Lindsey Vonn just misses downhill win at 2018 Olympic track

By Nick ZaccardiMar 3, 2017, 10:28 PM EST

Lindsey Vonn looked golden at the 2018 Olympic track, up until Sofia Goggia crossed the finish line.

The Italian Goggia edged Vonn by .07 of a second in a World Cup downhill in Jeongseon, South Korea, site of the PyeongChang Olympic speed races in 11 months.

“I think it’s better that I save my best skiing for the Olympics,” an upbeat Vonn said afterward. “I was second as well in Vancouver at the test event [in 2008] before the [2010] Olympics. If that shows any indication of what’s to come next year, hopefully that’s what it means.”

Vonn put up a strong run as the first racer to go at the first women’s World Cup race in South Korea. Goggia, the fifth racer, trailed Vonn at every split until the finish.

Goggia was .22 behind with about 11 seconds left but made up nearly three tenths in the final portion.

The Italian recorded her first World Cup win after 10 previous podium finishes this season, including a world championships giant slalom bronze.

Full Results | Race Replay

Vonn was hoping for her second win in 10 races since returning in January from crash-caused knee and arm fractures last year, and her 78th World Cup win overall.

She arrived in South Korea on Tuesday after a race crash last Saturday in Switzerland that left her with neck whiplash, plus food poisoning last week.

Nevertheless, Vonn was fastest in both downhill training runs Thursday and Friday, saying afterward her confidence level on the track was similar to how she feels at her favorite venue of Lake Louise, Alberta.

Vonn has won 18 times in 41 World Cup starts at Lake Louise, a record number for any racer (male or female) at one place in history.

She remains nine wins shy of the World Cup record of 86 held by retired Swede Ingemar Stenmark.

Vonn will race again Sunday in a World Cup super-G in Jeongseon, live on NBCSN, NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app on Saturday at 9 p.m. ET.

South Korea is 14 hours ahead of New York time.

World Cup overall leader Mikaela Shiffrin is skipping the South Korean speed races to prepare for next week’s giant slalom and slalom in Squaw Valley, Calif.

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2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkMay 28, 2023, 5:15 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.

Main draw play began Sunday, live on Peacock.

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.

Turning 22 during the tournament, 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 most recent match with a right thigh injury last week 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, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, are the best hopes 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

2023 French Open men’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkMay 28, 2023, 5:00 PM EDT

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The French Open men’s singles draw is missing injured 14-time champion Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2004, leaving the Coupe des Mousquetaires ripe for the taking.

Main draw play began Sunday, live on Peacock.

Novak Djokovic is not only bidding for a third crown at Roland Garros, but also to lift a 23rd Grand Slam singles trophy to break his tie with Nadal for the most in men’s history.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Women’s Draw

But the No. 1 seed is Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who won last year’s U.S. Open to become, at 19, the youngest man to win a major since Nadal’s first French Open title in 2005.

Now Alcaraz looks to become the second-youngest man to win at Roland Garros since 1989, after Nadal of course.

Alcaraz missed the Australian Open in January due to a right leg injury, but since went 30-3 with four titles. Notably, he has not faced Djokovic this year. They could meet in the semifinals.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, who lost in the French Open first round in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, is improved on clay. He won the Italian Open, the last top-level clay event before the French Open, and is the No. 2 seed ahead of Djokovic.

No. 9 Taylor Fritz, No. 12 Frances Tiafoe and No. 16 Tommy Paul are the highest-seeded Americans, all looking to become the first U.S. man to make the French Open quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003. Since then, five different American men combined to make the fourth round on eight occasions.

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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2023 French Open Men’s Singles Draw

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