French Open 2022 - Martina Trevisan through to first Grand Slam semi-final after battling past Leylah Fernandez
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Updated 31/05/2022 at 13:58 GMT
Martina Trevisan twice failed to serve out for the match in her quarter-final clash against Leylah Fernandez but it was third time lucky when, in the deciding set, she finally got the better of the Canadian teenager to grab a spot in her first ever Grand Slam semi-finals with a 6-2 6-7(3) 6-3 in Paris.
Highlights: Trevisan finally sees off Fernandez
Martina Trevisan battled into the semi-finals of the French Open after beating Leylah Fernandez 6-2 6-7(3) 6-3 in Paris.
The Italian 28-year-old threw away match point in the second set but swept aside her nerves to race through a decider.
Trevisan has never before reached the last four of a Grand Slam, and will face either Coco Gauff or Sloane Stephens for a place in the final.
And she admitted to feeling the nerves with a spot in the semis on the horizon.
"In the first match point I felt a little bit nervous," she said. "I thought too much about the match point, about being one point from the semi-finals.
"The most important thing is that I accepted the situation and that it was normal to feel those emotions.
"It's been an incredible week and the first semi-final of my career has a very important emotion for me. I came here with a lot of energy. I wasn't tired, I wanted to push on the court.
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'I came here with a lot of energy' - Trevisan on her run to French Open semis
TREVISAN BATTLES TO FIRST SEMI-FINAL
Trevisan flew into a two-game lead with Fernandez looking nervy as a double fault handed her opponent an immediate break of serve.
A rapid hold of serve from Fernandez steadied the ship but the unforced errors kept on coming, with the Canadian making five to Trevisan's zero in the opening four games.
Trevisan held before Fernandez ensured her opponent remained just one break of serve up with another hold of her own, but was forced to take a medical time out for a problem with her right foot.
Returning with a plaster, Fernandez still looked uncomfortable and her unforced error count kept climbing as Trevisan took a second break of serve to go 5-2 up.
The Italian squandered three set points in her service game in her first show of nerves, but grabbed the fourth with a brilliant forehand winner to go 1-0 up.
Fernandez returned to court with a hold of serve that gave her the lead for the first time in the match.
But while the Canadian appeared to be limping slightly, her opponent was playing neat faultless tennis and almost had a break of serve in the second set with a forehand that landed just wide.
However, it was the Canadian who, to the surprise of the crowd, grabbed her first break of the match after some aggressive tennis and a forehand from Trevisan that smashed the net.
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'Quite a pad!' - Fernandez receives on-court attention for foot injury
Minutes later, Fernandez faced two break points of her own. She saved the first with a drop shot, but a stylish forehand winner off the Canadian's serve gave Trevisan the second and a break back, putting them back on serve.
Trevisan found herself in trouble again by giving offering up three break points to her opponent after two double faults, but saved all three with the net chord to thank. A fourth was saved before two unforced errors from Fernandez saw the match level at 3-3.
The two exchanged holds of serve, with the Italian looking the more comfortable, and the 28-year-old seized her chance for a second break of the set to move 5-4 up and serving for a spot in the semis after her opponent hit a forehand wide.
Match-point Trevisan on the Italian's serve and the game looked over, but Fernandez saved it with an incredible crushing winner before two unforced errors saw the Canadian break back to roars from the crowd and a shift in momentum.
The two held serve to force a tie-break, which a rejuvenated Fernandez won 7-3 as a now nervous Trevisan twice double faulted to send the match to a decider..
Trevisan returned to court to hold serve to love as she looked to shake off the demons of a lost match point.
And she looked to have done so empathically, winning the first seven points of the second set on her way to a break of serve and a 2-0 lead.
Another rapid hold was followed by an thumping forehand winner for another break as Trevisan raced into a 4-0 lead, desperate to end the contest.
But Fernandez, despite hobbling around the court at times, broke back after a gruelling nine minute game as Trevisan struggled whenever the finish line was in sight.
A fourth double fault of the match for Fernandez restored Trevisan's double break at 5-1 up, yet once again she could not see out the match on serve as Fernandez broke straight back.
A hold of serve from the Canadian reduced the deficit to 5-3, but on the third time of asking Trevisan managed to serve for the set and match, and a place in her first Grand Slam semi-final.
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