The Parisians are on 69 points with four games left with Monaco trailing by 11 points
World number three Novak Djokovic inched closer to a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title by crushing Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3 6-2 6-2 on Sunday to reach the French Open quarterfinals.
The Serbian, who is currently tied with Spain's Rafael Nadal at 22 majors, was untroubled by his 94th-ranked opponent, the first Peruvian in 29 years to reach a Grand Slam fourth round, on a windy day on Philippe Chatrier court.
ALSO READ:
He attacked Varillas at every opportunity to avoid being drawn into lengthy baseline battles that had seen the 27-year-old win all his three previous rounds in five-set marathons.
Varillas lost the vast majority of the shorter rallies and could not find a way back into the match as Djokovic set up a quarterfinal against 11th seed Karen Khachanov.
A two-time champion in Paris, Djokovic has now reached the quarterfinals at the French Open for a record 17th time, one more than 14-time champion Nadal who is absent this year due to injury.
Pavlyuchenkova not expecting red carpet
Russian players will be allowed to take part in Wimbledon this year but Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is not expecting the grasscourt Grand Slam to roll out the red carpet for them.
Pavlyuchenkova, whose ranking of 333rd does not guarantee her an entry into the main draw in London, has just reached the quarterfinals at the French Open -- a performance that would normally open the door for a wild-card entry at Wimbledon next month.
Asked if she would apply, Pavlyuchenkova laughed.
"Are you serious?" she told a press conference. "Do you think after the situation last year they would give me a wild card this year?"
Wimbledon announced in March that it had lifted its ban which prevented athletes from Russian and Belarus playing last year following Russia's conflict with Ukraine in February 2022.
"No grass season for me this year," said Pavlyuchenkova, who will face world number one and defending champion Iga Swiatek for a place in the last four in Paris, three years after reaching the final.
The Parisians are on 69 points with four games left with Monaco trailing by 11 points
Reds defeat at Everton extinguishes their last hopes of winning the Premier League
The in-form Italian will move to within 330points of World No 1 Djokovic if he wins his fourth trophy of 2024 at the Madrid Open
The 22-time major champion admits his farewell tour hasn't been as enjoyable as he would have hoped
The goal-scoring striker is suffering from a muscle injury sustained during the Champions League quarter-final loss to Real Madrid
'When we have bad days, we are so bad. When we are good, we are capable of everything,' said the manager
BCCI's honorary secretary Jay Shah said the star batter 'inspired millions worldwide with his heroics with the bat and immaculate display of character'
Amidst the sport’s global growth organisers Ethara will host a special event at Louvre Abu Dhabi to announce details of the race’s 16th edition on December 6-8, 2024