French Open: Big shock as sick Aryna Sabalenka stunned by teenager Mirra Andreeva in wild quarter-final
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ByOli Gent
Updated 05/06/2024 at 22:13 GMT
Aryna Sabalenka was shocked by 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals of the French Open in three sets. Sabalenka seemed to be struggling with illness and stomach pain throughout the encounter, with her usual free-flowing game hampered significantly in all aspects. Andreeva, however, displayed immaculate maturity to avoid the chaos at the other end and close out a historic victory.
Mirra Andreeva v Aryna Sabalenka - Roland-Garros highlights
An out-of-sorts Aryna Sabalenka was shocked by teenager Mirra Andreeva in a thrilling three-set French Open quarter-final.
The Russian came through 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 on Court Philippe-Chatrier in the biggest win of her nascent career.
The world No. 2 cut a visibly frustrated and uncomfortable figure on court, seemingly suffering with stomach pains, doubling over at times between points to display her discomfort.
Sabalenka, who said afterwards she had "been very sick the last few days with some kind of stomach bug", looked particularly annoyed and in pain in the opening set, with Andreeva breaking in the second game, but the Belarusian broke straight back to keep the pressure on.
She played through the pain to take the first set through a tie-break, showing flashes of brilliance to finally close out the opening set in 65 minutes.
The pair traded breaks at the start of the second set before Andreeva, the 17-year-old Russian, seized the initiative to lead 4-2 and prompted Sabalenka to smash a ball away in disgust.
However, the Australian Open champion fired back immediately in the following game, doubling over in discomfort after the service break before being tended to by the trainer and doctor for a second time.
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'Muscular or flu?' - Sabalenka suffering as she receives treatment from medic
The key break came at 5-4; Sabalenka netting a backhand and venting at her box in fury as Andreeva roared in celebration.
The drama continued into the third set, with both women nervy on serve and exchanging breaks at 3-2 and 3-3, before Andreeva held her nerve to lead 5-4 and force the second seed to serve to stay in the tournament.
A flurry of unforced errors from the Belarusian brought up a couple of match points for the teenager, and she converted the second, with a delightful lob to seal the deal, and move into her first ever Grand Slam semi-final.
She will face another surprise semi-finalist Jasmine Paolini in the last four.
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'She's obliterated the ball - Sabalenka takes out frustration after dropping serve to Andreeva
No-one expected that, although from Sabalenka’s opening service game, where she produced two double faults, you could tell something was not quite right with the two-time Grand Slam champion.
The Belarusian made no effort to disguise her discomfort on the court as Andreeva continued to look for the big winners and the lines, and she got her initial just reward with a break back in the third game after it looked as though Sabalenka might romp through her after an initial, immediate break.
That wasn’t the case, however, with Andreeva looking to run a sick Sabalenka ragged, and seized the initiative to go up 4-3, prompting Sabalenka to gesture for the trainer and some painkilling tablets.
She looked back to (near) her best as she bit back to get to 5-5, and momentum was with her as the opening set tie-break ensued.
A ripping backhand out of the sky teed up two set points, and she converted the second, finding her depth and touch off both flanks to force Andreeva to divert wide.
Sabalenka was riding on the crest of a wave - at least in terms of the score - as she broke in the opening game of the second, threatening to make lighter work of her teenage counterpart.
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'Biggest moment of her life!' - Andreeva stuns Sabalenka to reach semi-finals
But Andreeva displayed remarkable spirit to remain composed and competitive, breaking right back, controlling the middle of the court with her forehand to propel her into a 4-2 lead following a break to love.
Sabalenka fired back to keep the set on serve, but she was breached at the last by Andreeva, who turned up the heat to level the encounter at one set apiece.
The world No. 2 came out swinging in the decider, but she was becoming increasingly more errant, while on the other side of the net, Andreeva’s nerves were being put through the mincer.
She was crucially broken at 3-2, but showed inspirational character to bounce back on track, securing the biggest victory of her life with one final break and the most delicious of chips.
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'I don't have a plan!' - Andreeva reacts to shock quarter-final victory over Sabalenka
“At that moment, I forgot what the score was,” Andreeva admitted afterwards.
“I tried not to focus on that. When it was the second match point, I tried to imagine that I was saving a break point. I tried to play bravely and I managed to win.
“I was really nervous before the match. I knew that she would have an advantage with the crowd, but I was surprised that you guys cheered for me. I didn’t expect that, so thank you very much for cheering for me today.
“I kind of see the game and play wherever I want. I don’t even have a plan. When I see an open space on the court, I try to play there. If I think that maybe she will run there, I’ll try to play behind her back or something like that.
"Me and my coach had a plan today, but I didn’t remember anything during the match. I tried to play as I feel."
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