The Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova became the first tennis player to reach the final of the French Open.
The 29-year-old prevailed on Thursday in Paris against the Slovenian Tamara Zidansek 7: 5, 6: 3 and is in the final of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.
Pavlyuchenkova used her first match ball after 1:34 hours.
In the final on Saturday she will meet the winner of the second semi-final between the Czech Barbora Krejcikova and the Greek Maria Sakkari.
“It wasn't easy mentally to play this game.
I just tried to stay calm, ”said Pavlyuchenkova after the game.
She is the first Russian since Maria Sharapova at the 2015 Australian Open to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament - and that at her 52nd Grand Slam participation.
Determining player
Zidansek, who was the first player from Slovenia to reach the semi-finals in one of the four most important tournaments, got off to a better start on the Philippe-Chatrier court and immediately took the Russian's serve from her.
But Pavlyuchenkova remained calm and slowly found her rhythm.
After 52 minutes she got the first set.
From then on, the number 31 seeded Russian was the determining player. Zidansek could not build on their previously strong performances and made too many simple mistakes overall. The 23-year-old number 85 in the world came back to make it 3: 4. After that, however, she immediately lost her service again, a little later Pavlyuchenkova made the final perfect.