Sports world daily: Medvedev stunned at French Open; Roma take on Sevilla in Europa League final

World No 2 Daniil Medvedev was knocked out in the first round of the French Open after losing to world No 172 Thiago Seyboth Wild. Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur made it through to the second round with straight-sets win.

Jose Mourinho is eyeing a sixth European title when his Roma side take on six-time winners Sevilla in the final of the Europa League.

Finals debutants Denver Nuggets take on underdogs Miami Heat for the NBA Championship. Nuggets, led by two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, made it to the final after beating LeBron James’s Los Angeles Lakers. Jimmy Buttler’s Heat stunned the Milwaukee Bucks before beating the Boston Celtics over seven games.

Here’s a look at the key stories from international sporting events through the day for 31 May, 2023:

Medvedev ousted; Swiatek, Rybakina win

World number two Daniil Medvedev was knocked out of the French Open in the first round on Tuesday, losing in five sets to 172nd-ranked Thiago Seyboth Wild of Brazil as Roland Garros attempted to move on from Novak Djokovic’s Kosovo controversy.

Seyboth Wild, who came through the qualifiers and had never previously won a Grand Slam match, triumphed 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

It was Medvedev’s fifth loss in the opening round at Roland Garros in seven appearances.

“It’s a dream come true to beat these kinds of players on this court,” said the 23-year-old Brazilian who unleashed 69 winners on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“I was cramping in the second set and couldn’t really serve the way I wanted but I tried to play my best tennis.”

Seyboth Wild, without a win on the main tour since February 2022, held his nerve in the conclusion of the four-hour 15-minute match, one of a Grand Slam record 21 first round ties to require five sets.

He twice saw breaks retrieved by Medvedev in the deciding set before finally backing up a third break with a hold for 5-3. Two giant forehands secured victory.

Medvedev arrived in Paris buoyed by winning his first ever clay court title at the Italian Open last week for his fifth trophy of 2023.

Djokovic will return to Court Philippe Chatrier on Wednesday night for his second round match with controversy over his “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia” message still raging.

The Belgrade-born superstar, chasing a record 23rd Grand Slam title in Paris, wrote the message in Serbian after his opening round victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic on Monday.

His comments came amid heightened ethnic tensions in northern Kosovo where demonstrators and NATO soldiers have been injured.

French veteran Gael Monfils, a semi-finalist 15 years ago but now ranked at 394, came back from 0-4 in the final set to defeat Sebastian Baez of Argentina 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 in a match which ended after midnight.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek survived an early wobble to reach the second round with a straight sets win over Cristina Bucsa of Spain.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina kept up the pressure on Swiatek by downing Czech teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova 6-4, 6-2.

Russian qualifier Mirra Andreeva, 16, marked her Grand Slam debut with a 56-minute 6-2, 6-1 victory over Alison Riske-Amritraj of the United States.

Andreeva, the youngest player in the tournament and ranked 143, hit the headlines at the Madrid Open earlier this month where she reached the last 16.

Wimbledon and US Open runner-up Ons Jabeur eased past Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, who won her maiden WTA title in Rabat on Saturday, 6-4, 6-1.

Coco Gauff, the 2022 finalist, battled to a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 success over Rebecca Masarova but Barbora Krejcikova, the 2021 champion, was knocked out in the first round for a second successive year, losing 6-2, 6-4 to Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine.

Fourth seed Casper Ruud, the runner-up to Rafael Nadal last year, eased past Swedish qualifier Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

Alexander Zverev, who suffered a season-ending ankle ligament injury in his 2022 semi-final loss to Nadal, eased past Lloyd Harris of South Africa 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/0), 6-1.

Holger Rune, seeded six, passed a tough test against American Christopher Eubanks, winning 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.

French Open results on Tuesday, the third day of the 2023 championships at Roland Garros (x denotes seeded player; players representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under the name or flag of their countries):

Men

1st rd

Holger Rune (DEN x6) bt Christopher Eubanks (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-2

Gael Monfils (FRA) bt Sebastián Baez (ARG) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5

Genaro Olivieri (ARG) bt Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (FRA) 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1

Andrea Vavassori (ITA) bt Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB x31) 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (11/9)

Francisco Cerundolo (ARG x23) bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1

Yannick Hanfmann (GER) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-3, 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-7 (2/7), 6-4

Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) bt Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4)

Taylor Fritz (USA x9) bt Michael Mmoh (USA) 6-2, 6-1, 6-1

Tommy Paul (USA x16) bt Dominic Stricker (SUI) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4

Nicolas Jarry (CHI) bt Hugo Dellien (BOL) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2

Giulio Zeppieri (ITA) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6-0, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Casper Ruud (NOR x4) bt Elias Ymer (SWE) 6-4, 6-3, 6-2

Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) bt Gregoire Barrere (FRA) 6-2, 6-7 (7/9), 5-7, 6-1, 6-4

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x28) bt Timofey Skatov (KAZ) 6-0, 6-3, 6-2

Alexander Zverev (GER x22) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/0), 6-1

Alex Molcan (SVK) bt Hugo Gaston (FRA) 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4

Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN x27) bt J.J. Wolf (USA) 1-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3

Max Purcell (AUS) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 7-5, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4

Guido Pella (ARG) bt Quentin Halys (FRA) 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 2-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (10/4)

Thiago Seyboth Wild (BRA) bt Daniil Medvedev (x2) 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

