Second seed Agnieszka Radwanska lashed out at French Open officials while former finalist Simona Halep questioned the decision to play in more wet conditions after both crashed out in the last 16 yesterday.
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The pair managed two hours of play across the entire afternoon and, after losing the first set 3-6, the Serb roared back to win the second 6-4 aqnd lead 4-1 in the third before the rain came again.
Asked why she thought play continued despite the conditions, Halep said: “Maybe they are scared because the days are going on and they don’t play matches”. “I mean, it’s not a $10,000 tournament; it’s a Grand Slam”.
During one break, the top-seeded Djokovic, seeking to win a fourth consecutive major title and complete a career Grand Slam, wandered out onto Court Philippe Chatrier for a look at the weather, borrowing a green-and-orange Roland Garros umbrella from a fan.
Paris – Another defeated player added his voice to the growing criticism of the organisers of the French Open after bowing out of the rain-plagued tournament two days after his match had been scheduled to start. “I can not play in those conditions”. “I think they care about other things”.
Garbine Muguruza and Samantha Stosur set up a semi-final clash at the French Open on Wednesday, while defending champion Serena Williams brushed aside concerns about a busy playing schedule in Paris.
The first time the players were brought on court on Tuesday, it was legitimately raining. “They pushed us to play two hours yesterday”, Bautista Agut said after his 3-6 6-1 6-4 7-5 defeat on Wednesday. Across Roland Garros, players stopped mid-match, unwilling to continue in the heavy and deteriorating conditions.
Radwanska’s criticisms came after Bulgaria’s Tsvetana Pironkova, ranked 102nd, rolled to a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over her.
“It was impossible to play, in my opinion”, she told reporters while praising her opponent. I think even people write off Roger and Rafa.
Murray said: “I’m pumped to be in the quarters of a slam”.
After stadium workers swept rain off the covers to make the courts ready for play, the tarps are back and organizers say there will be no match before 11:30 a.m.
“It has been a long time and there’s been lots of ups and downs in those last three years, but when you’ve had good results and you’ve been at the top of the game, you’ve got to believe you can do it again”. Its not good out there, but it was fine for us.She is into the quarterfinals in Paris for the fourth time.It was really tough, obviously, with the start-stop and having a day off and everything, Stosur said. Despite a few wayward forehands at 5-3 up and with nerves attempting to intervene Pironkova – inspite of her ranking exactly 100 places below Radwanska – held on to book her place in the quarter-finals.
World number ones Novak Djokovic – one set all against Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut when play was finally suspended shortly before 7pm local time (5am NZT) – and Serena Williams were among those still stranded in the fourth round.
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Unsurprisingly, Pironkova did not think conditions were unplayable, though she acknowledged they were far from ideal.
