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	<title>Mirra Andreeva Archives | Love Game Tennis</title>
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	<title>Mirra Andreeva Archives | Love Game Tennis</title>
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		<title>Boïsson beats Andreeva to continue dream French Open run</title>
		<link>https://www.lovegametennis.com/lois-boisson-beats-mirra-andreeva-dream-french-open-run/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=lois-boisson-beats-mirra-andreeva-dream-french-open-run</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Les Roopanarine]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:14:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[French Open 2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Loïs Boisson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mirra Andreeva]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.lovegametennis.com/?p=6738</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Loïs Boisson, the French world No 361, saw off Mirra Andreeva in straight sets to become the first wildcard in the open era to reach the last four in Paris  </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/lois-boisson-beats-mirra-andreeva-dream-french-open-run/">Boïsson beats Andreeva to continue dream French Open run</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="">The fairy tale continues for Loïs Boisson.</p>



<p class="">The French world No 361, the breakout star of this Roland Garros, continued her astonishing run with a second top-10 win in three days, defeating the sixth seed Mirra Andreeva, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, to become the first wildcard in the open era to reach a women’s singles semi-final on the Parisian clay.</p>



<p class="">On a stage that has seen so many French players freeze down the years, Boisson was once again a revelation, backing up Monday’s epic three-set victory over Jessica Pegula, the world No 3, with another performance full of wit, style and tenacity.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">The 22-year-old’s game is a joyous patchwork of skidding slice and rearing topspin, one moment all artful drop shots and angles, the next a battery of booming serves and big forehands.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">It is a formidable arsenal, one that combines the modern power game with the artistry of a bygone era, and its potency has been magnified by the impassioned support of a crowd yearning to acclaim a homegrown champion for the first time since Mary Pierce conquered Paris a quarter of a century ago. A French Open that began in emotional fashion, with <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/rafael-nadal-french-open-farewell-ceremony-roland-garros/">Rafael Nadal</a>, <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/caroline-garcia-roland-garros-tearful-adieu-bernarda-pera/">Caroline Garcia</a> and Richard Gasquet all bidding the tournament farewell, may yet conclude in similarly impassioned mood.</p>



<p class="">If that is to happen, Boisson will first have to get past Coco Gauff, the American second seed, who came from behind to defeat her compatriot Madison Keys 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-1 in the day’s first quarter-final. But for a player making her grand slam debut just months after returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament that denied her a wildcard appearance at her home slam last year, everything seems possible now.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="embed-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT IT MEANS! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f1eb-1f1f7.png" alt="🇫🇷" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br><br>Loïs Boisson, local hero, making history at home! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f4aa.png" alt="💪" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br><br><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f51c.png" alt="🔜" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a> semifinals <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f19a.png" alt="🆚" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Gauff! <a href="https://t.co/ZC7LWNh0gF">pic.twitter.com/ZC7LWNh0gF</a></p>&mdash; Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/1930282601228419381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</div></figure>



<p class="">“It’s really incredible, I’m so happy to be in the semi-final here, and I hope it will continue,” said Boisson, who is projected to rise to 65 in the rankings and is now a prime candidate to receive a wildcard for Wimbledon, for which she is currently 60th on the list of alternates. </p>



<p class="">“I don’t really think about what will be next, you know, the ranking, Wimbledon and everything. I just try to stay focused on this tournament now. I really enjoy everything that I live here, on the court and outside the court, so I will see this after. For now, I just have to prepare the match of tomorrow.”</p>



<p class="">As Andreeva can attest, the same applies in reverse. For all the experience the 18-year-old Russian has accumulated across the course of her brief career, she is unlikely to have encountered a skillset like that possessed by Boisson too often. Unsurprisingly, Andreeva’s coach, the former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martínez, was an interested observer during the Frenchwoman’s dramatic win over Pegula.</p>



<p class="">It seemed initially that the Spaniard’s scouting would reap dividends for her young charge. Andreeva went about her business with intelligence and purpose, biding her time from the back of the court and refusing to become entangled in Boisson’s intricately woven web of ever-shifting spins and tempo.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">The Russian struck her backhand down the line with devastating potency and was constantly alive to the danger posed by Boisson’s touch, moving forward swiftly to intercept her opponent’s drop shots and dealing with them calmly and clear-headedly once there.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="embed-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">1 &#8211; Lois Boisson is the first player in the Open Era to reach the Women’s Singles semi-finals at the French Open as a wild card. Incredible!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rolandgarros</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WTA</a> <a href="https://t.co/c9q9yOJ2rG">pic.twitter.com/c9q9yOJ2rG</a></p>&mdash; OptaAce (@OptaAce) <a href="https://twitter.com/OptaAce/status/1930261391987868113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</div></figure>



<p class="">It was a performance of precocious maturity from the teenager, and it carried her all the way to a set point at 5-3. Boisson fended off the danger with a deliciously angled backhand winner and drew on her defensive skills to save another set point at 5-6 down in the tiebreak, but it was her topspin-heavy forehand that did the bulk of the damage, pushing Andreeva deep into her backhand corner and opening up the court for her to move in and kill off points at the net.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">The Russian was not helped by the Parisian crowd, who were to be found belting out the French national anthem as early as the warm-up, and who cheered every Boisson success as throatily as they hailed Andreeva’s errors. It was a lot for the teenager to cope with but, for all her obvious exasperation, she heeded Martínez’s vocal demands to step inside the baseline and take on anything short, rapidly opening up a 3-0 lead in the second set.</p>



