Roland Garros: Maria Zaniewska and Kimberly Zimmermann eliminated from the doubles quarter-finals

They were eliminated by the 14th seed on Parisian clay composed of Ukraine’s Lyudmila Kichinok and Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, the singles winner at Roland Garros in 2017, in three sets: 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. The encounter ended after 1h54 of play, and the Belgian duo advanced 1-2 in the first round after taking Kichenok’s serve (WTA 32 in doubles). This was not confirmed and their opponents tied 2-2. Zimmermann again lost her encounters (5-3) before Ostapenko (WTA 30 doubles, WTA 13 singles), the best player on the field, finished the set in her showdown after 33 minutes (6-3).

The second set proved balanced, and neither team was able to make a lasting difference. The Belgian team, which broke in the third game (2-1), responded immediately (2-2). Then they advanced 2-3 before another break on Zimmermann’s serve (4-3). Playing to the limit on Kichenok, whose regularity was not always present, Zanevska and Zimmermann succeeded in breaking the counter (4-4). Then Zaniewska finished the serve game with a header and put our compatriots in control 4-5. Ostapenko restored the new par before Zimmermann regained the advantage in the confrontation (5-6). In the service of Kichenok, the Belgian duo confirmed his rise in power and did not miss a one-set tie all around (5-7).

Zanevska/Zimmermann got off to a better start in the final set, taking Ostapenko’s serve to make it 0-2. Latvia responded and under their impetus, the 14th seed in Paris reversed direction for the next six-match lineup and clinched her place in the semi-finals. She will meet the winners of the quarter who should oppose France’s Caroline Guardia and 13th seed Kristina Mladenovic, Weifan Shu and Zhaochuan Yang.

Kimberly Zimmerman, number 76 in the world in doubles, has the WTA title to her credit, which she received in Palermo in 2021 (with New Zealander Rotliff). In the first round of this duo, she won her first match in a major tie. At the start of the season, she lost in the first round of the Australian Open, tied to Slovak Schmiedlova, in her first Grand Slam participation. As for Zaniewska, ranked 509th in the world in the major, this is the first time she has passed a Tour at the Porte d’Auteuil, after three first-round defeats in singles (including this year) and one in doubles.