By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, May 31, 2015
Ana Ivanovic beat Ekaterina Makarova and will face 19th-seeded Elina Svitolina for a spot in the Roland Garros semifinals.
Photo credit: FFT
Ana Ivanovic spent seven years playing for a return to the Roland Garros quarterfinals. With a return trip hanging in the balance today, Ivanovic wasn't willing to play the waiting game any longer.
Stepping inside the baseline to dictate rallies with her forehand, Ivanovic rolled through the decider, defeating Ekaterina Makarova, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1, to advance the French Open final eight for the first time since she captured the title in 2008.
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It was Ivanovic's third three-set victory of the fortnight. The seventh-seeded Serbian will play Elina Svitolina for a semifinal spot. Ivanovic is 6-0 against Svitolina, sweeping the Ukrainian in both of their clay-court meetings at the 2014 French Open and in Madrid earlier this month.
"Obviously she's been improving her form throughout each match," Ivanovic said of Svitolina. "We played in Madrid just a few weeks ago, and she's young player. I have been speaking about her for a long time. I think we are going to see plenty of her in the future. It's going to be tough match. Anyone who gets to the quarterfinals deserves the spot. Yeah, it's going to be tough match, but I look forward to it."
Svitolina converted her sixth match point to subdue demonstrative Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, 6-2, 7-6 (9). The tense second set spanned 79 minutes before Cornet finally sailed a shot to end the struggle. The 19th-seeded Svitolina advanced to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in her 11th major appearance.
On a cool, overcast day, the clash of Top 10-ranked players was a bit of a fractured match as the pair played about 26 minutes before a rain delay.
Playing for her fourth consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal, the left-handed Russian took a 2-0 lead before the former world No. 1 reeled off three games in a row. Then the light sprinkle increased in intensity, causing a rain delay of about two hours, 25 minutes.
When play resumed, the set stayed on serve until the 12th game. Feeling the tension serving at 5-6, Makarova was pushed back behind the baseline. A biting cross court forehand gave Ivanovic set point. Changing direction beautifully, the Serbian slashed a forehand winner down the line, breaking to snatch the opening set.
Makarova broke to open the second set and backed up the break at 15 for 2-0. Curling a fine running forehand pass crosscourt, Makarova held for a 5-3 advantage. Whipping her lefty forehand to draw the short ball, Makarova swooped in and belted a backhand winner down the line to snatch the second set and level the match.
Amping up her aggression in the decider, Ivanovic unleashed a three-winner game to break at 30 for a 1-0 lead . Ivanovic hit her only ace of the final set in imposing a love hold for 3-1. Makarova had reached successive Grand Slam semifinals, but Ivanovic gave her nearly no second chances on second serve. Ivanovic won 12 of 19 points played on the Russian's serve in the final set.
Zapping an inside-out forehand return — her 30th winner of the day — Ivanovic closed the match with a flourish and an exuberant double fist pump. It's been a long red road back to the quarterfs, now the 27-year-old Ivanovic is one win from her first Grand Slam semifinal since she beat Dinara Safina to win in Paris.
"That would be amazing, obviously. Coming into the tournament, I didn't even really been expecting so much I would be sitting here, but I'm just taking it one match at a time and one day at a time actually," Ivanovic said. "Tomorrow I will work on few things and try to improve and get better. This is exciting part that I feel I can still improve. You know, just be focused and, you know, to reach semifinal would be amazing feeling. Not only for me but for anyone who is at this stage of the tournament."