<p class="">Her inner turmoil remained close to the surface, however, never more obviously than when she slapped her thigh in frustration after failing to return a Boisson drop shot, and slowly her game began to unravel amid a welter of unforced errors.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">On match point, as a final despairing lob from Andreeva drifted wide, Boisson sank to the clay on her back, briefly overcome by emotion as she became the first French player to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Q_44k8V3E">reach the last four</a> since Marion Bartoli in 2011. She arose covered in red dirt and covered in glory, but her emotional reaction should not be mistaken for satisfaction. As she remarked afterwards, no young player dreams of making a semi-final; more remains to be done.</p>



<p class="">“I don’t think it’s a miracle,” said ­Boisson. “For sure, I have a little bit of luck also, but I think it’s just the hard work that I put [in] since I started ­playing tennis, and also last year with my rehab and everything, it’s just the result of hard work. Nothing else.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">“I think every kid who plays tennis has the dream to win a slam. More for French players to win Roland Garros. It’s a dream. For sure I will go for the dream, because my dream is to win it, not to be in the semi-final. So I will try to do my best for it.”</p>



<p class="">Paris expects nothing less.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/lois-boisson-beats-mirra-andreeva-dream-french-open-run/">Boïsson beats Andreeva to continue dream French Open run</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6738</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Swiatek destroys Gauff to set up Paolini final at  French Open</title>
		<link>https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-destroys-gauff-to-set-up-paolini-final-at-french-open/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=swiatek-destroys-gauff-to-set-up-paolini-final-at-french-open</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Les Roopanarine]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Jun 2024 19:49:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[French Open 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coco Gauff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iga Swiatek]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jasmine Paolini]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mirra Andreeva]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.lovegametennis.com/?p=6355</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Iga Swiatek crushed Coco Gauff in straight sets to reach a fourth final in five years in Paris, where she will meet Italy's Jasmine Paolini </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-destroys-gauff-to-set-up-paolini-final-at-french-open/">Swiatek destroys Gauff to set up Paolini final at  French Open</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="">The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/rafael-nadal-bids-french-open-a-possible-farewell/">absence of Rafael Nadal</a>&nbsp;will be keenly felt at Roland Garros this weekend, but anyone seeking the comfort of the familiar need not look far.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">Iga Swiatek may have a way to go before matching the Spaniard’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/nadal-cruises-past-ruud-to-win-14th-french-open/">dominance on the Parisian clay</a>&nbsp;but, after defeating Coco Gauff in straight sets in Thursday’s semi-finals, she will have the opportunity to compete for a fourth French Open title in five years when she faces Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in two days’ time. Given that she has just turned 23 – like Nadal, she celebrates her birthday during the fortnight – another win would see Swiatek equal her childhood idol’s record at the same age.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">“I would never expect anybody to compare me to Rafa, because for me he’s above everybody and he’s a total legend,” said the Polish world No 1. “I’m proud of myself that I’m playing consistently here and that I’m even mentioned in the same sentence as Rafa.”</p>



<p class="">If she continues in her present vein, Swiatek is likely to find herself in many such sentences in years to come. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-holds-off-muchova-to-win-third-french-open/">defending champion</a>’s 6-2, 6-4 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAySM-f8YN4">success</a> against Gauff was her 20th in a row at Roland Garros, where she is bidding to become the first woman since Justine Henin to win three straight titles. Having won the WTA 1000 events&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-beats-sabalenka-to-win-classic-madrid-open-final/">in Madrid</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/iga-swiatek-routs-aryna-sabalenka-to-win-third-rome-title/">Rome</a>&nbsp;on the road to Paris, she is also riding an 18-match winning streak on clay. Not quite Nadal’s 81 consecutive victories on the surface, let alone Chris Evert’s 125, but she is certainly on the right track.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One win away from the three-peat <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f5e3.png" alt="🗣" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a> <a href="https://t.co/blolSgUuDu">pic.twitter.com/blolSgUuDu</a></p>&mdash; Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/1798728926698573843?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p class="">“This surface makes my game better,” said Swiatek. “My grip allows me to spin more. I can play more defence points because it’s a bit slower, but on the other hand I also get also more time to attack.”</p>



<p class="">She did plenty of both against Gauff, who set out to play on the front foot but was in trouble from the moment she sent a drive volley sailing over the baseline to drop her opening service game. Having lost all but one of her previous 11 meetings with Swiatek – including two on Court Philippe Chatrier, in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-routs-gauff-to-win-second-french-open/">the 2022 final</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-dodges-gauffs-tactical-curveball-at-french-open/">last year’s quarter-finals</a>&nbsp;– the 20-year-old’s predicament was clear. To buck the trend, she had to try something different.</p>



<p class="">Naomi Osaka established a template for success with her <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-fights-back-to-beat-osaka-in-french-open-classic/">near-miss against Swiatek in the second round</a> but, for all the virtues of Gauff’s game, she does not possess Osaka’s ability to combine raw power with consistency off the ground. As her <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/gauff-wins-us-open-after-battling-back-against-sabalenka/">victory over Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s US Open final</a> demonstrated, the Atlantan is at her best when absorbing pace and counter-punching. So while her enterprise was admirable, Gauff’s final tally of 39 unforced errors to 27 winners was symptomatic of a flawed game plan, particularly on a clay court, and especially against Swiatek. </p>



