Flying Federer

PARIS, June 2

Roger Federer’s dream return to the French Open continued as the Swiss waltzed into the quarterfinals by giving Argentine Leonardo Mayer a 6-2 6-3 6-3 masterclass today. The 20-time Grand Slam champion cruised through the opening rounds seemingly unchallenged and his last-16 encounter was no exception.    

Rafa ends Londero’s run

Rafael Nadal ended the dream run of Juan Ignacio Londero with a dominant 6-2 6-3 6-3 victory to power into the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the 38th time. 

Battle of the backhands

Former champion Stan Wawrinka thumped 62 winners as he outlasted Stefanos Tsitsipas in a bruising five-hour battle of the backhands to reach the quarterfinals. Wawrinka beat the sixth-seeded Greek 7-6(6) 5-7 6-4 3-6 8-6 to set up a meeting with fellow Swiss Federer.

Bopanna bows out

Rohan Bopanna and Marius Copil bowed out after losing 6-1 5-7 6-7(8) to Dusan Lajovic and Janko Tipsarevic in the men’s doubles third round. Leander Paes had crashed out yesterday. — Agencies

Women’s results

Stephens bt Muguruza 6-4 6-3; Konta bt Vekic 6-2 6-4; Martic bt Kanepi 5-7 6-2 6-4; Vondrousova bt Sevastova 6-2 6-0 

Live on Star Sports, 2:30 pm

Serena showed bad personality, says Thiem

Dominic Thiem accused Serena Williams of showing “bad personality” after he was asked to interrupt a post-match news conference to make room for the American following her defeat. The Austrian fourth seed was talking to the media after his third-round win on Saturday and Williams, who had just lost in straight sets, was pushing organisers to give her a room right away. “Put me in another room, a smaller one, but now,” she said, without asking to be directed to the main room where Thiem was speaking. Organisers made Thiem move out and the Austrian was fuming at being treated like “a junior”. “It’s a joke,” the 25-year-old Thiem told the ATP press officers. “I have to leave the room because she’s coming. What the hell, I don’t care.” On Sunday, Thiem added: “I said that I am not a junior anymore. But even if a junior is in there, every player has to wait. It also shows a bad personality in my opinion. I am sure (Roger) Federer or (Rafael) Nadal would never do something like that.” Federer said he understood Thiem’s frustration.