Defending Olympic champion Alexander Zverev continued his quest for a repeat of his Tokyo gold by advancing to the third round of the men’s singles at the Paris Olympics. Despite sweltering temperatures reaching the mid-30s Celsius (90s Fahrenheit), Zverev remained composed and showcased his dominance on the Parisian clay. The heat took its toll during the second set, forcing Zverev to battle through a tough encounter. However, he surged forward at 5-5, utilizing powerful forehand passes to secure a crucial break of serve and ultimately clinch the victory in the following game.
Organizers of the International Tennis Federation implemented extreme heat protocols, allowing for a 10-minute break after the second set of singles matches. However, the break arrived too late for Britain’s Jack Draper, who was defeated in the second round by American seventh seed Taylor Fritz. Despite winning the first set on the tiebreak, Draper struggled to cope with the heat, expressing his frustration over the lack of chilled water bottles.
“I’m a big sweater so to retain fluid was tough. It was pretty poor,” Draper commented. “They give bottles to the players but the bottles don’t stay cool, so, you know, you’re drinking hot water out there. That’s not fun in those sorts of conditions.”
On the women’s side, Germany’s Angelique Kerber, a singles silver-medallist at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, is poised for a memorable final chapter to her illustrious career. She displayed impressive form, defeating Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 6-4 6-3 to secure her place in the quarterfinals.
Canada received good news with Felix Auger-Aliassime’s dominant victory over Maximilian Marterer, 6-0 6-1, earning him a spot in the third round of the singles.
Tuesday’s action also saw the men’s doubles take center stage, with Spain’s formidable duo of Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz continuing their pursuit of gold in a second-round clash against Dutch pair Tallon Griekspoor and Wesley Koolhof. Britain’s former world number one Andy Murray, who, like Kerber, will retire after the Olympics, will also compete in the doubles, partnering with Dan Evans.
Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova delivered a stunning upset, defeating fourth-seed Jasmine Paolini in a hard-fought three-set battle, 7-5 3-6 7-5. This victory marked the second significant upset of the day in Paris, following American Coco Gauff’s early exit. After leading 5-3 in the first set, Paolini experienced a slump, struggling to return Schmiedlova’s deep groundstrokes and eventually losing the set 7-5. Paolini, who had been considered a medal contender after reaching the finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon this year, dominated the second set. However, a surge of unforced errors (52 total, compared to 32 in the entire match) and a loss of focus cost her dearly in the third set, despite having served for the match at 5-4.
