Haddad Maia Is The First Brazilian Woman To Make It To The Last Four Of A Grand Slam

AIga Swiatek beat Coco Gauff on Wednesday June 7, to reach at the French Open semifinals where she will face Beatriz Haddad Maia, the first Brazilian female to make the last four of a Grand Slam in 55 years.

In a rematch of the final from last year, World No. 1 Swiatek defeated 19-year-old Gauff 6-4, 6-2 to win his third title at Roland Garros.

Swiatek worked on her record in Paris to 26-2 subsequent to beating Gauff for the seventh time in as numerous meetings.

The Polish player, who is 22 years old, wants to win her third French Open title and become the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to do so successfully.

“It wasn’t easy, the first set was really tight. Coco was really using the conditions, so I was happy to be able to work on it and win this match,” said Swiatek, who has yet to drop a set at the tournament.

Ons Jabeur, who is ranked seventh, was defeated by world number 14 Haddad Maia, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.

The left-handed player, who is 27 years old, succeeds seven-time major champion Maria Bueno, the last Brazilian woman to reach the semifinals of a major tournament at the US Open 55 years ago.

Bueno, who passed away in 2018, reached the final four in 1966, prior to the start of the Open. He did so in Paris.

“Ons is not easy to play against, you have to be patient but I believed in my body and tried to keep my rhythm,” said Haddad Maia.

Haddad Maia had never advanced past the second round of a Grand Slam prior to this French Open, whereas Jabeur, who finished second at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2022, was in her first quarterfinal at Roland Garros.

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The Brazilian defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo in a three-hour, 51-minute marathon, the third-longest women’s match ever played at the tournament, after saving a match point against Ekaterina Alexandrova in the third round.

In the second set against Jabeur, she summoned all of her fighting spirit and held her nerve on a fourth set point.

Haddad Maia then cleared into a 3-0 lead in the decider, saved four break points to stretch to a 5-1 advantage and took the match after more than two hours when Jabeur hit long.

“After my match in the fourth round, I took a day off. The Brazilian stated, “My amazing team worked hard on my body.”

In the other semifinal on Thursday, the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova will face the unseeded Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Jabeur, whose preparations for the French Open had been hampered by a knee injury, stated, “I think I rushed my way back on tour, but that’s because I wanted to be ready for the French Open.”

While expectation grows over Friday’s men’s elimination round between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, consideration on Wednesday is centered around who will join the two heavyweights in the last four.

Casper Ruud defeated Holger Rune in a four-set quarterfinal a year ago, and the two men continued their battle in the locker room.

Rune, who was just 19 years old at the time, said that his Norwegian opponent lacked respect.

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After finishing second to Rafael Nadal, Ruud advised his Danish opponent to “grow up” as a response.

Ruud, who is ranked fourth, has a 4-1 career advantage over Rune, ranked sixth in the world, but Rune won their most recent clay match in the Rome semifinals.

“Obviously there was drama last year and I hope we can make less drama this year,” said Rune who needed almost four hours and five sets to defeat Francisco Cerundolo last time out.

Ruud is the best clay court player, winning 85 surface matches since 2020.

The winner of that match will play either Alexander Zverev, ranked 22 in Germany and making his ninth quarterfinal appearance at the majors, or Tomas Martin Etcheverry, ranked 49 in the world and making his first appearance.

Zverev’s injury to his ankle ligament in the semifinal match against Nadal ended his season that year.

For the fifth time in six years, the Olympic champion, who has reached the semifinals twice in Paris, will compete in the quarterfinals.

Credit: Supersport