U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials women’s event-by-event preview

By Jon AckermanJun 23, 2016, 12:22 PM EDT

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The top two finishers in all 26 events at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials will clinch Rio berths, which means Olympic and/or World champions will be left out of the exclusive team.

Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky headline the meet in Omaha, Neb., beginning Sunday.

While they are favorites to make the Olympic team, they will be joined by many more Olympic medal threats.

For relays, the top six finishers in the 100m and 200m freestyles are in line to to make the Olympic team, too.

TRIALS: Broadcast Schedule | Entry Lists
PREVIEWS: Men | Women
FIVE KEY RACES: Men | Women

Here’s a glimpse at all 13 women’s events at the Olympic Trials:

50m Freestyle
2012 Olympians: Jessica Hardy (seventh), Kara Lynn Joyce (16th)
2015 Worlds: Simone Manuel (eighth), Ivy Martin (26th)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Madison Kennedy (24.45)
2. Simone Manuel (24.47)
3. Ivy Martin (24.62)
4. Natalie Coughlin (24.66)
5. Dana Vollmer (24.69)

Outlook: The fastest American woman right now is the 28-year-old Kennedy, who is vying for her Olympic debut. She’s never even competed at the World Championships, but won the 50 free national title last summer. The 19-year-old Manuel was the best American at the 2015 Worlds, where she was joined by Martin, 22.

100m Freestyle
2012 Olympians: Missy Franklin (fifth), Jessica Hardy (eighth)
2015 Worlds: Simone Manuel (sixth), Missy Franklin (seventh)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Simone Manuel (53.25)
2. Missy Franklin (53.43)
3. Dana Vollmer (53.59)
4. Katie Ledecky (53.75)
5. Abbey Weitzeil (53.77)
6. Natalie Coughlin (53.85)
7. Margo Geer (53.95)
8. Lia Neal (54.01)

Outlook: There’s a serious youth movement taking place in the women’s 100m free. The top two seeds are 19 and 21 years old, respectively, and the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds are also 19. Manuel has the looks of being the next great American sprinter, but the new mother, 28-year-old Vollmer, boasts the fastest American time in the past year. Remember, the top six should make the team for the relay pool.

200m Freestyle
2012 Olympians: Allison Schmitt (gold), Missy Franklin (fourth)
2015 Worlds: Katie Ledecky (gold), Missy Franklin (bronze)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Katie Ledecky (1:54.43)
2. Missy Franklin (1:55.49)
3. Allison Schmitt (1:56.23)
4. Leah Smith (1:56.64)
5. Melanie Margalis (1:57.33)
6. Shannon Vreeland (1:57.38)
7. Katie McLaughlin (1:57.55)
8. Maya DiRado (1:57.70)

Outlook: It’s not often the reigning Olympic champ isn’t favored to even qualify for a chance to defend her title, but Schmitt will have to oust either the 2013 World champion (Franklin) or 2015 World champion (Ledecky) for an individual 200 free spot (top six likely for relay). Franklin would love a 200 free Olympic medal after finishing fourth in London, while Ledecky is a freestyle machine.

400m Freestyle
2012 Olympians: Allison Schmitt (silver), Chloe Sutton (10th)
2015 Worlds: Katie Ledecky (gold), Cierra Runge (ninth)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Katie Ledecky (3:58.37)
2. Leah Smith (4:03.33)
3. Cierra Runge (4:04.55)
4. Allison Schmitt (4:06.88)
5. Becca Mann (4:07.09)

Outlook: Here’s another event in which Schmitt may not even get a chance to return to the Olympics despite claiming a medal four years ago. The 400 is dominated by Ledecky, the reigning world champ with a top time nearly five seconds better than Smith. The battle will really be between Smith, Runge and Schmitt for that second berth.

800m Freestyle
2012 Olympians: Katie Ledecky (gold), Kate Ziegler (21st)
2015 Worlds: Katie Ledecky (gold), Becca Mann (10th)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Katie Ledecky (8:06.68)
2. Becca Mann (8:21.77)
3. Cierra Runge (8:24.69)
4. Leah Smith (8:24.74)
5. Stephanie Peacock (8:25.89)

Outlook: This is Ledecky’s event and the others are just swimming in it. Again, the battle at Trials will be for second place because no one’s catching Ledecky. The 18-year-old Mann holds the second seed and will try to hold off Runge, Smith and Peacock.

100m Backstroke
2012 Olympians: Missy Franklin (gold), Rachel Bootsma (11th)
2015 Worlds: Missy Franklin (fifth), Kathleen Baker (eighth)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Natalie Coughlin (59.05)
2. Missy Franklin (59.38)
3. Olivia Smoliga (59.41)
4. Claire Adams (59.58)
5. Kathleen Baker (59.63)

Outlook: This is the 33-year-old Coughlin’s best shot at making a fourth Olympic team individually. Two of her 12 Olympic medals are golds from the 100 back (2004 and ’08), but she couldn’t advance past Trials in the event four years ago. Her toughest competition should come from Franklin, the reigning Olympic champion.

