Best of Roland Garros quarterfinals: A round defined by runs, resilience and emotion

Tennis, like any sport, can be viewed as a game of runs. The Roland Garros quarterfinals offered plenty of proof.

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Mirra Andreeva set the tone Tuesday, overpowering 36-year-old Sorana Cirstea and dropping just three games to reach her second Roland Garros semifinal. Since losing the first set of her third-round match to Marina Bassols Ribera, the 19-year-old has won eight straight sets.

Her win over Cirstea also marked her fifth consecutive victory against opponents 30 or older, a reminder that experience doesn’t always pay off against the uber-talented teenager deep into her fourth season on tour. And despite being the youngest of the four semifinalists, she is the most seasoned when it comes to playing at this stage of a Grand Slam.

Later Tuesday, Marta Kostyuk extended her winning streak to 16 consecutive WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz main-draw matches, pipping fellow Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in a three-set thriller to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal.

Maja Chwalinska followed Wednesday, defeating No. 22 seed Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. Counting her path through qualifying, she has now won eight matches in a row and six consecutive sets.

Finally, Diana Shnaider then became the third first-time Major semifinalist of the week, reeling off 10 straight games to rally from a set and a break down and upset World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She bageled the top seed in the decider to extend the best Slam run of her career.

To say she was fired up afterward would be putting it lightly.

Because while runs can define tennis, the sport is just as much about sights, sounds and emotion, all of which were on full display in recent days on Court Philippe Chatrier. That is what will linger from this year’s quarterfinals.

Cirstea embraces Andreeva at the net and in press

While Cirstea’s final Roland Garros didn’t end the way she hoped, it felt fitting that she bowed out to Andreeva after reaching her first Paris quarterfinal in 17 years. Their embrace at the net carried the weight of a generational seal of approval.

Cirstea’s press conference reinforced it.

“I absolutely adore Mirra. She’s a blessing for the sport.” Cirstea said. “She’s a wonderful girl. Sweet, nice, kind, but also at the same time has a very good personality. She’s very funny and she plays amazing tennis.

“So I think she has everything that someone would dream of. I absolutely adore her and I would really like for her to win this (tournament).”

Kostyuk praises Svitolina, dedicates historic win to Ukraine

Kostyuk has been very vocal about representing Ukraine during a devastating time for her country, and she delivered for her nation both on and off the court Tuesday.

First, she beat Svitolina 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 to become the first Ukrainian woman to reach the singles semifinals at Roland Garros. Then she dedicated the win to Ukraine and its people, while thanking her compatriot for her impact and for the match they shared.

“I want to start with this historic match that we played today with Elina," Kostyuk said in her on-court interview. "We had a very difficult night again in Ukraine, especially in Kyiv. So many people dead. I want to give this match to the Ukrainian people and to their resilience.

“And of course, I want to point out Elina and her incredible impact on Ukrainian tennis, on Ukrainians and on me. Everyone who's watching, she's an unbelievable fighter. I'm so happy to be in the semifinals, but I want to thank her again for this incredible match.”

Chwalinska, forced to raise expectations, isn’t complaining

When the 24-year-old Chwalinska covered her face in joy after sealing her 7-6 (3), 6-3 win over Kalinskaya, it evoked shades of Iga Swiatek at this same tournament six years ago.

Her reaching the last four is Swiatek-like in another way: she is now just the second Polish player in the Open Era -- man or woman -- to reach a Roland Garros singles semifinal after Swiatek. Not bad for someone who arrived in Paris simply hoping to qualify.

“My goal was to be in the Top 100 this year. That was the main goal,” Chwalinska said after the match. “Coming here, my goal was to qualify. I felt like I'm doing a good job, that I do the right things and I just need to be patient for it to click. 

“Obviously, I didn't expect it to happen (this) way. But I'm not complaining.”

Shnaider ‘definitely super happy’ after career-defining win

Down 6-3, 5-3, it looked as if Shnaider was going to have to settle for her first Grand Slam quarterfinal and nothing more in Paris. Instead, she won 10 straight games to stun Sabalenka -- a heavy favorite to both win the match and the tournament -- 3-6, 7-5, 6-0.

While Sabalenka’s abrupt demise will draw most of the attention, it would be unfair to overlook Shnaider’s on-court brilliance after playing arguably the best set and a half of her life to finish the match. Her forehand was electric in the final set, and her increasingly calculated attack carried her to the win of her life.

“In the third set I finally found my rhythm,” Shnaider said after the match. “When to be a little bit more defensive, when to attack. The third set was the one I should be aiming for from the beginning. 

“But definitely super happy I managed to finish on a good note.”

Stats to know

Andreeva: Lost just nine points in her 6-0 opening set against Cirstea and won 11 of 13 first-serve points in that frame.

Kostyuk: A gritty win deserves a gritty stat. Kostyuk broke Svitolina six times, once more than she was broken. That slim margin went a long way in deciding the match.

Chwalinska: Converted seven of eight break points and saved six of 11 that went against her.

Shnaider: After committing zero unforced errors in the 6-0 final set against Madison Keys, she had just three in her deciding bagel of Sabalenka.

Final notes

The best match of the round goes to Kostyuk vs. Svitolina. Andreeva was amazing, Chwalinska was clinical and Shanider’s win was a shock, but Kostyuk vs. Svitolina delivered throughout all three sets.

With that said, it wasn’t the longest match of the round. That distinction goes to Shnaider vs. Sabalenka, which lasted 2 hours and 12 minutes. On the flip side, Andreeva’s win over Cirstea was by far the shortest match, lasting just 56 minutes.

Finally, there are no “Match to Watch” honors being handed out for the semifinals because both matches are must-watches. Duh.