AT THE FOURFRONT: Unseeded Zidansek will take on Pavlyuchenkova in the French Open women’s last four

World number 85 Zidansek, who had never previously been beyond the second round of a major, won 7-5 4-6 8-6.She  prevailed  in  a  tense  third  set,  saving  three  break  points to lead 7-6 before breaking Badosa to seal the win.Zidansek will take on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova who battled  back  from  a  set  down  to  beat  her  doubles  partner,  Kazakhstan’s  world  number  22  Rybakina,  6-7  (2-7)  6-2  9-7.

The  remaining  women’s  quarter-final  matches  take  place  on  Wednesday.The women’s draw has been thrown wide open after seven of the top 10 players departed in the first week.With  both  Zidansek  and  Badosa  making  their  first  quarter-final  appearance  at  Roland  Garros,  Serbia  Open  winner  Badosa made the more confident start as she established a 3-0 lead with an early double break.But  Zidansek,  23,  battled  back  impressively  with  a  three-game streak of her own and began to find her rhythm as she edged in front for the first time in the match at 5-4.

The Slovenian once again applied the pressure with a delightful drop shot to lead 6-5 and, though Badosa saved a first set point with an emphatic forehand, Zidansek tied up an engrossing 53-minute first set at the next opportunity.Badosa, 23, initially struggled with the pace offered by her opponent  and  a  superior  Zidansek  moved  3-1  ahead  in  the  second  set  -  yet  the  momentum  swung  dramatically  once  more as the Spaniard broke Zidansek in three successive service games on her way to levelling the match.With a first French Open semi-final on the line, the errors began to creep in, but both players ground out crucial holds and Zidansek saved three break points to move 7-6 ahead be-fore taking her second match point in the next game.

Later, after saving two break points in the opening game, 21-year-old Rybakina established a 4-1 advantage against six-time Grand Slam quarter finalist Pavlyuchenkova with some powerful hitting into the corners.The Kazakh was pegged back by the 31st seed, who seized a  fifth  break-point  opportunity  on  her  way  to  closing  the  deficit, although that fightback proved to be in vain as Rybakina  dominated  a  first-set  tie-break  in  which  she  raced  into  a  5-0  lead.  A  stubborn  Pavlyuchenkova  rallied  in  the  second  set,  twice  breaking  the  serve  of  an  increasingly  in-consistent  Rybakina  on  her  way  to  claiming  six  straight  games  as  she  levelled  the  match  with  relative  ease,  and  edged 2-0 ahead in the third set.