Francesca Schiavone works her way into Roland Garros quarterfinals

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Wilson Blade 9

Defending champion Francesca Schiavone resisted the challenge of Jelena Jankovic and advanced to the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. On her tournament debut ten years ago she reached the quarterfinals, and together with her last year’s title, this is her third appearance in the final eight of Roland Garros.

The fourth-round match between Schiavone and Jankovic was tense and could have gone either way, but the Italian’s good serves and aggressiveness gave her that extra something needed to defeat the Serb who played Roland Garros semifinals in 2007, 2008 and 2010.

The world No.10 Jankovic has a lot to regret, at times she was leading in the third set, and both the players were pretty much equal, but the moment Jankovic allowed Schiavone to break her at 4-4, her fall was strongly suggested. Schiavone didn’t let the opportunity slip away and won the match 6-3 2-6 6-4.

Schiavone’s opponent in the quarterfinals will be Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who advanced with a 7-6(4) 2-6 6-2 victory over third seed Vera Zvonareva. With top seed Caroline Wozniacki and second seed Kim Clijsters already out, this is the first French Open since 1968 that none of the top three seeds are in the quarterfinals! World No.4 Victoria Azarenka is now the highest-ranked player left in the draw.

Pavlyuchenkova, who is 11 years younger than her next opponent Schiavone, will be playing her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. (photo courtesy of our reader Tony)

10 COMMENTS

  1. Gush…Jelena…6-4 in third, again.Could have won and lost,again. And once again, she blew away her chances to win a Slam.I am really getting tired of losing my mind everytime she plays.She really,really needs to change something.She is close to good game,but just close,and that lasts for a while.She has problems with focus,but her head is not the only problem- I just don’t think she can expect some great results without some serious couching.Does she have couch these days anyway?She had some guy from Bulgaria, but….I just see some kid cheering for her.And her mom.And all that swearing at her mother,what was that all about???I understand she was nervous,but you just can’t act that way!The moment she did that,and lost that 0-30 lead, I knew she would lose 6-4,I just knew it.Anyway, a kid and a mom in the team-not so good.Girl,get serious.

  2. And Hantuchova did pretty the same against Kutzenova. I’m sad for Daniela. She had a chance especially after the hard work against Caroline.

  3. this is the reason why i love but also hate the wta. it is so unpredictable!!! i am hoping maria sharapova will win! after that i’d like na li then victoria and then probably marion bartoli! i’ll actually be very happy if any of them win. just not petra kvitova, i don’t know why but i really don’t like her :/

  4. She swore at her mother? Oooh, that’s ugly! Schiavone played really well and Hantuchova, well she’s one of those players who take a good player out only to lose in the next match. I knew she’d be too nervous to continue in a similar fashion in her next match. The score shows she was really trying hard though.

  5. Why JJ? I hoped so much… 🙁

    Hope Francesca won’t win RG. I don’t really like her… Last year she just went into the final because there was a good draw for her.

  6. This half of the draw is so very weak!! Any 4 of the players in the other half can beat all of these.

  7. JohnnyB, you see, that’s why I always repeat women’s tennis is unpredictable. Who would’ve put Bartoli ahead of Clijsters?

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