to move up and down
It took five thrilling sets for Rafael Nadal to defeat Novak Djokovic at the French Open on Friday — and that was just the semi-final. Nadal will defend his title at Roland Garros after beating the 26-year-old from Serbia 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 9-7.
Nadal is on the verge of becoming the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event.
“I really am playing better here,” he said on Thursday. “I said I needed to make a change. I was confident that I can do it, and I did.” (Photo: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)
Tommy Robredo of Spain is specializing in comebacks: He is the first man in 86 years to win three Grand Slam matches in a row after dropping the first two sets (France’s Henri Cochet pulled that off at Wimbledon in 1927).
Robredo did it in the second round of the French Open Wednesday. He did it in the third round Friday. And then he did it in the fourth round Sunday, defeating No. 11 Nicolas Almagro 6-7 (5), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Robredo trailed 4-1 in the third set, 4-2 in the fourth and 2-0 in the fifth.
“Nobody dreams of doing such things,” said Robredo, who dropped to his knees, leaned forward and wept after winning. (Photos: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images, Michel Spingler/The Associated Press)
It’s raining at the French Open again. THE BAD NEWS: Maria Sharapova’s match has been postponed until tomorrow because of the weather. THE GOOD NEWS: This photo could be an ad for French Open umbrellas. (Photo: THOMAS COEX/AFP/Getty Images)
AWKKKWARDDD. Russia lost to France at hockey worlds on Thursday. You know, the Russia that has a mix of KHL and NHL players. The defending champions. The hosts of next year’s Olympics. And the France that has one NHL player while the rest of the team plays in the French league? Those guys. They won. (Photos: Heikki Saukkomaa/AP; Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
French record-holder in the 100m, Christophe Lemaitre, carries out a highly detailed series of tests and measurements, intended to come up with a design for a new pair of entirely custom-made sprint shoes at the ASICS Institute of Sports Science in Kobe, Japon. (Photo courtesy of ASICS)
Crash landing: Nice’s Alexy Bosetti (R) falls to the ground after flying over Montpellier’s goalkeeper Laurent Pionnier (C) and teammate Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (L) going for the ball during their French League Cup quarter-final match at the Mosson stadium in Montpellier. (Photo: REUTERS/Pascal Parrot)
Ekaterina Riazanova and Ilia Tkachenko of Russia perform in the ice dance free dance at the Trophee Eric Bompard Grand Prix event at Bercy arena in Paris, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012. (Photo: Francois Mori/The Associated Press)
A soccer freestyler performs on a light pole next to the Montmartre Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris. (Photo: REUTERS/Christian Hartmann)
“This was the most unbelievable day in my life,” qualifier Jerzy Janowicz (L) said after handing Andy Murray a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-2 upset at the Paris Masters on Thursday. The 21-year-old, seen here celebrating with his coach, Kim Tiilikainen, saved a match point en route to the win. (Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Palestinian youths practice their parkour skills in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Some youths, aged between 12 and 23 years old, in Gaza are training in parkour which was developed in France. Parkour is a physical discipline of movement focused on overcoming obstacles. Training is held in cemeteries, and in former Israeli settlements.
