Shnaider reaches maiden Grand Slam quarter-final with upset victory over Keys
- After three straight losses to Keys, Shnaider earns first win over her in first meeting on clay
PARIS: Russia’s Diana Shnaider overcame a second set blip to battle past American Madison Keys 6-3 3-6 6-0 in the French Open on Monday and advance to her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final.
The 22-year-old left-hander, seeded 25th, had to recover from a second-set concentration lapse before dishing out a bagel with her heavy top-spin forehand, to book a last-eight spot.
After three straight losses to Keys, Shnaider earns first win over her in first meeting on clay.
Neither player was able to hold serve for the first four games and while Shnaider, ranked 23rd in the world, did manage to hold on her third attempt, Keys failed to do so until after Shnaider was 5-2 up.
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American Keys, the 2025 Australian Open champion, could do nothing to stop the Russian clinching the first set a game later with a powerful forehand down the line.
The tables were turned in the second set with Keys being more aggressive and reducing her number of unforced errors to level.
Shnaider quickly recovered and raced through the decider to set up a quarter-final either against top seed Aryna Sabalenka or former world number one Naomi Osaka.
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