By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Sunday October 4, 2020
Two qualifiers are into the quarterfinals of the Roland Garros women's draw for the first time in 42 years.
Photo Source: AP
In Roland Garros history, a qualifier has never reached the semifinals of the women’s singles draw, but there are two women still alive with a shot to change that during week two.
Italy’s Martina Trevisan and Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska each booked their quarterfinal slots on Day 8, to become the 10th and 11th women to achieve a quarterfinal out of qualifying.
Not since 1978 have two qualifiers took their spot in the quarterfinals of the women’s draw, and making the achievement even more remarkable is the fact that neither Trevisan or Podoroska had ever won a match at a major before.
Trevisan, a 5’3” Italian who defeated Kiki Bertens for her first career Top 10 win on Sunday, took over four years off due to personal problems and anorexia from 2010 to 2014. After working her way inside the top 200 she struggled to make more strides at tour-level but things have changed for her in a big way this week in Paris.
Her message was simple but beautiful:
“The message is to focus on their dream and never give up on your life, on everything you want to do and you want to reach,” the world No.159 said.
Trevisan will face Poland’s Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, snapped a 16-match losing streak against the Top 100 in the first round when she beat Camila Giorgi. She then toppled Coco Gauff and Maria Sakkari before today’s win over Bertens.
“I think today the intensity of my play, it was really good. I was really aggressive,” she said. “So yeah, maybe it's the one of the best matches I played here in Paris.”
Podoroska, a 23-year-old from Rosario, Argentina who is currently ranked 131, toppled Barbora Krejcikova on Sunday 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Ranked in the mid 250’s this time last year, Podoroska’s confidence and financial situation benefited from a gold medal at the Pan American games in August of 2019. She upset No.23-seeded Yulia Putintseva in the second round and will face her biggest test on Tuesday against No.3-seeded Elina Svitolina.
Despite the fact that she’s played seven matches already since qualifying started, Podoroska said she’s feeling good to go.
“I'm feeling fresh. Fortunately I didn't play so long matches, and I am feeling very, very well.”