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☆ Tour de France anti-COVID protocol to keep riders in hotels
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, June 3 (Reuters) - Tour de France organisers have set up an anti-COVID protocol for this year's race, with riders and team staff banned from signing autographs and eating out of their hotels, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Saturday. Riders and staff members were allowed out of their hotels last year. Access to the paddock will be allowed when the Tour starts in Bilbao, Spain on June 29, with everyone required to wear a mask. Respect social distancing at the hotel," the chart, seen by Reuters, said. Giro d'Italia organisers last month set up an anti-COVID protocol near the halfway point of the race after overall leader Remco Evenepoel pulled out after testing positive for coronavirus.

Persons: Remco Evenepoel, Julien Pretot, Ed Osmond Organizations: de France, Reuters, Saturday . Riders, Giro, Thomson Locations: Bilbao, Spain, France

☆ Sinner exits French Open after wasting match points in thriller
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, June 1 (Reuters) - Jannik Sinner wasted two match points as he was knocked out of the French Open 6-7(0) 7-6(7) 1-6 7-6(4) 7-5 in a second round thriller against German Daniel Altmaier on Thursday. After an exchange of breaks, the first set was decided in a tiebreak in which Sinner won all the points. The second set was a carbon copy of the first until the tiebreak, which Altmaier dominated, winning most of the long rallies. Sinner then wasted two match points - one when Altmaier's passing shot clipped the net and took him by surprise - as the German stole his serve again to send the match into a decider. "We play here but behind us we have strong teams, that's why this victory is a team effort."

Persons: Daniel Altmaier, Roland Garros, Rafael Nadal, Altmaier, Suzanne Lenglen, Sinner, Julien Pretot, Ken Ferris Organizations: Thomson Locations: Vienna, Madrid

☆ Ruud, Swiatek gain momentum at French Open as Sinner punished
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

In a normal match I would have won 6-3 6-2, but here you have the chance to fight like he did. Up next for Andreeva is 19-year-old Coco Gauff - a player who knows all about negotiating instant stardom, with last year's runner-up having subdued Julia Grabher 6-2 6-3 to set up the third-round showdown. American Kayla Day made no secret of her success after a stunning 6-2 4-6 6-4 win over compatriot Madison Keys, thanking her Czech roots for enhancing her tennis skills. Next for the 22nd seed is American 12th seed Frances Tiafoe, who beat Russian qualifier Aslan Karatsev 3-6 6-3 7-5 6-2. French presence in the singles' draws was ended altogether in the last match of the day when Arthur Rinderknech was knocked out by American ninth seed Taylor Fritz 2-6 6-4 6-3 6-4.

Persons: Roland Garros, Norway's Casper Ruud, Sweden's Elias Ymer, Gauff tames, Casper Ruud, Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, Linda Noskova, Ruud, Rafa Nadal, Giulio Zeppieri, Zhang Zhizhen, Thiago Agustin Tirante, Suzanne Lenglen, Claire Liu, Mirra Andreeva, Frenchwoman Diane Parry, Karatantcheva, Coco Gauff, Julia Grabher, Kayla Day, Madison Keys, Daniel Altmaier, Altmaier, We've, Alexander Zverev, Slovakian Alex Molcan, Frances Tiafoe, Aslan Karatsev, Coric, Pedro Cachin, Alex de Minaur, Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Arthur Rinderknech, Taylor Fritz, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Julien Pretot, Pritha Sarkar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Sweden's Elias Ymer REUTERS, Wimbledon, Argentine, Croatian, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Czech, Prague, Slovakian, American, Tunisian

☆ No drama as Djokovic sails into French Open third round
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - May 31, 2023 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his second round match against Hungary's Marton Fucsovics REUTERS/Kai PfaffenbachPARIS, May 31 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic briefly struggled before bulldozing past Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics 7-6(2) 6-0 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the French Open third round. I hope you had fun tonight especially in the first set - me, a bit less," Djokovic said on court. Djokovic raced into a 3-0 lead before his opponent found his rhythm to set up three break points at 4-2. Djokovic broke his opponent's serve in the opening game of the second set and he did not look back, cruising to victory despite being broken twice more. "Drama-free Grand Slam, I don't think it can happen for me.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Kai Pfaffenbach PARIS, Novak Djokovic, Marton Fucsovics, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Djokovic, Philippe Chatrier, Fucsovics, Julien Pretot, Toby Davis, Ed Osmond Organizations: Hungary's Marton Fucsovics REUTERS, Musketeers, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Kosovo, Serbia, Spanish, Serbian, Ukraine