<p class="">It was no coincidence that Gauff’s best phase of the match came when she began to play with greater patience. That came in the early stages of the second set, where she established a 3-1 lead despite a moment of controversy that left her in tears.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">When a Swiatek serve was incorrectly called long, the chair umpire, Aurélie Tourte, swiftly intervened to correct the mistake, but ruled that the line judge’s intervention had not affected Gauff’s missed return and should not be replayed. The American pleaded her case, arguing that the call had come in unison with her attempt to play the ball, but her objections fell on deaf ears. TV evidence suggested she had a point, and afterwards Gauff’s bemoaned the sport’s failure to employ technology in such circumstances.</p>



<p class="">“It’s almost ridiculous that we don’t have it,” said Gauff, who will rise to a career-high ranking of No 2 next week. “Every sport has it. There are so many decisions that are made, and it sucks as a player to go online and you see that you were completely right.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">“In situations, you can call for the supervisor, but there’s not much they can do from that standpoint. So I definitely think as a sport we have to evolve. We have the technology, they’re showing it on TV, so I don’t get why the player can’t see it.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jasmine dreaming step by step <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/2601.png" alt="☁" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a> <a href="https://t.co/na1mxR9dDS">pic.twitter.com/na1mxR9dDS</a></p>&mdash; Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/1798813105113514469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p class="">In the second semi-final, Paolini’s experience told against Mirra Andreeva, the 17-year-old Russian who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/mirra-andreeva-stuns-ailing-aryna-sabalenka-to-reach-french-open-semis/">defeated an off-colour Aryna Sabalenka</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday. Paolini seized the initiative with an early break, and although Andreeva fashioned five opportunities to get the opening set back on serve, the 12th-seeded Italian averted the danger with trademark tenacity. The 28-year-old then reeled off six games in a row to complete a 6-3, 6-1 victory and become the first Italian woman to reach a final at Roland Garros since Sara Errani in 2012. Not bad for a player who had never advanced beyond the second round of a major before this year.</p>



<p class="">“It’s a great feeling to be in a grand slam final,” said Paolini. “It seems something impossible, you know, but it’s true, so I’m really happy to be in this position.”</p>



<p class="">Paolini’s breakout year began with a run to the last 16 of the Australian Open and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/paolini-fights-back-against-kalinskaya-to-win-dubai-title/">first WTA 1000 title in Dubai</a>. Having started the season ranked 29th, she will be a top-10 player when the new ranking list is published next week. In two days’ time, however, she will face one of the toughest challenges in tennis: Swiatek, on Chatrier, in the French Open final.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">The locals have a verb, “Nadaliser”, that they have traditionally used to describe Nadal’s domination on the red clay where he has won 14 of his 22 grand slam titles. It will be of little comfort to Paolini that they are now repurposing that word to characterise Swiatek’s supremacy at Roland Garros. On Saturday, we shall see if the Italian can avoid being Nadalised.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-destroys-gauff-to-set-up-paolini-final-at-french-open/">Swiatek destroys Gauff to set up Paolini final at  French Open</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6355</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Andreeva stuns Sabalenka to reach French Open semis</title>
		<link>https://www.lovegametennis.com/mirra-andreeva-stuns-ailing-aryna-sabalenka-to-reach-french-open-semis/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=mirra-andreeva-stuns-ailing-aryna-sabalenka-to-reach-french-open-semis</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Les Roopanarine]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Jun 2024 18:47:02 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[French Open 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aryna Sabalenka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elena Rybakina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jasmine Paolini]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mirra Andreeva]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.lovegametennis.com/?p=6350</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>On a day of big upsets at Roland Garros, Mirra Andreeva defeated Aryna Sabalenka after Elena Rybakina fell to Jasmine Paolini</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/mirra-andreeva-stuns-ailing-aryna-sabalenka-to-reach-french-open-semis/">Andreeva stuns Sabalenka to reach French Open semis</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="">Just as a clear narrative appeared to be developing at the top of women’s tennis, along came Mirra Andreeva, a rising teenage star, and Jasmine Paolini, a late-blooming 28-year-old Italian, to rip up the script.</p>



<p class="">On an afternoon of major upsets at the French Open, Andreeva, 17, fought back from a set down to claim the biggest win of her career against Aryna Sabalenka, becoming the youngest women&#8217;s grand slam semi-finalist since Martina Hingis in 1997. Sabalenka, the second seed and <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/sabalenka-overpowers-zheng-to-retain-australian-open-title/">reigning Australian Open champion</a>, struggled physically from the outset and on several occasions looked close to throwing in the towel.</p>



<p class="">It was a desperate stroke of misfortune for the 26-year-old Belarusian, particularly after Elena Rybakina, the fourth seed, was earlier beaten by Paolini in straight sets. With Iga Swiatek, the world No 1 and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-holds-off-muchova-to-win-third-french-open/">defending champion</a>, already through to face Coco Gauff in the top half of the draw, the expectation was that the top four seeds would reach the semi-finals in Paris for the first time since 1992. But a bold and brilliant performance from Paolini put a dent in the notion of a women’s big four which Andreeva, to her immense credit, hammered home.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Andreeva&#39;s dreams came true so far in this tournament!<br><br>How big can she dream? <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f914.png" alt="🤔" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a> <a href="https://t.co/QcGZBr9Xuj">pic.twitter.com/QcGZBr9Xuj</a></p>&mdash; Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/1798479410376458728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p class="">“I tried to stay in the game, stay focused, not to wait for her mistakes, to try to finish everything by myself,” said Andreeva following her 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-4&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vy209m9drc">win</a>.</p>



