PARIS (AFP) – World number one Aryna Sabalenka can take her quest for a maiden French Open title into the last four on Wednesday, while Felix Auger-Aliassime will be hoping it’s la dolce vita as he eyes a first major crown._x000D_
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One of only two top-10 seeds remaining in the women’s tournament, Sabalenka will know this is a golden opportunity to go one step further than her runner-up finish last year at Roland Garros._x000D_
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“I think because I’m not really focusing on that and I’m not really overthinking, I was able to kind of separate myself from what’s going on this year at Roland Garros,” Sabalenka said after her last-16 win over fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka._x000D_
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“I’m bringing my best level that I have, and I’m there, I’m fighting, and you know, I’m doing everything I can to get this trophy.”_x000D_
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But before the 28-year-old can think of playing a seventh straight Grand Slam semi-final she must take on Russian 25th seed Diana Shnaider._x000D_
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“She’s a great player. I’d say tricky game, changing the rhythm a lot, and moving well, great serving. So I’m super excited to face her for the first time,” Sabalenka said of the 22-year-old._x000D_
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Anna Kalinskaya will meet Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska in the other women’s match._x000D_
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The 22nd-seeded Russian reached the last eight at the Australian Open two years ago and will be the heavy favourite to advance to the last four of a major for the first time in her career._x000D_
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However, her 114th-ranked opponent has made a point of overcoming the odds so far in her stunning run to the quarter-finals in Paris._x000D_
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She started out by downing Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen in the first round before felling 23rd seed Elise Mertens and former world number three Maria Sakkari._x000D_
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“For me, it’s, like, whoever I’m playing, I’m lower in the rankings, so it doesn’t matter for me if (the draw is) open or not,” Chwalinska said._x000D_
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“Everyone here is higher in the ranking than me. So they are the favourites to win. I’m like an underdog. No one really knows me.”_x000D_
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‘It’s a derby’_x000D_
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If the women’s draw is open, then the men’s tournament at Roland Garros is a gaping chasm that is certain to produce a first-time Grand Slam winner._x000D_
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“There was that big day or two days in a row, it was like (Jannik) Sinner lost, (Novak) Djokovic lost, it was a lot of noise,” Auger-Aliassime said._x000D_
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“But that was last week. Then, as the days went by, you kind of get used to it._x000D_
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“Of course not having Sinner, for example, in semi-finals is another opportunity, but you need to be there. So I have to focus on the next match and then try to be in the semi-finals.”_x000D_
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Matteo Berrettini is one of three Italians left in the men’s tournament._x000D_
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Auger-Aliassime is the highest-ranked player left in the top half of the draw but even the fourth seed finds himself in uncharted territory, having never before progressed beyond the last 16 at the French Open._x000D_
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If he’s certain to avoid Sinner in the last four, he would nonetheless face one of the world number one’s compatriots as the Canadian is the sole non-Italian remaining in the top bracket._x000D_
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To keep alive his dream of winning a maiden major, he must first tackle 10th seed Flavio Cobolli in the quarter-finals, with the winner of that match-up then taking on either 105th-ranked Matteo Berrettini or Matteo Arnaldi for a spot in the title-decider._x000D_
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“It’s so special, I mean, for everyone. For Flavio, for Matteo, for me. I feel like we all have different stories, but we’re all so happy to be here, so happy to play quarters in a Slam,” said Arnaldi._x000D_
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“Definitely it’s going to be a tough one for us, because it’s a derby,” added the world number 104, who with 17 hours and 42 minutes under his belt in Paris has smashed the record for the longest time on court through to the last eight of a Grand Slam since records began.
