TENNIS – RUSSIAN outsider Diana Shnaider battled from a set and a double break down to shock world number one Aryna Sabalenka 3-6 7-5 6-0 in blustery conditions and charge into the French Open semi-finals on a windswept Wednesday.
In a tournament that has witnessed several shocks including the exits of defending champion Coco Gauff and four-times winner Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka’s defeat sent another jolt through the wide-open women’s draw.
Shnaider reached her maiden Grand Slam semi-final after an inspired battle in which she won the last 10 games having been two points away from defeat, and she takes on Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the last four.
Chwalinska continued her dream run, advancing with a 7-6(3) 6-3 victory over Russia’s 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya on a windswept Court Philippe Chatrier.
In the men’s side, Flavio Cobolli started slowly in wild and windy conditions at the French Open before blowing away Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4, making the semi-finals at Roland Garros for the first time.
Following an early exchange of breaks on a blustery day, Auger-Aliassime pounced on Cobolli’s serve in the 10th game to claim the opening set, after which the roof on Court Philippe Chatrier was closed.
Cobolli, one of three Italian men still in the men’s draw after Jannik Sinner’s premature exit, battled back from 1-3 down in the second set with the playing conditions suddenly improving.
Having levelled the contest at one set apiece, the 10th seed dialled up the intensity in the seventh game of the next set and put himself just one set away from his maiden Grand Slam semi-final appearance.
The 24-year-old thumped his chest when he edged ahead in the fourth set, and he went on to comfortably secure the victory.
In the day’s last men’s quarter-final match, Matteo Arnaldi came out on top in an all-Italian clash to reach his maiden Grand Slam semi-final after his opponent Matteo Berrettini retired injured while trailing 7-5 5-2.
Berrettini, who needed a medical time out for what appeared to be hip pain after three games in the second set, threw in the towel at the change of ends after being encouraged to do so by his entourage.
World number 104 Arnaldi, who spent 17 hours and 42 minutes on court as he fought his way into the last eight, will face compatriot Cobolli tomorrow, guaranteeing an Italian presence in Sunday’s final despite the early exit of world number one and last year’s runner-up Jannik Sinner.
Arnaldi, who had played over 10 hours in the two previous rounds, spent two hours on court Philippe Chatrier.
The 24-year-old Chwalinska absorbed the power of the 22nd seed superbly, repeatedly forcing Kalinskaya into errors by extending rallies and making her hit one extra shot as she became only the second qualifier in the Open era to reach the Roland Garros semi-finals - and the sixth to achieve the feat at a Grand Slam.
In reaching the next round for a place in Saturday’s final, Chwalinska will earn at least $870,000, more prize money than she has collected in the rest of her career.
Shnaider said: “Obviously, the first time playing Aryna, I was super nervous. The first set, I was trying to adjust to her game, trying to figure out how to play.
“I feel like I was trying to focus point by point, not thinking about the score. She’s the world number one, so I just tried to do my best. I just had to fight for every point.
“It’s definitely a super special win. I feel in the third set I finally found my rhythm and how to play and where to be a bit more. The third set was the one I should be aiming for from the beginning. Super happy to finish on a good note.”
The conditions on Court Philippe Chatrier proved a massive challenge for both players as they affected precise shot-making, but Sabalenka found her groove to open up a 5-1 advantage before she dropped serve when the wind began to really swirl.
“I don’t know why would they keep the roof open when it’s crazy windy,” Sabalenka told reporters.
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