Kristina Mladenovic took her love story with Roland Garros to a new level, feeding off the home crowd to battle her way into the fourth round of the French Open with a 7-5 4-6 8-6 victory against American Shelby Rogers on Friday.
Kristina Mladenovic took her love story with Roland Garros to a new level, feeding off the home crowd to battle her way into the fourth round of the French Open with a 7-5 4-6 8-6 victory against American Shelby Rogers on Friday.
"I have no words to describe the love I have for you," said Mladenovic, who rallied from 5-2 down in the third set to set up a date with defending champion Garbine Muguruza on Monday.
"Honestly I went through so many emotions during this match that I don't know what to say. Your support helps me so much. I had goose bumps."
"Kiki! Kiki!," the crowd chanted again in an electric atmosphere, declaring their love back to Mladenovic.
Tagged one of the pre-tournament favourites after reaching the final in the Madrid and Stuttgart claycourt tournaments, the 13th-seeded Mladenovic is looking to become the first French woman since Mary Pierce in 2000 to lift the Suzanne Lenglen Cup.
After easing past former runner-up Sara Errani in the previous round, Mladenovic knew Rogers had the weapons to bother her, the American having won their only encounter 6-1 6-1 on hardcourt.
Clay made a difference as Mladenovic had more time to run around and use her devastating forehand but, having been hampered by back problems since day one, she was shaky on serve -- delivering 13 double faults and winning 42 percent of her points on second serve.
Mladenovic, who never looked fully comfortable on serve, hung on for most of the opening set but broke decisively in the 11th game and held in the next to move closer to a first fourth-round appearance at Roland Garros.
Mladenovic seemed in control when leading 40-0 on Rogers's serve at 3-3 in the second. The American, however, relied on her perfectly-angled serve for a vital hold and took the set when the Frenchwoman scurried a forehand wide.
Still struggling on serve, Mladenovic went 5-2 down in the third under threatening skies.
"When I was on my chair at that point, I thought it was over, but you gave me strength," she told the crowd.
The local favoruite won 10 points in a row to get back into the contest and it was eventually Rogers who cracked, dropping serve in the 13th game.
Mladenovic did not choke and served out the match with a forehand winner after a battle lasting two hours 46 minutes.
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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