☆ Kosovo Olympic Committee seeks IOC disciplinary action against Djokovic
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The violence erupted after ethnic Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo's Serb-majority area following elections that were boycotted by the Serbs. "Novak Djokovic has yet again promoted the Serbian nationalists' propaganda and used the sport platform to do so," Ismet Krasniqi, president of Kosovo's Olympic Committee (KOK), said in a statement. France's Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, whose country will host the summer Olympics in Paris next year, said Djokovic's message was "not appropriate, clearly". Djokovic, chasing a record 23rd Grand Slam title, has said he was not holding back and would do it again. On Tuesday, Kosovo's tennis federation said Djokovic's comments were "regrettable", accusing him of using his status as a well-known personality to stir tensions.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Novak Djokovic, Djokovic, Ismet Krasniqi, Amelie Oudea, shouldn't, Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, Rohith Nair, Karolos Grohmann, Julien Pretot, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Helen Popper, Christian Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, Kosovo Olympic, International Olympic Committee, NATO, Serbs, Kosovo's Olympic, IOC, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Serbian, Kosovo, Serbia, Zvecan, Kosovo's, Bengaluru, Karolos

☆ Djokovic canters into French Open round two as Stephens lays down marker
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The twice Roland Garros champion breezed through the first two sets before encountering resistance from the 24-year-old American whose lack of experience then showed in the tiebreak on the world's biggest clay court. Djokovic ended the contest with a sizzling service return on his first match point and will face Hungarian journeyman Marton Fucsovics for a place in the third round. "It's always a pleasure to come back here, one of the best tournaments in the world," said Djokovic, who made his Roland Garros debut in 2005. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova celebrated her return to Roland Garros with a dominant win over Czech Linda Fruhvirtova after fearing for her career a year ago due to a knee problem. Sloane Stephens, runner-up at Roland Garros in 2018, dismantled former world number one Karolina Pliskova 6-0 6-4.

"Kosovo is the heart of Serbia. Stop the violence," 22-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic wrote on a camera lens in Serbian. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that 52 Serbs were injured on Monday, three of them seriously, while Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani accused his Serbian counterpart of destabilising Kosovo. There are many reasons why I wrote that on the camera," RFI radio quoted the 36-year-old Djokovic as saying to Serbian media. The French tennis federation (FFT), which organises the event, told Reuters that there were "no official Grand Slam rules on what players can or cannot say.

She added the Ukrainian did not deserve to leave the main showcourt in the manner she did, but Kostyuk urged Sabalenka to take a stronger, more personal stand against the war. "She (Sabalenka) never says that she personally doesn't support this war, and I feel like journalists should change the questions you ask these athletes because the war is already there," Kostyuk said. Fifth seed Tsitsipas was made to work hard by Vesely, who is on the comeback trail following a lengthy injury absence, before winning 7-5 6-3 4-6 7-6(7). With temperatures at 22 degrees and expected to reach 26 in the afternoon, the water vending stands were busy. Serbian Djokovic is bidding for his third French Open title.

☆ Exclusive: Olympics-Paris 2024 hoping for Olympic flame on Eiffel Tower -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, May 22 (Reuters) - Paris 2024 organisers have been planning to install the Olympic flame on the Eiffel Tower, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday. "It's been a work in progress for the last two years now," the source said. The flame cannot be at the top of the tower because of the antennas already installed there, they added. "The venue for the lighting of the flame on the Opening Day of the Olympic Games has not yet been decided," a Paris 2024 spokesperson told Reuters. They did not deny working on installing the flame at the Eiffel Tower and would not disclose when any announcement would be made.

☆ Nadal turns down claycourt event wildcard as French Open looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, May 14 (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal has turned down a wildcard offer for next week's Challenger tournament in Bordeaux as the Spaniard's participation in the French Open hangs in the balance, the claycourt event director said on Sunday. Nadal has been struggling with a hip injury he suffered at the Australian Open in January, and fears the Spaniard may miss the Paris Grand Slam grew after he pulled out of this week's Italian Open. He very kindly told me that Nadal was continuing his preparation at home in Manacor, that he was not ready and was in a race against time to be ready for the French Open," Jean-Baptiste Perlant told French sports daily L'Equipe. Nadal skipped last week's Madrid Open and missed tournaments at Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo and Barcelona. The French Open, which Nadal has won a record 14 times including last year, starts on May 28.

☆ PSG close in on French title as AC Ajaccio go down
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, May 13 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain edged closer to a record 11th French title when they beat AC Ajaccio 5-0 at home on Saturday, sending the Corsican side into Ligue 2 as Lionel Messi faced the wrath of the Parc des Princes. Christophe Galtier's side lead second-placed RC Lens, who beat Stade de Reims on Friday 2-1 despite being down to 10 men, by six points. Ajaccio are 18th on 23 points, 11 points from 16th-placed AJ Auxerre. Messi apologised to PSG and his team mates last Friday and was left out of the squad for their 3-1 win at second-bottom Troyes two days later. He was below par on Saturday as PSG bulldozed past Ajaccio.

