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French Open 2023: Karolina Muchova Beats Aryna Sabalenka To Reach Her First Grand Slam Final

Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open in January, was a point from finishing off the topsy-turvy, three-hour-plus semifinal at 5-2 in the third set but then collapsed, dropping 20 of 24 points down the stretch.

Unseeded Karolina Muchova reached her first Grand Slam final at the last place she expected, saving a match point and using a stirring comeback to grab the last five games despite dealing with leg problems for a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5 victory over No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open on Thursday. (More Tennis News)

Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open in January, was a point from finishing off the topsy-turvy, three-hour-plus semifinal at 5-2 in the third set but then collapsed, dropping 20 of 24 points down the stretch.

In Saturday’s title match, Muchova will meet either No. 1 Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, or No. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia. Their semifinal was scheduled for later Thursday.

At No. 43, Muchova is the fourth-lowest-ranked women’s finalist in French Open history.

And the way she managed to get there was rather remarkable.

In the 80-degree warmth of Court Philippe Chatrier, Muchova’s variety and all-court style provided the right mix against one of the game’s biggest hitters.

An oversimplification, granted, but think of it this way: Sabalenka tries to hit the ball past her opponent; Muchova tries to hit the ball away from her opponent.

The third set appeared to tilt toward Sabalenka — who came into the day 12-0 in 2023 Slam matches —when her pressure prompted some extra errors. A long forehand by Muchova resulted in a service break and a 4-2 lead for Sabalenka, who held for 5-2.

That’s when it all began to come apart for her.

Sabalenka needed just one more point when it was 5-2, but Muchova came up with a forehand winner to erase that chance and eventually held there. Sabalenka then served for the victory, but couldn’t close things out, and Muchova broke to 5-4. At the ensuing changeover, Muchova sat down and massaged her right thigh. Soon enough, suddenly, it was 5-all.

Sabalenka continued to struggle, and Muchova — who was stretching between points — simply kept hitting big shots.

Muchova, a 26-year-old from the Czech Republic, has always found that her game worked best in faster conditions: Her best previous showing at a major was a semifinal run at the 2021 Australian Open on hard courts, her lone WTA title came on a hard court, and she never made it past the third round on the red clay at Roland Garros until now.

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“It’s not my favorite surface,” Muchova said earlier in the tournament, “but I think I can play good on it.”

Sure played well enough Saturday.

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