PARIS (AP) — Maja Chwalinska extended her remarkable French Open run by beating No. 22-seeded Anna Kalinskaya 7-6 (3), 6-3 Wednesday to reach the semifinals.
The unseeded Chwalinska came through three qualifying rounds to become only the second Polish woman to reach the semifinals at Roland Garros, along with four-time champion Iga Swiatek.
Kalinskaya's wild shot at the net gave Chwalinska a match point and she converted it when Kalinskaya's big forehand
from the back of the court went out.
The 24-year-old Chwalinska put her hand over her mouth and then her face in her hands in near disbelief.
“I honestly don't know what's going on. Every single match here is kind of crazy for me,” she said. “I was definitely nervous. I'm stressed of course but I try and focus on my job, on my game.”
Chwalinska had never been beyond the second round at any major before this tournament.
“I'm playing against the best players in the world," she said. “I won't compare myself to them.”
Her next opponent will be the winner of Wednesday’s last remaining women’s quarterfinal between top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, last year’s runner-up, and No. 25 Diana Shnaider.
After they traded early breaks of serve amid blustery conditions with the roof open on Court Philippe-Chatrier, Chwalinska led 5-1 until Kalinskaya broke back in the seventh game, having saved a set point, then held for 5-3.
Kalinskaya saved another set point at 40-30 down in the following game, then used her strong backhand to break a nervous-looking Chwalinska's serve again.
A fan waved a Poland flag when Chwalinska held in the 11th game to stem Kalinskaya's comeback. The flag was raised again when she won a 25-stroke rally to move 5-3 up in the tiebreaker, and she clinched the first set at the third opportunity when Kalinskaya’s two-handed backhand sailed long.
Chwalinska secured a double break of serve to lead 4-1 in the second set, but dropped her serve when serving for the match at 5-2.
It made little difference as Kalinskaya’s flagging serve soon gave her another chance.
In the two remaining men's quarterfinals, No. 4 Felix Auger-Aliassime took on No. 10 Flavio Cobolli before unseeded Italians Matteo Berrettini and Matteo Arnaldi faced off.
All of Wednesday's matches were held on Chatrier.
Second-seeded Alexander Zverev and No. 26 Jakub Mensik won their quarterfinals Tuesday and will meet in the semifinals. ___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
