The China Mail - Djokovic, Alcaraz close in on Olympics showdown as Swiatek survives bodyblow

Djokovic, seeking a first Olympic title to add to his record-breaking collection, defeated German left-hander Dominik Koepfer 7-5, 6-3, becoming the first man to reach four singles quarter-finals at the Games.

Alcaraz brushed aside Roman Safiullin, the Russian playing in Paris as a neutral, 6-4, 6-2.

In the women's singles, world number one Swiatek progressed when Danielle Collins retired injured in the final set.

She will face China's Zheng Qinwen, who ended the career of former world number one and three-time major winner Angelique Kerber.

The 37-year-old Djokovic has only ever collected a bronze at the Olympics, at Beijing 16 years ago, but he was rarely troubled by his 70th-ranked opponent.

"I'm soaking wet, honestly," said Djokovic, who has won three of his 24 Grand Slam crowns on Paris's famous red clay.

"It's a very, very humid day as it was yesterday. But you have to accept and embrace the conditions and try to make the best out of it."

Djokovic, who had breezed past old rival Rafael Nadal in the second round, goes on to face 11th-ranked Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Djokovic boasts an 11-2 head-to-head record over Tsitsipas, including a victory from two sets down in the 2021 French Open final.

- 'Erased it' -

"I've erased it," said Tsitsipas when asked to recall that heartbreaking defeat.

Tsitsipas has not defeated Djokovic for almost five years, with the world number two having claimed the past 10 meetings.

French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz has also yet to drop a set in Paris and breezed past 66th-ranked Safiullin in 90 minutes.

Alcaraz broke serve four times and wrapped up victory with his fifth ace of the contest.

"I am really happy with the way I managed everything during the match. The conditions were really tough with the heat and it was really humid," said Alcaraz.

Up next for Alcaraz is Tommy Paul, the American he defeated in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Paul made the last eight by seeing off Corentin Moutet, whose defeat ended all French interest in the five Olympic tennis events.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev, also appearing as a neutral and seeded to face Alcaraz in the semi-finals, was defeated 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) by Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Four-time French Open winner Swiatek racked up her 25th successive win on the clay courts of Paris but only after being pole-axed by a fierce backhand from Collins in the first game of the deciding set.

Swiatek took evasive action but was still struck a painful blow on her upper body. She crouched on the ground, catching her breath before continuing.

Collins immediately crossed to Swiatek's side of the net to apologise.

Swiatek swept the first set 6-1 before Collins claimed the second set 6-2.

However, Collins retired with an injury trailing 4-1 in the decider.

Swiatek next faces Australian Open runner-up Zheng, who became the first Chinese woman since Li Na in 2008 to reach the semi-finals with a 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 7-6 (8/6) win over Kerber.

Zheng unleashed 64 winners to send the 36-year-old former world number one Kerber, a silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Games, into retirement.

- 'I gave everything' -

"What can I say? I gave everything," said Kerber, who has slumped to 212 in the world rankings.

Anna Karolina Schmiedlova is the first Slovakian player to make the Olympics semi-finals since Miloslav Mecir won the men's title at Seoul in 1988.

The 67th-ranked Schmiedlova stunned Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova in straight sets and will meet either Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk or Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic of Croatia.

Nadal, chasing a third Olympic gold medal, plays for the fifth successive day as he and Alcaraz eye a place in the men's doubles semi-finals.

The Spaniards face a tricky last-eight tie against fourth seeds Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram of the United States.

V.Fan--ThChM