<p class="">“If we look back, I wouldn&#8217;t expect myself playing [in the] semi-finals, because that was just kind of a dream for me in the beginning of the tournament.”</p>



<p class="">Andreeva’s dream was Sabalenka’s nightmare. A pair of early breaks could not disguise the Belarusian’s discomfort on serve and sluggish movement and, as she fell behind against an opponent she had dismissed comfortably in each of their previous two meetings, she gestured agitatedly to her support team. After seven games, a doctor arrived on the scene, pills were administered, and Sabalenka somehow summoned the strength to recover from 3-5 down and see out the set.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">But Andreeva held firm, maintaining her concentration despite the weight of the occasion and the distracting nature of Sabalenka’s predicament, and having levelled the contest she showed admirable composure to recover from a break down in the decider. Serving to stay in the tournament, Sabalenka fought off a first match point with a courageous forehand winner, but Andreeva would not be denied. The teenager ripped a backhand winner down the line to bring up a second opportunity, and this time she converted it with an inspired defensive lob.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dream <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/2705.png" alt="✅" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Believe <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/2705.png" alt="✅" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Achieve <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/2705.png" alt="✅" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br><br>Jasmine Paolini powers on. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a> <a href="https://t.co/4yX7mYc4GR">pic.twitter.com/4yX7mYc4GR</a></p>&mdash; Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/1798463516040732966?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p class="">In Paolini, she will face another opponent enjoying her finest run at a major. The Italian, who started the year ranked 29th, had never been beyond the second round at this level before reaching the last 16 of the Australian Open in January. Two months later, she was scheduled to face Rybakina in the Dubai quarter-finals only for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/rybakina-wins-wimbledon-after-fightback-against-jabeur/">former Wimbledon champion</a>&nbsp;to withdraw with illness. Paolini went on to win the WTA 1000 event,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/paolini-fights-back-against-kalinskaya-to-win-dubai-title/">defeating Anna Kalinskaya in the final</a>, and her growing belief that she can compete at the highest level will be reinforced when she breaks into the top 10 for the first time next week.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">A near-flawless first set gave Paolini the platform for a 6-2, 4-6. 6-4 victory over Rybakina, the Italian dropping just one point on serve while threatening the world No 4’s delivery throughout. It has been a difficult few weeks for Rybakina, who was forced to abandon her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/tears-and-tumult-in-rome-as-kalinina-retires-to-hand-rybakina-title/">title defence in Rome</a>&nbsp;because of sickness, and has since struggled with sleeping problems and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/elena-rybakina-enigmatic-ice-queen-or-plain-rude/">media controversy</a>. She has been winning in Paris even without playing her best tennis, and put herself in a position to do so again after shrugging off an error-strewn start to force a decider, but a poor service game at 4-4 handed Paolini the initiative, and the Italian served out for a famous win.</p>



<p class="">“I think I started to play better, with more consistency, last year,” said Paolini. “Match by match, I felt more convinced that I can play at a higher level. But it was a process, it’s not like I switched something [on], it was a process.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">“Now, I step on court and I say to myself that I have a chance to win the match. Before, sometimes when I was playing against the top players, I was like ‘OK, I need a miracle to win this match,’ so I was already losing the match before even playing.”</p>



<p class="">Now the shoe will be on the other foot: seeded 12th and by far the more experienced player, Paolini will go into Thursday’s semi-final as the favourite. Then again, as she and Andreeva proved, that doesn’t always count for much.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/mirra-andreeva-stuns-ailing-aryna-sabalenka-to-reach-french-open-semis/">Andreeva stuns Sabalenka to reach French Open semis</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6350</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Mirra Andreeva, 16, routs Ons Jabeur at Australian Open</title>
		<link>https://www.lovegametennis.com/mirra-andreeva-16-routs-ons-jabeur-at-australian-open/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=mirra-andreeva-16-routs-ons-jabeur-at-australian-open</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Les Roopanarine]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 17 Jan 2024 10:04:52 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Australian Open 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Caroline Wozniacki]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mirra Andreeva]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ons Jabeur]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.lovegametennis.com/?p=5752</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Mirra Andreeva moved into round three at Melbourne Park with a devastating 54-minute victory over sixth seed Ons Jabeur</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/mirra-andreeva-16-routs-ons-jabeur-at-australian-open/">Mirra Andreeva, 16, routs Ons Jabeur at Australian Open</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="">She knows how to pick ‘em, Mirra Andreeva. Limited to a dozen tournaments under player development rules, the 16-year-old Russian has already managed to achieve a grand slam of major appearances.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">Last summer, she came through qualifying to make the <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/gauff-brings-andreeva-french-open-run-to-an-end/">third round at Roland Garros</a> and the second week of Wimbledon. By the time Andreeva arrived at Flushing Meadows, her ranking had risen by 80 places and her qualifying days were behind her. The teenager now has at least one win at each of the four slams.</p>



