Elina Svitolina saved three match points and returned in 2024 to eliminate runner-up Jasmine Paolini 4-6, 7-6 (6), and 6-1.
Svitolina, the 13th seed from Ukraine, is a three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist. She has been open twice at Wimbledon and once in the US, but she is 0-4 in the Roland Garros quarterfinals.
She will take it a step further on Tuesday. She faces three-time defending champion Iga Swietek.
Another quarter final on the top half of the women’s bracket is no. 8Zheng Qinwen is No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. Three-time major champion Sabalenka used a five-game run to control from 5-All in the first set, eliminating US 7-5, 6-3 No. 16 Amanda Anisimova, with 2024 Olympic gold medalist Zheng 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
Fourth seed Paolini entered Sunday in his career-high nine games in a row, including a run to the Red Clay title at the Italian Open.
A year ago she reached her first major final at the French Open, losing to Swiatek and arrived in a championship match at Wimbledon, where she was defeated by Barbora Krejcikova.
Against Svitorina, Paolini served the victory while leading in the second set and a 5-3 break. But the Italians broke there at 15. She then grabbed the first two match points before 5-4, 15-40 when Svitolina served.
Paolini missed the forehand for the chance to finish things first and the next backhand.
In subsequent tiebreakers, Paolini was once again one point from the victory, this time unable to arrive again when Svitorina finished trading 14-strokes with the volley winner.
From there, Subitrina controlled and took a 4-0 lead in the third set. She is very comfortable with clay. Clay has won 16 of his 27 wins this season.
“I still can’t believe this match ended my path. It’s a big fight and my head is still there,” Svitolina said. “Jasmine played really well, but it was really tough. In the end I’m happy to be able to continue composing and fighting to the very end. Here I am in the next round.”
The light letter of her war-torn country after Russia’s 2022 invasion was firmly in Svitrina’s mind as she said she had to live with difficult news almost every day, reflecting her victory at the press conference.
“The past few months have been very tough for Ukrainians and the last few weeks have been terrible,” said Svitrina, who has raised $1 million for her people over the past few years. “It’s something that all Ukrainians live together every day with bad news. So when I’m in court, I’m trying to get these victories to keep my work, my tennis fully focused and keep the Ukrainian flag flying for my country.
“That’s what motivates me to keep pushing, winning and generally keep playing tennis. It’s heavy, but just like that, it’s a huge motive for me.”
Svitorina also defeated Paolini at the Australian Open in January.
Swiatek saw some kind of outside when she chased 6-1, 2-0 and unraveled the crowd, but she realized that her groove and some grit would win.
“On the first set, she played that way, so I felt I had no chance,” said Sweet, who lost to Rivakina in two previous encounters at Clay. “Using topspin was a plan from the start, but I didn’t feel she gave me the space to do it. But I’m pleased that I was patient enough to stay in the game and use every opportunity that came to me.”
The victory continued the quest for four straight French open titles Swiatek. The only women to win singles for Roland Garros for the fourth consecutive year were Jeanne Mathee from 1909 to 1912 and Suzanne Renren from 1920 to 1923.
Swiatek, 24, failed to win the Clay title in the Roland Garros build-up, and was a brief doping ban last season, celebrating Sunday’s victory.
“That means a lot. I needed this kind of victory to feel these emotions that I could win under pressure. Even if it wasn’t going the right way, I still spin the match to win,” Swiatek told reporters. “That’s a great confirmation for me. Obviously, full control of the game is great, but it’s not always possible for great players. I’m happy I’ve fought.
Sabalenka is the first player to reach the quarterfinals in 10 consecutive Grand Slams since Serena Williams from 2014 to 2017. Sabalenka has more straight set wins (33) than other players win on the tour.
“I’m very hungry for this tournament. I want to stay until the last day,” she said.
Four US women will be active in the fourth round on Monday: No. 2 Coco Gauff vs. No. 20 Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, No. 3 Jessica Pegula vs. Lois Boisson and No. 7 Madison Keys vs. Hailey Baptiste in an all-American matchup.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to the report.