- Elina Svitolina [3] v Nadia Podoroska [Q]
- Iga Swiatek v Martina Trevisan
PARIS, FRANCE – Will there ever be a better chance for Elina Svitolina to make a Slam final run, or are there more surprises in store at Roland Garros?
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Elina Svitolina [3] v Nadia Podoroska [Q] | First Meeting
As the highest seed left in the draw, Elina Svitolina stands before a golden chance to make her first Roland Garros semi-final. Svitolina has already been this far at the US Open and Wimbledon, but surely this is the best chance she has now to go further?
Standing in her way is Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska. She coasted comfortably through the qualifying rounds and has had to go the distance a couple of times but coming from a country with proud tradition on the clay, she is loving her tournament here so far.
She had never won a Grand Slam main draw match before this tournament, and now finds herself in a first quarter-final and is the first Argentinian woman to reach the quarter-final since Paola Suarez, in 2004.
She has played an aggressive game that has seen her power past some well-established clay-courters on her way to this showdown, but this would represent her highest ranked win, if she can undo the consistent Svitolina.
For the most part Svitolina has had a straightforward route through with just one three-setter, but her focus and her solid play halted French hopes in Caroline Garcia in pretty determined fashion.
She will look to dominate from the baseline, and she is capable off both wings and moves exceptionally around the court.
To reach the quarter-final is no mean feat for the qualifier, who won the Saint-Mail ITF event before coming to Paris, and is currently on a twelve match winning streak. However, experience suggests Svitolina is not going to let the best chance for a Slam run to pass her by.
Prediction: Svitolina in straight sets.
Iga Swiatek v Martina Trevisan [Q]
In a very impressive display, Iga Swiatek dismantled the top seed and favourite to win the title Simona Halep and earned herself a spot in a first Slam quarter-final where she will face another qualifier on a dream trip, Martina Trevisan.
Swiatek has had a completely different mindset this year and said that she was glad she went out so ignominiously last year. Had she been swept into last year’s final, she felt she would not have been ready – but there is definitely a feel that she has grown up a lot in the last year.
For Trevisan, she has overcome a battle with anorexia during which she spent time off the tour, and she has twice come from a set down (against Coco Gauff and Maria Sakkari) to claim this spot.
Not the tallest player on the court, she makes up for a lack of height with the ability to conjure up some crazy angles and darting around the place in a state of perpetual motion.
A little bit of clay magic awaits one of these players to make the semi-final and a shot at a maiden Slam final – and for either it will be a worthy fairy-tale narrative,
Prediction: Swiatek in three sets.
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