Women

1st rd

Iga Swiatek (POL x1) bt Cristina Bucsa (ESP) 6-4, 6-0

Claire Liu (USA) bt Ylena In-Albon (SUI) 6-1, 6-4

Rebecca Peterson (SWE) bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 6-2, 6-0

Wang Xinyu (CHN) bt Marie Bouzkova (CZE x31) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)

Bianca Andreescu (CAN) bt Victoria Azarenka (x18) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4

Emma Navarro (USA) bt Erika Andreeva 6-2, 3-6, 6-4

Lauren Davis (USA) bt Zhu Lin (CHN) 6-3, 6-3

Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) bt Barbora Krejcikova (CZE x13) 6-2, 6-4

Diane Parry (FRA) bt Anhelina Kalinina (UKR x25) 6-2, 6-3

Mirra Andreeva bt Alison Riske (USA) 6-2, 6-1

Julia Grabher (AUT) bt Arantxa Rus (NED) 6-2, 6-3

Coco Gauff (USA x6) bt Rebeka Masarova (ESP) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2

Elena Rybakina (KAZ x4) bt Brenda Fruhvirtova (CZE) 6-4, 6-2

Linda Noskova (CZE) bt Danka Kovinic (MNE) 6-3, 2-1 - retired

Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) bt Clara Burel (FRA) 7-6 (7/0), 6-2

Petra Martic (CRO) bt Shelby Rogers (USA x32) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Jasmine Paolini (ITA) bt Sorana Cirstea (ROM x30) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2

Olga Danilovic (SRB) bt Kateryna Baindl (UKR) 6-3, 6-2

Oceane Dodin (FRA) bt Selena Janicijevic (FRA) 0-6, 6-2, 6-1

Ons Jabeur (TUN x7) bt Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) 6-4, 6-1

Mourinho targets 6th European title

Roma manager Jose Mourinho has never lost a European final while Sevilla are six from six in Europa League finals. Something has to give in Budapest on Wednesday.

The 60-year-old Portuguese coach has five major continental titles to his name – two Champions League wins, two Europa League trophies and last year’s triumph in the inaugural Europa Conference League with the Italian club.

Mourinho announced himself on the big stage in 2003 when he led Porto to the UEFA Cup, the Europa League’s precursor, and the following year to the Champions League.

Under Mourinho, Inter Milan became champions of Europe for the first time in 45 years in 2010. He celebrated his fourth continental trophy during his spell at Manchester United in 2017, winning the Europa League.

Twenty years on he is defying the naysayers who said his career was on the wane after a disappointing spell at Tottenham.

If Roma lift the trophy in Hungary, Mourinho will pull clear of Giovanni Trapattoni, who also won five major European trophies in his coaching career.

The much-travelled Mourinho is in no doubt he is improving with age and experience.

Roma, who edged past Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals, are sixth in Serie A with one game to go but victory against their Spanish opponents this week would be a passport into the Champions League.

Mourinho’s future beyond this season is uncertain but he says his only focus is on Wednesday’s match at the Puskas Arena.

To achieve his target, Mourinho must get past Sevilla, kings of Europe’s second-tier competition. Their tally of six wins is double that of Inter Milan, Liverpool, Juventus and Atletico Madrid.

They are 11th in La Liga but have turned on the style in Europe, coming from 2-0 down at one stage in the first leg against Manchester United to see off the English giants before beating Juventus in the semis.

It is a remarkable end to the season for the club, who flirted with relegation for much of the campaign, sacking Julen Lopetegui and then Jorge Sampaoli, before Jose Luis Mendilibar steadied the ship.

Nuggets face Heat in NBA Finals

A Denver Nuggets squad looking to prove its championship quality and an upstart Miami Heat lineup that made defying the odds a trademark are on an NBA Finals collision course.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic of Serbia leads the Western Conference top seed Nuggets against sharpshooter Jimmy Butler and the Heat, who needed a play-in victory just to grab an eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The best-of-seven championship series begins Thursday at Denver. It’s the Nuggets’ first trip to the NBA Finals since making their league debut in 1976.

Denver has won hard-earned respect after 46 seasons of futility, this year as a playoff top seed for the first time.

Jokic, a 6-foot-11 (2.11m) center, averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and a career-high 9.8 assists a game this season and shot a career-best 63.2% from the floor.

The Nuggets have talent and depth around Jokic, led by guard Jamal Murray, who missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn left knee ligament. He’s averaging 27.7 points in the playoffs.

Denver forwards Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown and guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope each average 10-15 points in the playoffs in supporting roles that have made the Nuggets formidable.

And there’s more to come.

To do that, the Nuggets must defeat a giant-killer Heat team that became only the second eighth seed to reach the NBA Finals after the 1999 New York Knicks.

Miami, which lost two regular-season games against Denver, lost a play-in game to Atlanta then beat Chicago to grab the last East playoff spot.

The Heat stunned NBA wins-leader Milwaukee, beat New York and edged Boston in seven games in the East final after letting the Celtics pull level from an 0-3 hole.

Butler has averaged 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists a game in the playoffs but “Jimmy Buckets” says he isn’t finished.

“Nobody is satisfied,” he said. “We haven’t done anything. We don’t play just to win the Eastern Conference. We play to win the whole thing.”

And being a huge underdog in the finals is just how Heat’s Bam Adebayo wants it.

With text inputs from AFP

Updated through the day