Karolina Muchova, an unseeded player, made it to the French Open semifinals and beat No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling match. Sabalenka, who had a 12-0 record in Grand Slam tournaments, including an Australian Open title, was just one point away from winning the match when Muchova fought back to win the last five games. The final score was 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5. It was a roller coaster of a match, and Muchova was dealing with cramping legs towards the end.
Muchova’s unexpected win against Sabalenka has secured her spot in the finals against No. 1 Iga Swiatek, the defending champion. Swiatek, who won the semifinals match against No. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2, 7-6 (7), is seeking her third title in Paris and fourth major championship overall. Her win in the semifinals also secured her position as the top-ranked player in the WTA rankings.
The French Open final will be Muchova’s first major final, and at No. 43, she is the fourth-lowest-ranked women’s finalist in French Open history. However, Muchova has an impressive record of 5-0 against players ranked in the top three.
Sabalenka’s Emotional Challenges and Swiatek’s Solid Performance
Sabalenka’s trip to Paris was far more complicated off the court than on it. She faced questions about Belarus’ role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and her stance on the matter. Sabalenka had two Ukrainian opponents, and the subject of the war came up repeatedly. She refused to participate in standard postmatch news conferences after her next two contests, saying she felt unsafe and wanted to protect her mental health and well-being. She returned to speaking to the media after her quarterfinal win.
On the other hand, Swiatek, who did not begin particularly well, quickly turned her first set around after getting broken at love in the first game. In the second set, Haddad Maia took a 3-1 lead before Swiatek got back on serve. In the tiebreaker, Haddad Maia held a set point at 6-5 but made an unforced error, allowing Swiatek to win.
It was a stressful match for Swiatek, as Haddad Maia put up a solid fight. Swiatek was able to close it out in the tiebreaker, improving her Grand Slam play record to 60-13 for her career, the same record Serena Williams had after 73 matches at majors.
In the Muchova-Sabalenka match, Muchova’s all-court style and variety of shots provided the right mix against Sabalenka’s powerful hitting. Sabalenka held a match point while leading 5-2 in the third set, but Muchova fought back, erasing that chance with a forehand winner. Muchova collected 20 of the last 24 points and won the match. Sabalenka finished with 53 unforced errors, nearly twice as many as Muchova’s 27.
Muchova’s win against Sabalenka was unexpected, but it was a testament to her resilience and ability to keep fighting. Sabalenka struggled towards the end, making fast mistakes and missing shots. Muchova’s win has secured her spot in the finals against Swiatek, who put up a solid performance against Haddad Maia. The French Open final promises to be an exciting match, with Muchova and Swiatek both fighting for their first French Open title.
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