Svitolina saves match points to KO Paolini in Paris

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Svitolina saves match points to KO Paolini in Paris

In-form Italian Open champion Jasmine Paolini has been sent tumbling out of the French Open, failing to convert three match points as the stubborn Elina Svitolina battled into her fifth Roland Garros quarter-final.

The Ukrainian stalwart Svitolina has never been beyond the last-eight but was left dreaming on Sunday after she held firm to take down last year’s runner-up and fourth seed Paolini 4-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-1.

The Italian will be sick of the sight of Svitolina, who also knocked her out in the third round at the *********** Open in January. In that match too, Paolini was leading by a set only for never-say-die 30-year-old to stage a comeback and win the third set to love.

The key moments on Court Philippe Chatrier on Sunday came in the second-set tiebreak when Svitolina three times stood on the brink of defeat only to survive and level the match.

Buoyed, she then powered into a 4-0 lead in the decider, had a wobble briefly as Paolini broke her duck, but then quickly wrapped up victory in two hours 24 minutes.

“I still cannot believe that this match finished my way,” said 13th seed Svitolina.

“It was a really difficult match, Jasmine was playing really well. It was really tough for me but I’m very happy I was able to stay composed and fight until the very last point.”

Svitolina will have a tough task to get any further as she faces either triple-defending champion Iga Swiatek or former Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.

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