The French Open
Roland Garros 2026 Women’s Day 9
Anastasia Potapova, who knocked out defending champion Coco Gauff, rode a roller coaster of momentum shifts but was unable to advance further, falling 6-4, 2-6,, 7-6 (10-7) to Anna Kalinskaya on Monday to exit the French Open.
The Russian who only took up Austrian citizenship in late 2025, was eliminated by her good friend after a struggle of nearly three hours, with no clear outcome visible until the closing seconds of the fourth-round encounter.
“I’m here only being very positive,” Potapova said. “Of course I feel sad that I lost today, but at the same time, I left everything there. I did everything I could.
“I’m leaving the French Open with my head held high.”
Potapova twice served for victory in the third set without success as she duelled with Kalinskaya.
The player who had won just a single match at Roland Garros in four previous editions, has found her form on the clay at this edition.
“I probably changed mentally,” No. 24 Kalinskaya said. “I tried to enjoy it more and not put on pressure to play good on the clay.”
The pair both played in patches, with Potapova weighed down by eight double-faults among nearly 50 unforced errors while Kalinskaya produced 58 during her victory.
Potapova earned a 4-1 lead in the third set only to get overhauled for 4-all. The ensuing four games were breaks of serve, leading to the deciding 10-point tiebreaker.
The Austrian again failed to defend a 4-1 margin, with Kalinskaya clawing back to eventually earn three match points. She profitted on the second, a Potapova return long over the baseline.
“I’m shocked,” the winner said. I can’t believe the match is over and I’m standing here. What a match, unbelievable fight from both of us to the last second.
“I’ve played her many times but this one was special. She;s improved a lot, today was super challenging and I’m just glad that I won.”
The winner said she relaxed at the tight moments when her opponent served for the match
“I didn’t have nerves anymore, I was just hoping to stay focused. if things did not work out, then…whatever.”
Potapova had her own analysis of what went wrong for her.
“I was fully in control of the first set. Then she played two very good games where she just probably relaxed and started to swing forehands and backhands, and the ball was going so hard.
“From that point I got tense. My game started to fall apart.”
Kalinskaya will next play qualifier Maja Chwalinska, who shocked the last Frenchwoman in the field, Diane Parry, 6-3, 6-2.
The No. 114 Pole is competing in the third Grand Slam main draw of her career. She defeated an dis-heartened opponent who seemed to know early in the second set that she had few chances.
The winner remains in unknown territory as she reaches the last eight. She called her victory “pure joy.”
“I didn’t expect this for sure. I’m very, very, very grateful to be here,
“My game is to mix it up, it’s natural for me to pay a lot of dropshots and high balls off the forehand.”
The shy winner said her match with Kalinskaya will be huge for her.
“She’s a top player and no one knows me, to be honest, It will be a challenging one and I will need to play my best tennis to win.”
In the top half of the draw, 2018 semi-finalist Madison Keys lost a battle with Diana Scnaider 6-3, 3-6, 6-0.
Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.
After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.
“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.
“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.
“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”
Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.
Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.
“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].
Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.
Alexander Zverev will claim world year-end No. 1 honours for the first time on the back of two Grand Slam titles and a final this season.,
The ATP confirmed the changing of the guard as current No. 1 Jannik Sinner ended his season early last week due to a knee injury which has kept him off court since winning Wimbledon three months ago.
Zverev won Roland Garros and US Open trophies and lost to Sinner in the All England Club final.
His reign at the top will begin after the ATP Final in Turin with the ranking period starting on November 23.
Zverev will be 29 years, 217 days old on the date, three days older than Andre Agassi in 1999 (29 years, 214 days).
Main photo:- Alexander Zverev by ISF Ltd
Zheng Qinwen continued an injury comeback season on Sunday, defeating Roland Garros winner Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-4 to win the China Open.
Victory at the 1000-level event was the first trophy for the 54th-raked Chinese player who once reached fourth in the world before elbow surgery.
Zheng saved three set points in the opening set and claimed victory by winning the last 11 points of the set, breaking late in the second to conclude her success over her teenaged opponent.
The winner now owns six career trophies after winning her first 1000; she last claimed a title in Tokyo two years ago.
In an odd twist, the new winner was cajoled into singing a few bars of karaoke during the trophy ceremony.
She will now move back into the ranking top 25 while Andreeva advances to third in the world behind Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka after defeating her third top 10 opponent this season.
“The feeling was incredible, two weeks here in Beijing, in front of my home crowd is one of my dreams, especially playing against Mirra, such a great player,” the winner said.
“I’ve been through a very, very tough year.”
Andreeva broke new ground in her own career by reaching the final, becoming the third-youngest this century to reach the top 3 behind Maria Sharapova and Kim Clijsters.
“She’s a great server. I also think today I missed a lot of returns trying to go for it, trying to be more aggressive,” Andreeva said,
“I wanted to go for it but couldn’t really find I guess the margin, couldn’t really find the rhythm, as well. I will probably need to look at this match and just see why, try to improve and learn from that.
“Overall of course it was a good tournament,” she added. “A lot of positives to take from these two weeks. Of course, I felt like today just wasn’t meant to be.
“I think I will be able to look to this match maybe from a different perspective and see maybe some good things.”
Main photo:- Zheng Quinwen by ISF Ltd
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