Mao Asada, Javier Fernandez win Cup of China

By Nick ZaccardiNov 7, 2015, 7:54 AM EST

In 2005, a 15-year-old named Mao Asada made her Grand Prix series debut at Cup of China and finished second, ahead of countrywoman Shizuka Arakawa.

Arakawa would go on to win the Olympic title in Torino three months later. Asada was too young to be eligible for those Winter Games.

Asada, though, had started a career that has now become one of the most prolific in the sport’s history.

Now 25, she came back from a one-season break from competition to win Cup of China on Saturday — her 15th career Grand Prix series title (the most among active skaters, and she’s the only singles skater to win all of the current Grand Prix events) to go along with her three World titles and an Olympic silver medal.

World champion Javier Fernandez of Spain took the men’s title ahead of a Chinese teen who in his free skate attempted four quadruple jumps and two triple Axels in his senior Grand Prix debut (landing five of the six jumps, though not all clean).

NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra will have Cup of China coverage Sunday from 12-1:30 p.m. ET.

Asada led by 5.94 points after Friday’s short program but struggled to place third in the free skate, though it was still enough to edge countrywoman Rika Hongo by 1.72. Russian Yelena Radionova, the World bronze medalist, improved from sixth after the short to finish third.

Asada landed her trademark triple Axel for a second straight night but fell on the back half of a triple flip-triple loop combination among other jumping errors.

Her total score — 197.48 — would have placed third at Skate America two weeks ago (behind Russian Yevgenia Medvedeva and American Gracie Gold) and second at Skate Canada (behind Ashley Wagner).

“I didn’t feel satisfied with the long program today, but I will make myself to the Grand Prix Final,” said Asada, who is in strong shape to qualify for the six-skater Grand Prix Final in December, should she make the podium at NHK Trophy in Japan in three weeks. “We have something to improve in the future.”

On the men’s side, Fernandez landed two quads and fell on a third in his free skate but still had the highest score, as he did in the short program. Fernandez totaled 270.55 points, beating China’s Jin Boyang by 9.22.

Watch Fernandez’s free skate here.

“It’s a hard day a little bit,” Fernandez said. “I fought it through from beginning to end. … It’s still early in the season. There are a lot of things to improve.”

Jin, the 18-year-old World junior silver medalist in his Grand Prix debut, laid out an ambitious free skate after a technically strong short program Friday.

On Saturday, he landed a quadruple Lutz, toe quadruple toe loops (one in combination, stepping out of the landing of one), fell on a quadruple Salchow and landed two triple Axels. On Friday, he landed two quads, including one in combination (the highest-scoring element of all time, according to Icenetwork).

The Grand Prix season continues next weekend with the fourth of six events before the Grand Prix Final, Trophée Bompard in Bordeaux, France. It will feature World champion Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, U.S. Olympian Gracie Gold and three-time World champion Patrick Chan.

MORE: Why Mao Asada returned to figure skating

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WOMEN
1. Yevgenia Medvedeva (RUS) — 206.01 (Skate America)
2. Gracie Gold (USA) — 202.80 (Skate America)
3. Ashley Wagner (USA) — 202.52 (Skate Canada)
4. Mao Asada (JPN) — 197.48 (Cup of China)
5. Rika Hongo (JPN) — 195.76 (Cup of China)
6. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS) — 188.99 (Skate Canada)
7. Satoko Miyahara (JPN) — 188.07 (Skate America)

MEN
1. Patrick Chan (CAN) — 271.14 (Skate Canada)
2. Javier Fernandez (ESP) — 270.55 (Cup of China)
3. Jin Boyang (CHN) — 261.23 (Cup of China)
4. Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN) — 259.54 (Skate Canada)
5. Max Aaron (USA) — 258.95 (Skate America)
6. Shoma Uno (JPN) — 257.43 (Skate America)
7. Daisuke Murakami (JPN) — 252.25 (Skate Canada)

Ladies final results from 2015 Cup of China. pic.twitter.com/AqTA8wxRxn

— IFS Magazine (@ifsmagazine) November 7, 2015

Men's final results from Cup of China. pic.twitter.com/6pHOAkFqg5

— IFS Magazine (@ifsmagazine) November 7, 2015

Frances Tiafoe, Taylor Fritz exit French Open, leaving no U.S. men

Associated PressJun 3, 2023, 7:35 PM EDT

Getty

Frances Tiafoe kept coming oh so close to extending his French Open match against Alexander Zverev: 12 times Saturday night, the American was two points from forcing things to a fifth set.