<p class="">A lesser talent might have sought to take her first steps in the professional game at more humble stops on the tour, but Andreeva is a young woman in a hurry. She joked last year that she hopes to win more majors than Novak Djokovic, suggesting 25 as an appropriate number. Depending on events over the next 10 days, that figure may yet have to be revised upwards, but the signs that Andreeva can compete at the highest level are encouraging, and on Wednesday in Rod Laver Arena she took another significant step forward with a 6-0, 6-2 rout of Ons Jabeur, the sixth seed.</p>



<p class="">The Russian’s <a href="https://ausopen.com/video-player#!?videoId=6345017960112">performance</a> was every bit as remarkable as that extraordinary scoreline would suggest. Andreeva eclipsed Jabeur, a veteran of three grand slam finals, in just about every way a player can be eclipsed: with her movement, consistency and powerful ball-striking, but also with her composed decision-making and variety. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A star is born <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f31f.png" alt="🌟" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br><br>16-year-old Mirra Andreeva stuns No. 6 seed Jabeur 6-0 6-2 to reach the third round!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/wwos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wwos</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/espn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@espn</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/eurosport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eurosport</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/wowowtennis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wowowtennis</a> <a href="https://t.co/l71yoKhOXw">pic.twitter.com/l71yoKhOXw</a></p>&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1747441117266632795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p class="">As she romped to the first top-10 win of her career in just 54 minutes, Andreeva appeared utterly fearless, the only obvious sign of anxiety coming at the death, when she nervously shanked an inviting overhead long while serving for the match. That she was facing her childhood idol, on a stage where she suffered a heart-breaking loss in the junior final to her 16-year compatriot Alina Korneeva this time last year, only added to the magnitude of her achievement.</p>



<p class="">“I’m happy I played with Ons,” said Andreeva, who insisted she was “really nervous before the match”.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="">“It was one of my dreams to play against her, because I really like the way she plays. I&#8217;m inspired by her, so today it meant a lot, this match that I won.”</p>



<p class="">Good as Andreeva was, Jabeur was like a magician with a misfiring wand. Her serve, both first and second, deserted her. Volleys flew long. Backhands nosedived into the net or flew wide. She had only nine winners to offset her 24 unforced errors, and the unfolding agony of a humbling defeat could be traced in her features: a pained expression after 10 minutes, a disbelieving smile as Andreeva rifled a backhand of pinpoint precision beyond her to close in on the first set, and finally, a fruitless late hold notwithstanding, a look of weary resignation. Jabeur&#8217;s innate decency shone through as she approached the net with a warm-hearted smile at the end.</p>



<p class="">“She’s so nice,” said Andreeva. “After the match, she came to me, she wished me luck. I just know that she is who she is, and she never changes. That’s what I like about her.”</p>



<p class="">The teenager will face Diane Parry of France next, with Barbora Krejcikova, the ninth seed, potentially the biggest obstacle to a place in the quarter-finals. Andreeva defeated Parry for the loss of just three games at Roland Garros last year, and has yet to lose a set against Krejcikova in two meetings. Currently ranked 47th, she is set to rise roughly a dozen places, and could go even higher. Not that she is getting carried away.</p>



<p class="">“I don&#8217;t think that I achieved something incredible, so I have time still to do that,” said Andreeva. “Sometimes when I&#8217;m lying in bed, I can overthink a little bit, but the next morning I’m totally fine. I mean, I’m 16. Why do I have to think about the rankings? I’m going a bit higher, and so my goal is to go higher and higher.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;I feel like I&#39;m a bit more mature.&quot;<br>You&#39;re only 16.<br>&quot;Well, last year I was 15&quot; <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f602.png" alt="😂" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><br><br>Mirra Andreeva • <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> • <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AO2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AO2024</a> <a href="https://t.co/qrCLl8vYT3">pic.twitter.com/qrCLl8vYT3</a></p>&mdash; #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen/status/1747442407283573093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p class="">Maria Timofeeva provided another noteworthy Russian success, prevailing 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 against Caroline Wozniacki, the 2018 champion.</p>



<p class="">“It definitely sucks and it’s disappointing,” said Wozniacki. “I felt like this was my match to win, and I didn&#8217;t. I obviously sit here with a very disappointing feeling, because looking back, I feel like the match kind of slid out of my hands.”</p>



<p class="">Coco Gauff, the US Open champion and fourth seed, survived a tough first to move into the third round with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 victory over Caroline Dolehide.</p>



<p class="">“She&#8217;s a tough opponent,” said Gauff of her fellow American. “She plays big, pretty much, on every shot.</p>



