Vondrousova at the foot of Swiatek Mountain at Roland-Garros!
Marketa Vondrousova has earned the right to take on the ultimate Roland Garros challenge. She put an end to the superb run of Olga Danilovic (who came through the qualifying rounds and went on to defeat Collins and then Vekic) on Saturday, winning in 1 hour, 20 minutes and two sets (6-4, 6-2) on the clay of Court Suzanne Lenglen. The Czech, a finalist at the tournament in 2019 and Wimbledon champion in 2023, thus earns the right to challenge Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals.
As Vondrousova knows, she'll be tackling a real mountain on Tuesday. A mountain whose summit is almost impregnable. A summit whose final slopes are the most perilous.
Naomi Osaka knows all about it. She seemed to have made the perfect ascent on Wednesday in the 2nd round, even earning a match point against the world No.1. But just as she was about to make her final effort, everything went haywire. The Japanese, probably overwhelmed by the vertigo of the situation, let go of her grip in the face of the daunting task, and the summit was denied her.
This is what Vondrousova must prepare herself for if she is to achieve the feat. She will have to believe more than anyone in her ability to rise to this challenge. The challenge of toppling a Swiatek who has only known defeat twice on the courts of Roland-Garros (2019 and 2021).
A Swiatek who remains on an 18-match winning streak and 2 consecutive titles on the Paris clay. A Swiatek who, in the Round of 16, has just inflicted a scathing 6-0, 6-0 defeat in 40 minutes on a distraught Anasatasia Potapova, who managed to score just 10 points in 2 sets. Vertiginous.
French Open 
Davis Cup: between reforms, criticism and national culture 
When tennis stars change courts: from Noah the singer to Safin the deputy, another match – the battle of reinvention 
As a laboratory for tomorrow’s tennis, does the Next Gen Masters have a future? 
Tennis: the little-known truths about the offseason, between rest, stress and physical survival 