Yet the 12th-seeded Tiafoe never got closer than that.

Instead, the 22nd-seeded Zverev finished out his 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (5) victory after more than 3 1/2 hours in Court Philippe Chatrier to reach the fourth round. With Tiafoe’s exit, none of the 16 men from the United States who were in the bracket at the start of the tournament are still in the field.

“I mean, for the majority of the match, I felt like I was in control,” said Tiafoe, a 25-year-old from Maryland who fell to 1-7 against Zverev.

“It’s just tough,” he said about a half-hour after his loss ended, rubbing his face with his hand. “I should be playing the fifth right now.”

Two other American men lost earlier Saturday: No. 9 seed Taylor Fritz and unseeded Marcos Giron.

No. 23 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina beat Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5, and Nicolas Jarry of Chile eliminated Giron 6-2, 6-3, 6-7 (7), 6-3.

There are three U.S women remaining: No. 6 Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens and Bernarda Pera.

FRENCH OPEN DRAWS: Women | Men | Broadcast Schedule

It is the second year in a row that zero men from the United States will participate in the fourth round at Roland Garros. If nothing else, it stands as a symbolic step back for the group after what seemed to be a couple of breakthrough showings at the past two majors.

For Tiafoe, getting to the fourth round is never the goal.

“I want to win the trophy,” he said.

Remember: No American man has won any Grand Slam title since Andy Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Open. The French Open has been the least successful major in that stretch with no U.S. men reaching the quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003.

But Tiafoe beat Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of the U.S. Open along the way to getting to the semifinals there last September, the first time in 16 years the host nation had a representative in the men’s final four at Flushing Meadows.

Then, at the Australian Open this January, Tommy Paul, Sebastian Korda and Ben Shelton became the first trio of Americans in the men’s quarterfinals in Melbourne since 2000. Paul made it a step beyond that, to the semifinals.

After that came this benchmark: 10 Americans were ranked in the ATP’s Top 50, something that last happened in June 1995.

On Saturday, after putting aside a whiffed over-the-shoulder volley — he leaned atop the net for a moment in disbelief — Tiafoe served for the fourth set at 5-3, but couldn’t seal the deal.

In that game, and the next, and later on, too, including at 5-all in the tiebreaker, he would come within two points of owning that set.

Each time, Zverev claimed the very next point. When Tiafoe sent a forehand wide to end it, Zverev let out two big yells. Then the two, who have been pals for about 15 years, met for a warm embrace at the net, and Zverev placed his hand atop Tiafoe’s head.

“He’s one of my best friends on tour,” said Zverev, a German who twice has reached the semifinals on the red clay of Paris, “but on the court, I’m trying to win.”

At the 2022 French Open, Zverev tore ligaments in his right ankle while playing Nadal in the semifinals and had to stop.

“It’s been definitely the hardest year of my life, that’s for sure,” Zverev said. “I love tennis more than anything in the world.”

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2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkJun 3, 2023, 7:30 PM EDT

At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

The tournament airs live on NBC Sports, Peacock and Tennis Channel through championship points in Paris.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Having turned 22 on Wednesday, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her last pre-French Open match with a right thigh injury and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, is her top remaining challenger in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula, the highest-seeded American man or woman, was eliminated in the third round. No. 4 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who has three wins over Swiatek this year, withdrew before her third-round match due to illness.

No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, is the best hope to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

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