Unseeded Mirra Andreeva, the 17-year-old Russian tennis sensation, sent tremors across Roland Garros yesterday with a brilliant 6-7 6-4 6-4 victory over second seed and two-time Grand Slam winner Aryna Sabalenka.
Andreeva lost the first set with a tie-break at the French Open yesterday but broke her Belarusian opposite number in the second and third sets to reach her first semi-final at one of the four major tournaments.
She will take on Jasmine Paolini in the final four after the Italian beat Elena Rybakina in three sets.
Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff will face off in the other semi-final.
“I tried not to focus on the score. When it was the second match point I was trying to play like I was saving a break point so I played it bravely,” Andreeva said.
She added: “I was really nervous before the match, I knew she would have an advantage with the crowd but I was surprised because you [the crowd] cheered for me, I honestly did not expect that.
“[I] see the game, I play wherever I want. I don’t have a plan. So when I see open space I try to play. We had a plan but I didn’t remember it so I try to play as I feel.
Last 10 French Open finals
YearWinnerRunner-Up2023Iga SwiatekKarolina Muchova2022Iga SwiatekCoco Gauff2021Barbora KrejcikovaAnastasia Pavlyuchenkova2020Iga SwiatekSofia Kenin2019Ashleigh BartyMarketa Voundrousova2018Simona HalepSolane Stephens2017Jalena OstapenkoSimona Halep2016Garbine MuguruzaSerena Williams2015Serena WilliamsLucie Safarova2014Maria SharapovaSimona HalepLast 10 finals