<p class="">“Not my best tennis, but, you know, a lot of improvement to look at for the next matches.”</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/mirra-andreeva-16-routs-ons-jabeur-at-australian-open/">Mirra Andreeva, 16, routs Ons Jabeur at Australian Open</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5752</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>French Open 2023: the best quotes</title>
		<link>https://www.lovegametennis.com/french-open-2023-best-quotes/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=french-open-2023-best-quotes</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Love Game Tennis Staff]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Jun 2023 22:16:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[French Open 2023]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aryna Sabalenka]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coco Gauff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Daniil Medvedev]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elina Svitolina]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iga Swiatek]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jessica Pegula]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Karolina Muchova]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mirra Andreeva]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Novak Djokovic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ons Jabeur]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stefanos Tsitsipas]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.lovegametennis.com/?p=5036</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>From Yannick Noah on players with bladder issues to Daniil Medvedev's (literal) distaste for clay, all the best French Open quotes</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/french-open-2023-best-quotes/">French Open 2023: the best quotes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>He carries himself very well. No doubt very nice guy on and off the court. Brings a lot of intensity on the court. Reminds me of someone from his country that plays with a left hand.</strong></em></p>
<cite><em><strong>Novak Djokovic pays Carlos Alcaraz the ultimate compliment.</strong></em></cite></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>Obviously, you lose to someone seven times, you feel crappy.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Coco Gauff on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-dodges-gauffs-tactical-curveball-at-french-open/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">losing to Iga Swiatek</a> seven times in a row.</em></strong> </cite></blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GettyImages-1258288038.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1" alt="Daniil Medvedev" class="wp-image-4895" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GettyImages-1258288038.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GettyImages-1258288038.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GettyImages-1258288038.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GettyImages-1258288038.jpg?resize=585%2C390&amp;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/GettyImages-1258288038.jpg?resize=263%2C175&amp;ssl=1 263w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-plain has-black-color has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>Every time it finishes, I&#8217;m happy&#8230; again, same today, because [there was] wind, a dry court, I had a mouthful of clay since probably the third game of the match, and I don&#8217;t like it. I don&#8217;t know if people like to eat clay, to have clay in their bags, in their shoes, socks. White socks, you can throw them to garbage after the clay season. Maybe some people like it. I don&#8217;t. I am happy to have it finished.</strong></em></p>
<cite><em><strong>Daniil Medvedev on bidding adieu to clay courts after his </strong><a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/medvedev-falls-to-qualifier-seyboth-wild-at-french-open/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>loss to<strong> Brazil</strong></em></strong>&#8216;s<strong><em><strong> Thiago Seyboth Wild</strong></em></strong></a><strong>.</strong></em></cite></blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized is-style-rounded"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244442196.jpg?resize=778%2C493&#038;ssl=1" alt="Ons Jabeur" class="wp-image-3993" width="778" height="493" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244442196.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244442196.jpg?resize=300%2C190&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244442196.jpg?resize=768%2C487&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GettyImages-1244442196.jpg?resize=585%2C371&amp;ssl=1 585w" sizes="(max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>I think if it&#8217;s meant to be, I will get there one day. If it&#8217;s not, then I will go have a daughter and make her win Wimbledon. You always have options.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Ons Jabeur on her quest to win a first grand slam title</em></strong>.</cite></blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/gettyimages-1258246857-594x594-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-5055" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/gettyimages-1258246857-594x594-1.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/gettyimages-1258246857-594x594-1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/gettyimages-1258246857-594x594-1.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/gettyimages-1258246857-594x594-1.jpg?resize=585%2C390&amp;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/gettyimages-1258246857-594x594-1.jpg?resize=263%2C175&amp;ssl=1 263w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>I think tennis players have smaller bladders.<br><br>I&#8217;m talking about the juniors until the seniors. I never had that. You just pee before the match and that&#8217;s it. I never saw anyone wanting to pee during the match. I think there is a bladder problem. <br><br>I don&#8217;t want to be the only oldie talking about the old times, but something we could do together is to check this bladder problem. We definitely have to do something about it. It&#8217;s strange.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Yannick Noah, the 1983 champion, on the modern penchant for bathroom breaks.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="1024" height="641" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1258372877.jpg?resize=1024%2C641&#038;ssl=1" alt="Jessica Pegula" class="wp-image-4919" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1258372877.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1258372877.jpg?resize=300%2C188&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1258372877.jpg?resize=768%2C481&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1258372877.jpg?resize=585%2C366&amp;ssl=1 585w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><strong><em>I think Hawk-Eye just takes the guessing out of it. Mentally, you do kind of have to move on because there&#8217;s nothing you can do about it. I do think in that sense it helps.</em><br><br><em>But of course, I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s 100% accurate. Jelena [Ostapenko] probably, like, wants to do a third-party investigation.</em></strong></p>
