Italian World No. 59 Martina Trevisan could not contain her joy when she earned a match point against Aliaksandra Sasnovich on Sunday and she put on her biggest smile before booking her French Open quarterfinal spot with a 7-6 (10), 7-5 win.
As she prepared to serve on her first match point and dispatch Sasnovich, the diminutive Trevisan, a quarterfinalist in Paris in 2019, beamed one of her trademark smiles and then proceeded to beat the Belarusian and extend her winning run to nine matches. Trevisan, who had landed her first tour title days before the French Open with victory in Rabat, has so far not dropped a set en route to the last eight.
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“I know that it’s weird that I was smiling but you know it helped me a lot during the moment of more patience and more nervous,” Trevisan said. “I remember to smile and I feel better.”
“It’s not easy to do because the situation is very tough but I practise it a lot.”
‘Magic atmosphere’
She will next face Canadian Leylah Fernandez, the US Open finalist, but the 28-year-old Trevisan feels no pressure and is right at home on the red clay as she looks to improve her Grand Slam record and reach her first ever semifinal. “Here in Paris there is a magic atmosphere for me. I like so much the court, the bounce is very high but at the same time it’s a very fast court,” Trevisan said.
“Paris, right now I feel like it’s my second home. I am just enjoying the moment. It’s two incredible weeks and I keep focus every day on everything I’m doing. Keep smiling, that’s most important, the first thing.”
Teenager Fernandez tames Anisimova
US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez won a baseline battle against American 27th seed Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to book her spot in the quarterfinals of the French Open for the first time on Sunday.
The only other time the Canadian left-hander made the second week of a Grand Slam was during her run to the final at Flushing Meadows in 2021 when she lost to fellow teenager Emma Raducanu. "Today was a very complicated game and I'm happy I managed to get through," she said in an on-court interview, speaking in French.
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"I knew she would fire a lot of winners and that I had to accept that and not get frustrated. I was so eager to get to play here. I'm happy all the hard work we've done, me, my father, paid off."
On an overcast and chilly morning on Court Philippe Chatrier, the 19-year-old Fernandez put pressure on Anisimova's serve from the outset and quickly racked up a 4-0 lead, mixing deft drop shots with crushing forehands.
The 20-year-old Anisimova, known for her easy power behind her groundstrokes, managed to get two service breaks back to make it 3-5 but could not stop Fernandez from taking the opener.
Three years ago, Anisimova, seeded 27th seed this year, became the youngest American to reach the Roland Garros semifinals since Jennifer Capriati in 1990.
After a quick bathroom break, Anisimova returned more focused, found a bit more control with her powerful groundstrokes and advanced to the net more often to break her opponent's delivery twice to win the second set.
Anisimova had two breakpoint opportunities on Fernandez's first service game in the deciding set but the Canadian served an ace and then hit three crushing winners to hold.
Fernandez got the crucial break in the fifth game to nose ahead in the riveting contest as the American made her frustration evident by throwing her racket away after sending a forehand long. The Canadian broke again in the ninth, converting her second matchpoint when Anisimova's return did not make it past the net.
Fernandez will play Trevisan for a place in the semifinals.
Teenager Gauff reaches quarterfinals in Paris again
Teenager Coco Gauff reached the quarter-finals of the French Open for the second year in a row when she destroyed Belgian Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-0 in the fourth round.
The American needed a set to adjust before steamrolling the 31st seed with aggressive returns to set up a meeting with either fellow American Sloane Stephens or Jil Teichmann of Switzerland.
The 18-year-old Gauff, who clinched her maiden claycourt title at the Emilia-Romagna Open last year, has been growing fond of playing on the slow surface.
"I definitely feel confident on the court. I feel like it really suits my game," the 18th seed told a news conference.
"And I feel like in the previous tournaments this clay season I had some good wins but it wasn't really any outstanding results.
"I feel like it gave me a lot to learn from, and I think I'm taking those tough matches that I lost this season and really learning from them and I guess showing that I'm doing better."
With several top players, including third seed Paula Badosa, having already been knocked out, Gauff has a unique opportunity to make it to the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time.
But she is keeping her feet on the ground.
"I know that some of the higher seeds on my side definitely dropped out of the draw. But also, at the same time, I think, you know, the opportunity, I feel like it depends how you look at it," she explained.
"For me I look at it in a way every day, no matter who you play, you have the chance to win the match no matter their ranking or their seed or anything."
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