TOPS
His elegant game while variation derailed the Aryna Sabalenka hitting machine. After a superb standoff of 3h13, Karolina Muchova, 43rd player in the world, overthrew the Belarusian in the semi-finals (7-6 [5], 6-7 [5], 7-5). The 26-year-old Czech, who had never done better than a third round on clay in Paris, came from a long way in the third set before winning the last five games and advancing to her first Grand Final. Slam. A few seconds after the match point and after having greeted the public, the 43rd player in the world could not hold back her tears even if she preferred to hide them under her towel. To savor his waking dream and erase a sad memory. A year ago, she twisted her ankle in the third round and left the Suzanne-Lenglen court in tears.
Due to pressure from national and international TV broadcasters, the clash Djokovic – Alcaraz could have been played in the second rotation after the other semi-final, Ruud-Zverev. It is not so. Tournament director Amélie Mauresmo and the organizers decided in favor of sporting fairness, despite pressure from broadcasters. Priority therefore, as every year, to the recovery of players. Zverev and Ruud scrapped on Wednesday. Djokovic and Alcaraz had snatched their qualification on Tuesday. This logical choice is nevertheless to be welcomed when we know the weight of the rights holders. And a great gift for the ticket holders of the first semi-final.
From tears to smiles. Unfairly disqualified in the women’s doubles, after accidentally hitting a collector with a ball, the Japanese Miya Kato won this Thursday in the mixed doubles tournament with her partner Tim Pütz. Kato, who later said on Twitter that in addition to her disqualification she had lost her prize money and points for the women’s doubles competition, received a lot of support from her fellow players. “My disqualification is regrettable, I hope my appeal will lead to a positive result. This way, I will be able to receive my points and my money”. To close the loop.
Defending champion and world number one Iga Swiatek started the tournament with some doubts. From ancient history. In steamroller, she has crushed the competition since the start of the tournament. The Polish had thus conceded only 15 games out of her six victories. In the semi-final, the surprise Beatriz Haddad Maia was also swept away by the Polish tornado, despite courageous resistance. The Brazilian even got a set point in an exciting decisive game snatched by the world number one 9-7.
FLOPS
The Minsk native missed a great chance to reach her first Porte d’Auteuil final, her second in a row after the Australian Open, knocked down by surprise Karolina Muchova after leading 5-2 in the final set. The high-risk Belarusian committed no less than 53 unforced errors (27 for Muchova) and was caught by the pressure like her 6 double faults, two of which were consecutive at 5/5 40-15 in the final. sleeve.
The absent are always wrong. The first semi-final between Sabalenka and Muchova started in front of stands that were initially half empty and in a funeral atmosphere. Too bad because the show was there and the match did not start at lunchtime, but at 3 p.m…. During the second semi-final, the Phillipe Chatrier still did not displayed full. Too bad once again, because the four semi-finalists put on a show on Thursday.