded in his 11th Masters final which equalled Boris Becker’s record for the most by a German since the series began in 1990.

Zverev’s title in the Italian capital seven years ago was the first at this level of his career and Sunday’s was his first since coming back from a horrendous ankle injury suffered in the 2022 French Open semi-finals.

“Rome is a very special place for me,” said Zverev on court. 

“I said at the beginning of the week that if Rome is the place of firsts for me then I’m extremely happy about it. Obviously a very, very special week.

“The focus is on Paris right, that’s for sure, but let me enjoy this one for a day or so and then I’ll focus on Paris.”

Zverev comfortably beat Chile’s Jarry, who could not repeat his quarter-final and semi-final heroics against Stefanos Tsitsipas and Tommy Paul in reaching his first Masters final, in one hour and 41 minutes.

The German dropped just five points on his serve in a performance which showed a clear gap in class and gave him his first 1000-level title since triumphing in Cincinnati in August 2021.

“My feeling right now is I want to go to Roland Garros and play better because I know I can play better and do good there,” Jarry told reporters.

“I’m very motivated. That’s how I am right now.”

Zverev claimed his first title of the year and first since winning at Chengdu in September at the end of an unusual men’s tournament in which a host of top names were either eliminated early or dropped out before the start of the event.

Six-time Rome champion Novak Djokovic was dumped out in the third round by Zverev’s semi-final opponent, journeyman Alejandro Tabilo. 

Last year’s winner Daniil Medvedev was stopped at the last-16 stage while Italian world number two Jannik Sinner and third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz both missed the tournament with injury.

Earlier, Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini gave Italian fans something to cheer after beating Coco Gauff and Erin Routliffe to the women’s doubles title.

Unseeded Errani and Paolini made the Foro Italico crown roar by beating reigning US Open singles champion Gauff and Routliffe 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.

Home supporters had been denied the chance to see Sinner and Matteo Berrettini play, with the former Wimbledon finalist also not fit enough to take part in his home city.