Watch Matthew Centrowitz outkick Mo Farah for 1500m win

By Nick ZaccardiMay 19, 2017, 12:07 PM EDT

Matthew Centrowitz notched his first win over Mo Farah on Thursday night, then looked ahead to an American record attempt this summer.

Centrowitz, who in Rio became the first U.S. Olympic 1500m champion in 108 years, ran away from his training partner Farah in the final 200 meters of a 1500m heat at the USA Track and Field Distance Classic in Los Angeles.

Centrowitz clocked 3 minutes, 33.41 seconds, his best time since July 2015, in his first 1500m since Rio. Farah crossed in second in 3:34.19 in the opener for the final outdoor track season before he converts to marathon running.

“I just asked [Farah before the race] if you’re going for the win, or are you going for a fast time,” Centrowitz told media afterward. “He said, I’m going for a fast time. That’s all I needed to hear. I was like, I’m just going to sit on him.”

Farah, who swept the Olympic 5000m and 10,000m in 2012 and 2016, still owns a faster 1500m personal best than Centrowitz — 3:28.81 to 3:30.40. Farah beat Centrowitz in their two previous head-to-heads, both 1500m, in 2013 and 2015.

Centrowitz has stated his eyes are on the American record in the 1500m — 3:29.30 held by Bernard Lagat. Centrowitz currently ranks third behind Lagat and 1980s runner Sydney Maree (3:29.77).

The U.S. record in the mile is a bit more ambitious, given nobody has come within three and a half seconds of Alan Webb‘s 3:46.91 since he set it in 2007.

“I’m probably focused and eyeing more the 15 because we have more opportunities at it,” Centrowitz said Thursday, according to the Orange County Register, which added that he specifically listed a Diamond League meet in Monaco on July 21. “I think that 3:46, there’s a reason no one’s run faster in the last 10 years. It’s a hard time to beat and, there’s not really many opportunities.”

Centrowitz headlines the field for the Bowerman Mile at next weekend’s Pre Classic, which will air live on NBC, NBCSN and NBC Sports Gold.

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.@MattCentrowitz wins this matchup over @Mo_Farah, 3:33.41-3:34.19. #OxyHP pic.twitter.com/t2G4sQ5V3b

— USATF (@usatf) May 19, 2017

Iga Swiatek sweeps into French Open final, where she faces a surprise

By OlympicTalkJun 9, 2023, 5:30 PM EDT

Iga Swiatek marched into the French Open final without dropping a set in six matches. All that stands between her and a third Roland Garros title is an unseeded foe.

Swiatek plays 43rd-ranked Czech Karolina Muchova in the women’s singles final, live Saturday at 9 a.m. ET on NBC, NBCSports.com/live, the NBC Sports app and Peacock.

Swiatek, the top-ranked Pole, swept 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-2, 7-6 (7) in Thursday’s semifinal in her toughest test all tournament. Haddad Maia squandered three break points at 4-all in the second set.

Swiatek dropped just 23 games thus far, matching her total en route to her first French Open final in 2020 (which she won for her first WTA Tour title of any kind). After her semifinal, she signed a courtside camera with the hashtag #stepbystep.

“For sure I feel like I’m a better player,” than in 2020, she said. “Mentally, tactically, physically, just having the experience, everything. So, yeah, my whole life basically.”

Swiatek can become the third woman since 2000 to win three French Opens after Serena Williams and Justine Henin and, at 22, the youngest woman to win four total majors since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN DRAWS: Women | Men | Broadcast Schedule

Muchova upset No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus to reach her first major final.

Muchova, a 26-year-old into the second week of the French Open for the first time, became the first player to take a set off the powerful Belarusian all tournament, then rallied from down 5-2 in the third set to prevail 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5.

Sabalenka, who overcame previous erratic serving to win the Australian Open in January, had back-to-back double faults in her last service game.

“Lost my rhythm,” she said. “I wasn’t there.”

Muchova broke up what many expected would be a Sabalenka-Swiatek final, which would have been the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 match at the French Open since Williams beat Maria Sharapova in the 2013 final.

Muchova is unseeded, but was considered dangerous going into the tournament.

In 2021, she beat then-No. 1 Ash Barty to make the Australian Open semifinals, then reached a career-high ranking of 19. She dropped out of the top 200 last year while struggling through injuries.

“Some doctors told me maybe you’ll not do sport anymore,” Muchova said. “It’s up and downs in life all the time. Now I’m enjoying that I’m on the upper part now.”

Muchova has won all five of her matches against players ranked in the top three. She also beat Swiatek in their lone head-to-head, but that was back in 2019 when both players were unaccomplished young pros. They have since practiced together many times.

“I really like her game, honestly,” Swiatek said. “I really respect her, and she’s I feel like a player who can do anything. She has great touch. She can also speed up the game. She plays with that kind of freedom in her movements. And she has a great technique. So I watched her matches, and I feel like I know her game pretty well.”

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2023 French Open men’s singles draw

By OlympicTalkJun 9, 2023, 5:30 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.

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

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. He can also become the first man to win all four majors at least three times and, at 36, the oldest French Open men’s or women’s singles champion.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Women’s Draw

Djokovic took out No. 1 seed Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals, advancing to a final against 2022 French Open runner-up Casper Ruud of Norway.

Russian Daniil Medvedev, the No. 2 seed, was upset in the first round by 172nd-ranked Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild. It marked the first time a men’s top-two seed lost in the first round of any major since 2003 Wimbledon (Ivo Karlovic d. Lleyton Hewitt).

All of the American men lost before the fourth round. The last U.S. man to make the French Open quarterfinals was Andre Agassi in 2003.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

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2023 French Open Men’s Singles Draw

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