In a thrilling turn of events at the French Open, China's Guo Hanyu and France's Kristina Mladenovic have secured a place in the women's doubles quarterfinals after a commanding victory over the third seeds.
On Monday, the 13th-seeded duo delivered one of the tournament's biggest upsets, defeating the formidable pair of Zhang Shuai from China and Elise Mertens of Belgium with a straight-sets score of 6-2, 6-4. The match, played on Court Simonne Mathieu, showcased the growing synergy between Guo and Mladenovic.
This victory marks a significant professional milestone for the 28-year-old Guo Hanyu, who has reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event for the first time in her career. It also represents the first time that Guo and Mladenovic have advanced to the final eight of a major tournament as partners.
The victory was particularly impressive given the pedigree of their opponents. Zhang and Mertens arrived in Paris as title favorites after their triumph at the Australian Open in January. However, Guo and Mladenovic entered the clay courts with their own momentum, following a win at the ASB Classic in Auckland and a strong showing at the Australian Open earlier this year.
The match was decided by the pair's ability to seize momentum early. A powerful forehand from Mladenovic proved pivotal in securing a crucial break to lead 4-2 in the first set. The duo maintained their pressure throughout the contest, eventually closing out the match when Zhang sent a forehand wide, sealing their path to the quarterfinals.
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Guo, Mladenovic stun Zhang, Mertens to reach French Open quarterfinals
cgtn.com
