Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, the 2021 French Open runner-up, showcased her resilience and determination on Sunday as she secured her spot in the quarter-finals. The Russian player staged a remarkable comeback after losing the first set to defeat Belgium's Elise Mertens, the 28th seed, with a final score of 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
Pavlyuchenkova, whose ranking has significantly dropped to 333 due to a serious knee injury, has defied expectations and emerged as the lowest-ranked women's Grand Slam quarter-finalist since the 2017 US Open.
Her performance at Roland Garros has been nothing short of inspiring, proving that she still possesses the skills and determination to compete at the highest level.
In the upcoming quarter-final clash, Pavlyuchenkova will face either Karolina Muchova or lucky loser Elina Avanesyan. The Russian will undoubtedly draw upon her resilience and previous experience to battle for a coveted spot in the tournament's last four.
(With inputs from AFP)
