PARIS: World number 114 Maja Chwalinska continued her stunning French Open run on Wednesday by beating 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya to become just the second women’s qualifier to reach the last four at Roland Garros in the professional era. Chwalinska again defied the odds to down the Russian 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 at the quarter-final stage. Prior to her run in Paris, Chwalinska had only ever won two tour-level matches on clay in her career, now she stands one victory away from competing for the biggest title the surface has to offer. Standing in the 24-year-old’s way in Thursday’s semi-final will be either world number one Aryna Sabalenka or 25th seed Diana Shnaider.
Regardless of the outcome of that match, Chwalinska has ensured her spot in the annals of Roland Garros by equaling, at least, the result of Nadia Podoroska, who in 2020 became the first woman in the Open era to come through qualifying and reach the semi-finals at the clay-court Grand Slam. “I honestly don’t know what’s going on. I know I repeat myself but every single match here is kind of crazy for me so I’m very grateful,” Chwalinska said. “I’m happy it looks like that but I was definitely nervous, it’s normal, you know, I care,” she added when asked about her calm demeanor on court. “I just try to win every match that I’m playing. “I’m playing against the best players in the world so I won’t compare myself to them.”
The diminutive Pole had two chances to serve out the opener at 5-1 and 5-3 but was broken in blustery conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier as Kalinskaya fought back to level at five-apiece. In the tie-break, Chwalinska got some daylight between herself and the Russian at 6-3, before taking the first set when Kalinskaya overcooked a loopy defensive backhand. She moved to the edge of victory by again securing a double break to take a 4-1 lead. Kalinskaya again fought back, but this time Chwalinska stopped her in the ninth game, sealing match point when the 27-year-old hit long off her forehand wing. Defeat for Kalinskaya brings an end to her first last-eight run at Roland Garros.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka’s bid for a first French Open title was left in tatters as she fell apart in a bizarre defeat by Russian 25th seed Diana Shnaider in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. The world number one led by a set and a double-break before exiting the tournament in a blaze of unforced errors, collapsing to a 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 loss in blustery conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier. Shnaider will face Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the semi-finals on Thursday, with Marta Kostyuk or Mirra Andreeva awaiting the winner in Sunday’s final.
“Well honestly I’m speechless, I’m super happy. Obviously tough conditions with the wind,” said the 22-year-old Shnaider after beating a top-10 player for only the second time in her career. “First time playing Aryna so definitely a lot of nerves and I feel the first set was trying to adjust to her game.” Sabalenka was the only Grand Slam champion left in either the men’s or women’s singles draws at Roland Garros, but belied that status by making a whopping 57 unforced errors. Shnaider was playing in her first major quarter-final, but now finds herself a strong favorite to reach the final heading into her last-four tie against world number 114 and fellow left-hander Chwalinska.
“Definitely super happy I managed to finish on a good note rather than start on a good note. Definitely a special tournament for me here,” added the Russian. “It’s going be a lefty battle so I’m looking forward (to the semi-final).” Sabalenka’s scarcely believable defeat was reminiscent of the way she threw away a strong position in last year’s final against Coco Gauff. The Belarusian was playing in a 14th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final but failed to become the first woman to make seven straight major semis since Serena Williams.
Increasingly frustrated Sabalenka
The top seed raced into a 5-1 lead and eventually sealed the opener on her third set point after initially failing to serve it out. The second set followed a similar pattern at first, as Sabalenka moved 4-1 in front with a double-break before throwing away her next service game. Sabalenka became increasingly frustrated as she gifted Shnaider three break points to level at 4-4. After some animated remonstrating with her box, she recomposed herself enough to hold. But the 28-year-old’s game continued to come apart, as a string of dreadful unforced errors allowed Shnaider to break again and tie up the set at 5-5, with Sabalenka left to gesticulate wildly towards her coaching staff.
Shnaider could not believe her luck as Sabalenka dumped successive forehands into the bottom of the net to finish off the set and send the match into a decider. The Russian grew in confidence and moved 2-0 up in the third as Sabalenka sprayed eight unforced errors around Chatrier in the space of two games. Shnaider cruised to victory from there, fittingly securing a semi-final berth when Sabalenka knocked a routine backhand into the net on the third match point. A stunned world number one was left to trudge off court after winning just 14 points in the deciding set. — AFP
