Camila Giorgi progressed into the Miami Open second round despite blowing a 5-0 third-set lead as she edged past veteran Kaia Kanepi in the equal-longest main draw match of the year on Tuesday.
The Italian world number 44, who won February's Merida Open, outlasted the Estonian 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-4) in three hours and 32 minutes.
The length was equal to the Erika Andreeva-Harriet Dart first-round match at the ATX Open last month for the longest this WTA season.
But Giorgi could have had an earlier finish, leading 5-0 in the decider before Kanepi hit back by winning the next five games, only for the Italian to rally in the tie-break, converting her fourth match point.
Giorgi, who blew match points at 5-3 and 5-4, will take on three-time Miami Open winner and 2023 Australian Open semi-finalist Victoria Azarenka in the second round.
Russian 34-year-old Evgeniya Rodina produced the upset of the day's play, beating 37th-ranked Bernarda Pera 6-3 6-4 in 73 minutes and will take on 20th seed Magda Linette in the second round.
Rodina is currently ranked 369th in the world having returned to the WTA Tour midway through last season after a two-year absence, having reached a career-high 67th in May 2019.
World number 39 Elise Mertens eased into the second round with a 6-1 6-4 win over USA's Alycia Parks, setting up a second-round clash with eighth seed Daria Kasatkina.
World number 43 Yulia Putintseva bowed out prematurely, going down 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 to Canada's Rebecca Marino, who advanced to face sixth seed Coco Gauff.
Teenager Linda Fruhvirtova, ranked 50th in the world, also suffered a shock loss, beaten 6-2 4-6 6-4 by 172nd-ranked Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov, while Laura Siegemund won 6-3 6-4 over 52nd-ranked Mayar Sherif
Katerina Siniakova withdrew due to injury despite winning the first set against USA's Claire Liu, with scores at 6-3 3-3. Liu's prize is a second-round meeting with top seed and reigning champion Iga Swiatek.
Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina beaten by Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka at French Open
Elina Svitolina was booed again by the French Open crowd after her memorable Paris run was ended by Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals.
In her first grand slam since the birth of daughter Skai last October, the Ukrainian has enjoyed one of her best grand slams but Australian Open champion Sabalenka was too strong in a 6-4 6-4 victory.
Having hit away the winning forehand, Belarusian Sabalenka stood at the net waiting for a handshake she must have known would not come, and there were loud boos as Svitolina walked straight past her without acknowledging her.
The 28-year-old had received loud support during the match but she left Philippe Chatrier to a mixture of jeers and cheers.
Svitolina had beaten two consecutive Russian opponents, both times offering a thumbs up at the end, but this was probably the highest-profile sporting clash between competitors from opposing sides of the war since it began.
Svitolina has been more measured in her criticism of Russian and Belarusian players than compatriots like Marta Kostyuk, who Sabalenka beat in the first round.
The Belarusian again declined to speak to the press ahead of the contest following tense exchanges with a Ukrainian journalist but said before the Kostyuk match that the surrounding circumstances had added to her nerves.
She need not have worried about the reaction walking out on to Philippe Chatrier as, although a few Ukraine flags were evident, the crowd was sparse and both players received warm welcomes.
The pair matched each other game for game until Sabalenka forced a first break point at 4-4 and crunched away a return off a weak second serve.
Svitolina made a fast start to the second set, moving 2-0 ahead, but could not convert a game point in the next game and Sabalenka began to really make her extra power count, moving into a 4-2 lead.
With the patrons now having finished their lunch and fully engaged, they tried to will Svitolina – who was watched by husband Gael Monfils – into a comeback, but Sabalenka held her nerve.
In the last four Sabalenka will meet unseeded Karolina Muchova, who earlier defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach her second grand slam semi-final.
The Czech, who also made the last four at the Australian Open in 2021, matched her best slam result with a 7-5 6-2 victory on Philippe Chatrier.
Muchova, 26, suffered an abdominal injury during her Australian run that kept her out for seven months and she was ranked outside the top 200 as recently as September.
With her run here, Muchova is set to return to the top 20, and she said: “I don’t know what to say. It’s been an incredible two weeks and I’m just glad I’m still in the competition.”
Pavlyuchenkova has also found form here after knee surgery kept her out for most of last season but the 2021 runner-up is now set to miss the grass-court season because her ranking was not high enough to get her into Wimbledon.
Karolina Muchova books French Open semi-final spot with straight sets win
Karolina Muchova defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach her second grand slam semi-final at the French Open.
The Czech, who also made the last four at the Australian Open in 2021, matched her best slam result with a 7-5 6-2 victory on Philippe Chatrier.
Muchova, 26, suffered an abdominal injury during her Australian run that kept her out for seven months and she was ranked outside the top 200 as recently as September.
With her run here, Muchova is set to return to the top 20, and she said: “I don’t know what to say. It’s been an incredible two weeks and I’m just glad i’m still in the competition.”
The Czech was never behind in the match but was twice pegged back in the opening set, with Pavlyuchenkova breaking when she served for it at 5-4.
However, Muchova broke again, took her second chance and did not look back.
On this day in 2015 – Serena Williams wins 20th grand slam title at French Open
Serena Williams overcame illness to win her 20th grand slam title after beating Lucie Safarova in the French Open final on this day in 2015.
The American, who won her first major 16 years previously, beat Safarova 6-3 6-7 (2) 6-2 in a dramatic showdown at Roland Garros.
Williams, 33 at the time, was the clear favourite as the world number one and reigning US Open and Australian Open champion, but she had been struggling with illness prior to the final and revealed she almost withdrew from the match.
And she was then given a fright by Safarova, who was playing in her first grand slam final in the French capital.
Williams won the first set 6-3 and looked to be heading for a routine victory when she led 4-1 in the second.
However, the left-handed Safarova battled back to force a second-set tie-break, which she won comprehensively.
A major shock was on the cards when Safarova led 2-0 in the decider, only for Williams to show her prowess by winning six successive games and claim a third French Open title.
Williams said after the match: “Is it the most difficult grand slam I’ve ever won? For sure.
“When you have the flu your whole body aches. That’s kind of what I have been dealing with.
“Even now I just really don’t have any energy and I just want to go to bed.
“It’s been a nightmare 48 hours.”
She added: “I talked to all the doctors here and the physios here. I even told the physio, ‘I’m not sure I’m going to be able to play because this is just not looking good’.
It was her 20th grand slam singles title, which left her two behind Steffi Graf and four behind Margaret Court.
Williams went on to take her tally to 23, but history continued to elude her as she lost her last four grand slam finals, two at Wimbledon and two in the US Open.
In August 2022, Williams announced her impending “evolution” away from professional tennis and played what was expected to be her final match at the 2022 US Open.
Williams announced she is pregnant with her second child in May this year.
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