55 years and 3 hours-51 minutes in the making: Brazil’s Haddad reaches Roland-Garros quarter-finals

Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia scripted tennis history at Roland-Garros on Monday – and not just once. The 14th seed battled against Spanish grinder Sara Sorribes Tormo for 3 hours and 51 minutes on Court Suzanne Lenglen in what became the longest women’s singles match of the 2023 season -breaking the 3 hour-41 minute mark set at the Italian Open by Anhelina Kalinina and Haddad Maia herself.

But more importantly, her 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-5 come-from-behind win (she trailed Sorribes Tormo by a set and 3-0 in the second) made her the first Brazilian woman to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final in 55 years.

3h51min later 💪#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/vxPACpolkh

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2023

This was also the third longest women’s main draw match at Roland-Garros in the Open Era

3 – Beatriz Haddad Maia has won the third longest Women's Singles main draw match in the Open Era at the #RolandGarros (3 hours and 51 minutes) – only Buisson v van Lottum in 1995 (4:07) and Reid v Teeguarden in 1972 (3:55) were longer. Battle.@rolandgarros @WTA

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 5, 2023

Haddad Maia, ranked No 14 in the world, will face Tunisian Ons Jabeur, the No 7 seed, next.

The Brazilian had saved a match point during her win in the third round, beating Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No 23 seed (5-7, 6-4, 7-5) and had scored wins over German Tatjana Maria (6-0, 6-1) and Russian Diana Shnaider (6-2, 5-7, 6-4) in her first two rounds.

Sorribes Tormo, who has come under fire for her role in Sunday’s doubles default drama involving Japanese player Miyu Kato and a ball girl, beat French wildcard Clara Burel (7-6, 6-2), Croat Petra Martic (6-4, 6-1) and Kazakh Elena Rybakina, the No 4 seed (walkover) to reach the last 16.

Roland-Garros (Grand Slam), other fourth round matches (Stade Roland-Garros, clay, EUR 49,600,000)

• Ons Jabeur beat Bernarda Pera: 6-3, 6-1
• Aryna Sabalenka (2) beat Sloane Stephens: 7-6 (5), 6-4
• Elina Svitolina beat Daria Kasatkina (9): 6-4, 7-6 (5)
• Karolina Muchova beat Elina Avanesyan (LL): 6-4, 6-3
• Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Elise Mertens (28): 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3
• Iga Swiatek vs. Lesia Tsurenko
• Anna Karolina Schmiedlova vs. Coco Gauff

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