Svitolina’s Comeback Victory at the French Open
PARIS — Elina Svitolina staged a remarkable comeback, saving three match points to defeat 2024 finalist Jasmine Paolini 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1 on Sunday, marking her fifth appearance in the French Open quarterfinals.
Tournament Background
Ranked 13th, Svitolina hails from Ukraine and has reached the semifinals of three Grand Slam events—twice at Wimbledon and once at the US Open—but has yet to progress past the quarterfinals at Roland-Garros, holding a 0-4 record at that stage.
Focus Amidst Challenges
“The last few months have been incredibly tough for the Ukrainian people, and the past weeks have been particularly awful,” Svitolina shared. “As a Ukrainian, these challenges are a part of our daily lives. On the court, I concentrate fully on my tennis, aiming to achieve victories and keep the Ukrainian flag flying.”
Next Challenge
Looking forward, Svitolina will face three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek on Tuesday. Swiatek needed to rally from a set and a break down to triumph over 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 at Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Other Quarterfinals
In the top half of the women’s draw, the other quarterfinal will feature No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka against No. 8 Zheng Qinwen. Sabalenka, a three-time major titleholder, secured her spot by defeating No. 16 Amanda Anisimova 7-5, 6-3, while Zheng overcame No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova 7-6 (5), 1-6, 6-3.
Paolini’s Performance
Paolini entered Sunday’s match riding a career-best nine-match winning streak, including a title victory at the Italian Open. Last year, she made headlines by reaching her first major final at the French Open before falling to Swiatek, and she later lost to Barbora Krejcikova at Wimbledon.
Match Recap
Against Svitolina, Paolini served for the match at 5-3 in the second set but faltered, giving Svitolina a chance to come back. After missing two match points at 5-4, Paolini’s lead vanished in the tiebreaker, and Svitolina took control, zooming to a 4-0 lead in the final set.