<cite><strong><em>Jessica Pegula on the case for using electronic line-calls on clay.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>You play with balls that get bigger after two seconds. The new balls don&#8217;t even last a game. The balls are rubbish.</strong></em><br><br><em><strong>You can&#8217;t play tennis with that type of ball. You can&#8217;t attack, you can&#8217;t move ahead. It&#8217;s impossible to play an ace. It&#8217;s another style of tennis, which is different. It requires physical qualities; it&#8217;s a question of who can keep the ball in the court for the longest. My game is based on service and aggressive hits back, but the ball is just not moving. It&#8217;s terrible.</strong> </em><br><br><em><strong>It&#8217;s Roland Garros, one of the greatest tournaments in the world, and we&#8217;re playing with these silly balls.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Local favourite Benoît Paire was not impressed by the Wilson balls in use at Roland Garros.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized is-style-rounded"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1497445072.jpg?resize=780%2C519&#038;ssl=1" alt="Iga Swiatek" class="wp-image-4975" width="780" height="519" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1497445072.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1497445072.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1497445072.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1497445072.jpg?resize=585%2C390&amp;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1497445072.jpg?resize=263%2C175&amp;ssl=1 263w" sizes="(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><strong><em>I don&#8217;t want to really talk about [Iga&#8217;s Bakery jokes]. I really get why people do that, because it&#8217;s fun and tennis is entertainment and everything. </em></strong><br><br><strong><em>But from the players&#8217; point of view, I want to be respectful to my opponents and, you know, you don&#8217;t see the stuff that is behind the scenes. Sometimes it&#8217;s not easy to play such matches and sometimes it&#8217;s not easy also for the opponents.</em></strong><br><br><strong><em>I don&#8217;t want to talk about the bakery. Twitter can talk about it, but I&#8217;m just going to be focused on tennis.</em></strong></p>
<cite><strong><em>Iga Swiatek is more comfortable doling out bagels and breadsticks (6-0 and 6-1 sets) than talking about them.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>This is tennis. This is sports. Some umpires, they make mistakes. Some for me; some for him. That&#8217;s life.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Holger Rune on winning a point against Francisco Cerúndolo after a double bounce.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496970228.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1" alt="Karolina Muchova" class="wp-image-4956" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496970228.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496970228.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496970228.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496970228.jpg?resize=585%2C390&amp;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496970228.jpg?resize=263%2C175&amp;ssl=1 263w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>It was very close, but very far.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Karolina Muchova on her <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-holds-off-muchova-to-win-third-french-open/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">defeat to Iga Swiatek</a> in the final.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>Guys, I don&#8217;t have a lot of things to tell you. He played great. I mean, I don&#8217;t think he played exceptional, but he played great. One thing that I&#8217;m going to try to avoid in the future is have melatonin pills and naps before matches because it clearly doesn&#8217;t seem to be working.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Stefanos Tsitsipas attempts to explain his quarter-final loss to Carlos Alcaraz.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>The dream? I know that Djokovic, he did 22 Grand Slams or 23, so I want to go until 25, if it will be possible. </strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Mirra Andreeva, 16, outlines her ambitions for the future.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><strong><em>Novak knows. Novak waits. Like Roddick said, he takes the legs, then he takes your soul, then he dig your grave and you have a funeral and you&#8217;re dead. Bye-bye, thank you for coming</em>.</strong></p>
<cite><strong><em>Goran Ivanisevic, Novak Djokovic&#8217;s coach, on what makes his man special.</em></strong> </cite></blockquote>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496404854.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&#038;ssl=1" alt="Aryna Sabalenka" class="wp-image-4945" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496404854.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496404854.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496404854.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496404854.jpg?resize=585%2C390&amp;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/www.lovegametennis.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GettyImages-1496404854.jpg?resize=263%2C175&amp;ssl=1 263w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><em><strong>I&#8217;m not supporting the war, meaning I don&#8217;t support Lukashenko right now.</strong></em></p>
<cite><strong><em>Aryna Sabalenka clarifies her stance on Belarusian support for Russia&#8217;s war in Ukraine.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote has-medium-font-size is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p class="has-text-color has-background has-normal-font-size" style="color:#fce800;background-color:#04063c"><strong><em>I&#8217;m Ukrainian. I&#8217;m standing for my country. I&#8217;m doing everything possible to support, to give a good spirit for the men, for the women, who are right now in the frontline, fighting for our land, for our country.</em></strong><br><strong><br><em>So can you imagine the guy or a girl who is right now in the frontline, you know, looking at me and I&#8217;m, like, acting like nothing is happening. I&#8217;m representing my country. I have a voice. I&#8217;m standing with Ukraine. I&#8217;m standing, I have my position in this war.<br><br>What the Russian government or Russian soldiers are doing on our land is really, really terrible. For us, it&#8217;s just our position in this, and it touches many different areas. It touches sport, it touches acting, it touches all different areas. So, you know, we are all united, Ukrainians. And this is our position.</em></strong></p>
<cite><strong><em>Elina Svitolina with some of the most powerful words uttered at Roland Garros in 2023.</em></strong></cite></blockquote>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/french-open-2023-best-quotes/">French Open 2023: the best quotes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
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		<title>Gauff ends Andreeva&#8217;s French Open run</title>
		<link>https://www.lovegametennis.com/gauff-brings-andreeva-french-open-run-to-an-end/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=gauff-brings-andreeva-french-open-run-to-an-end</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Les Roopanarine]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 03 Jun 2023 17:12:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[French Open 2023]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coco Gauff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iga Swiatek]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mirra Andreeva]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.lovegametennis.com/?p=4925</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Sixth seed Coco Gauff came from a set down to see off 16-year-old Russian qualifier Mirra Andreeva at Roland Garros</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/gauff-brings-andreeva-french-open-run-to-an-end/">Gauff ends Andreeva&#8217;s French Open run</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
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<p>As Coco Gauff fell behind against Mirra Andreeva, a 16-year-old Russian qualifier with a ranking of 143, a murmur rippled across Court Suzanne Lenglen.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The excited chatter reflected a belief that Gauff, who became the <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/swiatek-routs-gauff-to-win-second-french-open/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">youngest major finalist in 18 years</a> at Roland Garros last year, might be heading towards a major upset against a player young enough to discuss her distaste for chemistry schoolwork in the press room.</p>