☆ Marseille go second as Gusto own goal deals bitter blow to Lyon
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, April 23 (Reuters) - A last-gasp own goal by Malo Gusto earned Olympique de Marseille a 2-1 win at Olympique Lyonnais and lifted them back up to second in Ligue 1 with six games left on Sunday. Alexandre Lacazette netted after the break to cancel out Cengiz Under's first-half opener for Marseille, only for Gusto to deflect a poor clearance into his own net two minutes into stoppage time. After a series of half chances for both sides in a lively start, Marseille went ahead one minute before the interval when Under slotted the ball home after Alexis Sanchez's attempt was parried into his path by Anthony Lopes. Lyon, however, hit back in the 68th minute with Lacazette latching onto a cross from Corentin Tolisso to score his 20th league goal of the season to delight the Groupama Stadium crowd. They were eventually rewarded when Gusto got in the way of Johann Lepenant's attempt to clear Issa Kabore's cross, as Marseille claimed their first away win against Lyon in all competitions since 2007.

☆ PSG close in on title as Mbappe double sinks Angers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - Paris St Germain moved a step closer to a record 11th Ligue 1 title when Kylian Mbappe's double earned them a 2-1 victory at bottom side Angers on Friday. Angers, on 14 points, will be relegated to Ligue 2 if Nantes and Stade Brestois win their games on Sunday and AJ Auxerre avoid defeat on Saturday. After fluffing a volley, he regained control of the ball before slotting it past Paul Bernardoni in the ninth minute. Mbappe then collected a through ball from Lionel Messi and doubled the advantage with a clinical finish on 26 minutes. Messi went close to adding another seven minutes from the interval, but Bernardoni parried the Argentine's attempt from just outside the box.

☆ Rublev gets long-awaited reward with Monte Carlo title
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 16, 2023 Russia's Andrey Rublev celebrates with the trophy after winning the final against Denmark's Holger Rune REUTERS/Eric GaillardApril 16 (Reuters) - Andrey Rublev made the most of Holger Rune's nerves to win a see-saw Monte Carlo final 5-7 6-2 7-5 on Sunday, as the Russian's talent was finally rewarded with a Masters title. Rublev, 25, was 4-1 down in the decider but ground his way back into the contest to prevail on his second match point with an ace at a sun-drenched Monte Carlo Country Club. It was Rublev's third attempt in a Masters final after failing at the final hurdle here in Monte Carlo and in Cincinnati in 2021. "I don't know what to say, I'm just happy, I struggled so much to get this title," said Rublev. The Russian then broke to love and levelled the contest on serve as Rune seemed to lose his composure.

☆ Tsitsipas dumped out of Monte Carlo Masters by Fritz
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 14, 2023 Taylor Fritz of the U.S. and Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas shake hands after their quarter final match REUTERS/Eric GaillardApril 14 (Reuters) - Champion Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters when he slumped to a 6-2 6-4 defeat against American Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals on Friday. Greek second seed Tsitsipas, who triumphed at the Monte Carlo Country Club in the last two editions, was never in the mix against Fritz, who reached the last four of a Masters event for the first time. My serve was not working very well today, and against opponents like Taylor, you have to serve well,” Tsitsipas said. "I tried to fight in the second set. Tsitsipas improved slightly in the second set, only for Fritz to break decisively for 4-3 with a winner.

☆ Exclusive: Olympics - Paris 2024 plans Games relay changes, fewer torches, source says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

But organisers are planning changes to the traditional months-long relay across the host nation to make it more environmentally friendly and sustainable. There will also be far fewer torches than the several thousand usually produced for an Olympic relay by host cities, the source close to the torch lighting and relay planning process told Reuters. "The organisers are planning not to use individual torches for each of the runners," the source said. REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesThe relay in the host country starts after the torch-lighting ceremony in Greece's Olympia, the site of the ancient Games. Organisers did not comment on the number of torches to be produced, saying it was still "a work in progress."

☆ Zverev beats Bautista Agut to advance into third round in Monte Carlo
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 12, 2023 Germany's Alexander Zverev in action during his round of 32 match against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut REUTERS/Eric GaillardApril 12 (Reuters) - Alexander Zverev continued to rebuild his confidence on clay with a 6-4 6-4 victory against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday. Zverev broke for 3-2 in the opening set and held serve to take the lead in the contest, before breaking again in the fifth game of the second set. Bautista Agut, however, stole the German's serve right back to level for 3-3, only for Zverev to take the decisive break in the following game. Last year's French Open Casper Ruud was also in second-round action against Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands. Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Djokovic recovers from stuttering start to reach Monte Carlo round three
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Tennis - ATP Masters 1000 - Monte Carlo Masters - Monte-Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France - April 11, 2023 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after winning his second round match against Russia's Ivan Gakhov REUTERS/Eric GaillardApril 11 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic briefly ran into a spot of bother as he fought his way into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters with a 7-6(5) 6-2 victory against Russian qualifier Ivan Gakhov on Tuesday. The world number one, who had not played since early March when he reached the final in Dubai after being forced to skip Indian Wells and Miami because of his COVID unvaccinated status, struggled to find his range on the Monte Carlo clay before prevailing on a sunlit centre court. Djokovic was then business like in the second set, leaving no chance of a comeback for his opponent, who suddenly felt the court was too big for him. The double French Open champion, who suffered an opening-round exit here last year, will next face Lorenzo Musetti or the 16th seed's Italian compatriot Luca Nardi. Spain's Nadal, who triumphed a record 11 times at the Monte Carlo Country Club, is absent after failing to recover from a hip injury that has kept him away from the courts since the Australian Open.

