An emotional win for Bjorgen after tragedy touches Norway team

By Chris EstradaFeb 8, 2014, 8:31 AM EST

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Norway’s Marit Bjorgen started what could be a big Sochi Olympics for her with a victory this morning in the women’s skiathlon, earning the fourth Olympic gold of her storied career.

The win, along with a bronze-medal effort from Heidi Weng (pictured, right, with Bjorgen), also provided a moment of joy for a team in mourning. The brother of one of Bjorgen’s teammates, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, sadly passed away on Friday.

MORE: U.S. women’s bobsled pairings announced

All four of Norway’s skiers today – Bjorgen, Weng, Therese Johaug (4th place), and Kristin Stoermer Steira (23rd place) – wore black armbands.

Reuters reports that Jacobsen thanked her teammates on Twitter for the gesture, calling them “[her] strength through thick and thin.”

Our sympathy and condolences go out to Jacobsen and her family at this time.

source: AP — Marit Bjorgen (pictured), along with the rest of Norway’s cross-country skiers, wore black armbands to remember the late brother of teammate Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen. Photo: AP

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2020 French Open women’s singles draw, bracket

By OlympicTalkSep 27, 2020, 7:54 PM EDT

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If Serena Williams is to win a record-tying 24th Grand Slam singles title at the French Open, she may have to go through her older sister in the fourth round.

Williams, the sixth seed, could play Venus Williams in the round of 16 at Roland Garros, which begins Sunday.

Serena opens against countrywoman Kristie Ahn, whom she beat in the first round at the U.S. Open. Serena could then get her U.S. Open quarterfinal opponent, fellow mom Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria, in the second round.

If Venus is to reach the fourth round, she must potentially get past U.S. Open runner-up Victoria Azarenka in the second round. Azarenka beat Serena in the U.S. Open semifinals, ending the American’s latest bid to tie Margaret Court‘s major titles record.

Venus lost in the French Open first round the last two years.

The French Open top seed is 2018 champion Simona Halep, who could play 2019 semifinalist Amanda Anisimova in the third round.

Coco Gauff, the rising 16-year-old American, gets 2019 semifinalist Jo Konta of Great Britain in the first round in the same quarter of the draw as Halep.

The field lacks defending champion Ash Barty of Australia, not traveling due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Also out: U.S. Open winner Naomi Osaka, citing a sore hamstring and tight turnaround from prevailing in New York two weeks ago.

FRENCH OPEN DRAWS: Men | Women | TV Schedule

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2020 French Open men’s singles draw, bracket

By OlympicTalkSep 27, 2020, 7:54 PM EDT

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Rafael Nadal was put into the same half of the French Open draw as fellow 2018 and 2019 finalist Dominic Thiem of Austria, with top-ranked Novak Djokovic catching a break.

Nadal, trying to tie Roger Federer‘s male record 20 Grand Slam singles titles, could play sixth-seeded German Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals before a potential clash with Thiem, who just won the U.S. Open.

Djokovic, who is undefeated in 2020 save being defaulted out of the U.S. Open, could play No. 7 seed Matteo Berrettini of Italy in the quarterfinals before a possible semifinal with Russian Daniil Medvedev.

Medvedev is the fourth seed but is 0-3 at the French Open. Another possible Djokovic semifinal opponent is fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, who reached the fourth round last year.

The most anticipated first-round matchup is between three-time major champion Andy Murray and 2015 French Open champion Stan Wawrinka. In Murray’s most recent French Open match, he lost in five sets to Wawrinka in the 2017 semifinals.

FRENCH OPEN DRAWS: Men | Women | TV Schedule

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