<p>And when the American sixth seed turned the match on its head to move into the fourth round with a 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-1 win, it seemed equally obvious to conclude that the 19-year-old’s victory could be chalked down to experience.</p>



<p>In fact, neither view of the match was entirely accurate. This was more than just a tale of innocence and experience, although both were undoubtedly factors in the outcome.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>As Gauff pointed out beforehand, and reiterated afterwards, there are more pressing things to worry about in the heat of battle than an opponent’s age. Where others saw a battle of teen prodigies, the players themselves viewed things in more prosaic terms. “I just play,” said Andreeva, looking ahead to the match. “It&#8217;s the third round of Roland Garros I will play.”</p>



<p>Gauff, meanwhile, promised to go about her business “as you would play any other person that&#8217;s grown and strong” – and with good cause. Andreeva, a junior finalist at this year’s Australian Open, showed in Madrid just how well she can handle herself at senior level, reaching the last 16 as a wild card with wins over former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez as well as Beatriz Haddad Maia and Magda Linette, both ranked in the top 20 at the time.</p>



<p>The manner in which Andreeva demonstrated her tactical nous and variety, keeping Gauff off balance by mixing deep, penetrating groundstrokes with moonballs, drop shots and sharp changes of direction to take a first set of multiple breaks, showed that Gauff was right to afford the Russian qualifier respect. Good tennis tends to be effective regardless of age.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The beginning of a new rivalry?<br><br>Coco Gauff defeated fellow teenage phenom Mirra Andreeva 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1 to reach the fourth round.<br><br>Watch the highlights <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f447.png" alt="👇" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a> <a href="https://t.co/GMZQFaEQPd">pic.twitter.com/GMZQFaEQPd</a></p>&mdash; Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) <a href="https://twitter.com/rolandgarros/status/1665021013036527616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>“I don&#8217;t know if Mirra feels the same way, but people love to say, ‘You&#8217;re only this, you&#8217;re only that,’” said Gauff. “On the court, we&#8217;re not thinking about our age.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I don&#8217;t think she was thinking, ‘Oh, I&#8217;m only 16 and she&#8217;s 19, she&#8217;s older.’ If she was thinking that she wouldn&#8217;t win a match, because she beat people older than me. And at my age I wasn&#8217;t thinking about that, I was just thinking about playing the ball.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Age is important to mention sometimes but, as a player and going through it, it gets a little bit annoying.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I prefer just to be praised because of my game, not because of things I&#8217;m doing at whatever age.”</p>



<p>Age did nonetheless play some part in the outcome. After missing the second of three set points in the tiebreak, Andreeva swatted a ball into the crowd. Had it made contact with a spectator, she would have been instantly defaulted. As it was, her punishment was limited to a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. But the incident revealed a peevish streak that would only become more pronounced as Gauff, whose first-set performance provided ample ammunition for those who maintain improvements are required to her forehand and second serve, calmly took control of the match.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The contrast in composure over the final two sets was striking, Andreeva’s focus spiralling downwards even as Gauff’s intensified. Now into her fifth year as a professional, the American was able to draw on a frame of reference that Andreeva, more accustomed to brushing aside opponents in straight sets than grinding out wins, has yet to acquire.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Even so, neither player viewed the outcome simply as a triumph of having been there before. For Andreeva, the greater problem lay in the realisation that victory was within her grasp – a recognition that can make any player freeze on the big stage, experience notwithstanding.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I went [out] just to play, and after I won the first set I realised that I can win,” said Andreeva. “In the beginning, I was just playing, I didn&#8217;t expect like to win or to lose. I was just playing how the game goes.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>“After I won the first set, I realised that I can really win this match. Then I got a little bit nervous not to lose this opportunity. So I think that was a mistake from me. I should have just continued playing.”</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f1fa-1f1f8.png" alt="🇺🇸" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />Gauff commented on Andreeva’s on court behavior stating, “it’s part of growing up and part of life” <a href="https://twitter.com/CocoGauff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CocoGauff</a> is through the round of 16 following her 6-7 (5), 6-1 ,6-1 French Open win <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cocogauff?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cocogauff</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RolandGarros?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RolandGarros</a>   <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f3a5.png" alt="🎥" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />: FFT/SNTV <a href="https://t.co/nrsDZfTuOn">pic.twitter.com/nrsDZfTuOn</a></p>&mdash; TennisONE App (@TennisONEApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisONEApp/status/1665144312416600064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Gauff, meanwhile, felt the key to victory lay in persevering with a game plan that, as she recognised, was only derailed initially by the excellence of her opponent.</p>



<p>“I don&#8217;t know if experience played [a part],” said Gauff. “When I played against her, I didn&#8217;t feel like she was lacking experience.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I had a feeling that, even though I lost that set, I felt like I won the set. I knew in my head that I was playing the right way. I mean, 6-5 serving for it, 30-0 and she played great in the tie-breaker.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“I think I had two loose points, and that matters in the tie-breaker.”</p>



<p>Meanwhile, there was no looseness of any kind from Iga Swiatek, who remained on course for a potential quarter-final meeting with Gauff with a 6-0, 6-0 win over China’s Wang Xinyu. </p>



<p>The Polish world No 1, who defeated Gauff to claim her second title in Paris last summer, becomes the first player to complete a match at Roland Garros without losing a game since 2017, when Caroline Wozniacki whitewashed Francoise Abanda in the second round. Yet Swiatek vowed there would be no complacency when she takes on Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko.</p>



<p>“I always try to be careful, because you don&#8217;t want to get lazy,” said Swiatek. “It&#8217;s never easy to win these matches. But on the other hand, sometimes all your head can remember is the score.”</p>



<p>It is a pitfall that Andreeva will be equally keen to avoid.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com/gauff-brings-andreeva-french-open-run-to-an-end/">Gauff ends Andreeva&#8217;s French Open run</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.lovegametennis.com">Love Game Tennis</a>.</p>
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