200m Backstroke
2012 Olympians: Missy Franklin (gold), Elizabeth Beisel (bronze)
2015 Worlds: Missy Franklin (silver), Elizabeth Beisel (13th)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Missy Franklin (2:06.34)
2. Maya DiRado (2:08.19)
3. Elizabeth Beisel (2:08.33)
4. Lisa Bratton (2:09.31)
5. Elizabeth Pelton (2:09.36)

Outlook: Franklin’s best event – she holds the world record from her final race in London (2:04.06) – sees her with a top time nearly two seconds faster than DiRado, who’s looking for her first Olympic berth. She’ll have to beat Beisel, the Olympic bronze medalist from 2012.

100m Breaststroke
2012 Olympians: Rebecca Soni (silver), Breeja Larson (sixth)
2015 Worlds: Jessica Hardy (10th), Micah Lawrence (19th)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Katie Meili (1:05.64)
2. Lilly King (1:05.73)
3. Molly Hannis (1:06.16)
4. Sarah Haase (1:06.31)
5. Jessica Hardy (1:06.51)

Outlook: Meili is the reigning national champ, and her top time is third-best in the world since the end of 2014. King’s top mark in this event is the fourth-best over the same span. Less than a second back is Hardy, who seeks a second Olympic berth but first in a breaststroke event.

200m Breaststroke
2012 Olympians: Rebecca Soni (gold), Micah Lawrence (sixth)
2015 Worlds: Micah Lawrence (silver), Breeja Larson (19th)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Micah Lawrence (2:22.04)
2. Laura Sogar (2:23.54)
3. Katie Meili (2:23.69)
4. Breeja Larson (2:24.16)
5. Lilly King (2:24.47)

Outlook: Lawrence has stepped in nicely to fill the void left by Soni, the retired 200 breast Olympic champion in 2008 and ’12. She’s moved from sixth at the London Games, to bronze at the 2013 Worlds and silver at last year’s worlds. Yet, Sogar is the defending national champ.

100m Butterfly
2012 Olympians: Dana Vollmer (gold), Claire Donahue (seventh)
2015 Worlds: Kendyl Stewart (10th), Claire Donahue (20th)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Dana Vollmer (56.94)
2. Kelsi Worrell (57.24)
3. Kendyl Stewart (57.82)
4. Katie McLaughlin (57.87)
5. Claire Donahue (58.03)

Outlook: Vollmer followed up her Olympic title with a bronze in this event at the 2013 Worlds, but she didn’t compete in the 2015 Worlds after having a baby earlier that March. She’s back in form now, posting her U.S.-best time of 56.94 earlier this year. Worrell was a butterfly star in college, so much so that she was recently nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

200m Butterfly
2012 Olympians: Kathleen Hersey (fourth), Cammile Adams (fifth)
2015 Worlds: Cammile Adams (silver), Katie McLaughlin (sixth)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Cammile Adams (2:06.33)
2. Katie McLaughlin (2:06.95)
3. Maya DiRado (2:07.42)
4. Hali Flickinger (2:07.59)
5. Cassidy Bayer (2:08.03)

Outlook: DiRado has become America’s best in the medley races, but she could steal another berth in butterfly. Adams, a 2012 Olympian, is the favorite after taking silver at the 2015 Worlds, but she’s pushed by the 18-year-old McLaughlin, who’s been hampered by a neck injury suffered earlier this year on a training trip with her college team, Cal.

200m Individual Medley
2012 Olympians: Caitlin Leverenz (bronze), Ariana Kukors (fifth)
2015 Worlds: Maya DiRado (fourth), Melanie Margalis (seventh)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Maya DiRado (2:08.99)
2. Melanie Margalis (2:10.20)
3. Caitlin Leverenz (2:10.35)
4. Ella Eastin (2:10.54)
5. Madisyn Cox (2:10.75)

Outlook: While DiRado is a strong contender for multiple Olympic berths, she’s separated herself from her compatriots the most in the 200 IM. She missed a medal at the 2015 Worlds by .22 of a second. Joining her in that final was Margalis in her Worlds debut. She hopes to fend off Leverenz, the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist whose best shot at a return Olympic trip is through this event.

400m Individual Medley
2012 Olympians: Elizabeth Beisel (silver), Caitlin Leverenz (sixth)
2015 Worlds: Maya DiRado (silver), Elizabeth Beisel (12th)
Top seeds from entry lists
1. Maya DiRado (4:31.71)
2. Elizabeth Beisel (4:31.99)
3. Caitlin Leverenz (4:35.46)
4. Becca Mann (4:37.04)
5. Katie Ledecky (4:37.93)

Outlook: This is the 23-year-old Beisel’s best shot at getting to a third Olympics. DiRado is the same age but looking to make her Olympic debut. She’s come on strong in the medleys since placing fourth in both the 200 and 400 at the 2012 Trials. Beisel and DiRado’s best times are nearly four seconds faster than the rest of their compatriots.

MORE: Olympic Swimming Trials broadcast schedule

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

Associated PressJun 3, 2023, 7:35 PM EDT

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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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