☆ Ukraine's Svitolina criticises 'useless' WTA amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, April 4 (Reuters) - Ukrainian players do not get enough support from women's tennis governing body WTA amid Russia's invasion of their country, Elina Svitolina said on Tuesday. "The WTA should have done more, much more, on many issues. Asked what her reaction would be if they would be allowed to take part in next year's Olympics in Paris, Svitolina said: "I don't think about it. It's up to the Olympic Committee and the Ukrainian Committee to think about it and do their job! (This story has been corrected to fix Svitolina's ranking in paragraph 3)Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Mbappe looking to reach new heights with ambitious France
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DUBLIN, March 26 (Reuters) - Kylian Mbappe's rise continued as France started their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 4-0 win against the Netherlands and the forward will be looking to reach new heights as Les Bleus face Ireland away in Group B on Monday. Mbappe has scored 38 goals for France and sits in fifth place overall in the list of the country's top scorers, three shy of former great Michel Platini and 15 behind all-time leader Olivier Giroud. Mbappe netted a double at the Stade de France last Friday as France crushed the Netherlands in seemingly casual, yet brutal fashion. "We want to show we can be a great team, that's the identity of this generation - this desire for greatness, a lot of players have that," said the 24-year-old Mbappe. To do that, France will rely on their pair of centre backs after Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate proved unbreakable last Friday.

☆ France already firing on all cylinders as new chapter begins
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Mbappe also set up Antoine Griezmann for the opening goal, soothing the Atletico Madrid player's disappointment after he was only named vice-captain. Eduardo Camavinga added: "His attitude hasn't changed, he's still the same, we're very happy that he scored that double. Deschamps wasted no time in installing Konate and Upamecano, 23 and 24 respectively, in central defence. France next face Ireland in Dublin on Monday. Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ France still on track for home World Cup despite losing Six Nations title
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

PARIS, March 19 (Reuters) - France surrendered their Six Nations title on Saturday but over the last four years they have rediscovered their brilliance and less than six months before hosting the World Cup Les Bleus know they have a credible shot at claiming the crown. "We started the tournament in unremarkable fashion," said Galthie as he drew his conclusions on his fourth Six Nations in charge of France. "We're the best attack of the tournament," said Galthie, whose team have not finished below second place in the Six Nations in four editions. I don't know if we're the team to beat (for the World Cup), but I certainly hope that the other teams fear us." "We gave Wales a couple of soft tries so we need to be more consistent and more rigorous for 80 minutes."

☆ Mbappe beats PSG all-time scoring record as French champions extend lead
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Julien Pretot | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The 24-year-old Mbappe found the back of the net two minutes into stoppage time for his 201st goal in all competitions with PSG, improving the mark he shared with Edinson Cavani. The club organised a short ceremony after the final whistle, with a big portrait of Mbappe displayed at the Parc des Princes. "It's a privilege to be a PSG player, to play in this historic shirt, for the biggest club in France." PSG got off to a dream start as Messi opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a left-footed volley form Fabian Ruiz's cross. Earlier, RC Lens's Champions League hopes suffered another knock when they were held to a 1-1 home draw in the northern derby.

☆ French federation president Le Graet resigns - source
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Noel Le Graet, the embattled president of France's soccer federation, has resigned, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Le Graet, head of the FFF since 2011, had taken a step back amid a legal investigation into alleged sexual and moral harassment and a damning audit commissioned by the sports ministry. Earlier this month, the audit concluded that the 81-year-old Le Graet no longer had "the necessary legitimacy" to administer and represent the sport in France and "highlighted the inappropriate behaviour of Mr Le Graet towards women". Le Graet has denied any wrongdoing. Reporting by Julien Pretot, writing by Dominique Vidalon, editing by Ingrid Melander and Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Messi named FIFA player of the year 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi was named FIFA player of the year on Monday after winning his maiden World Cup title with Argentina in December in Qatar. The 35-year-old forward scored two goals in the World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties against France following a 3-3 draw after extra time. Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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