French Open 2019: Zhang Shuai, Stosur reach quarters as Djokovic sets last-eight record
CGTN
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Reigning Australian Open champions China's Zhang Shuai and Samatha Stosur picked up a comeback win on Monday to book their spot in the quarterfinals of the French Open women's doubles draw.
The pair narrowly dropped the opening set against the Rome champions Victoria Azarenka and Ashleigh Barty but rallied back to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The two have been paired up since the U.S. Open last September and won the Australia Open in January. It was the first time that Zhang Shuai played in a Grand Slam final and the championship title gave her a career-high moment. She also became China's sixth Grand Slam winner.
Up next, the pair will take on the No. 2 seeded team of Timea Babos of Hungary and Kristina Mladenovic of France, in a rematch of the Australian Open final.
"We know them very well," Zhang said.
"We played them in the Australian Open final, and also the U.S. Open semifinal. We're so excited to play against them."
The fourth-seeded pair, Chinese Xu Yifan and Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada, ousted Fiona Ferro and Diane Parry 6-1, 7-6 (5) to reach quarters.
Defending champion Simona Halep eases into the last eight in just 45 minutes. /VCG Photo

Defending champion Simona Halep eases into the last eight in just 45 minutes. /VCG Photo

In the women's singles, Halep reached her fourth French Open quarterfinal with a 45-minute thrashing of Polish teenager Iga Swiatek.
The Romanian third seed raced to a 6-1, 6-0 win as Swiatek failed to hold serve in the match.
Halep will face American 17-year-old Amanda Anisimova, who defeated Spain's Aliona Bolsova 6-3, 6-0, for a semifinal place.
"Kind of perfect," said Halep after her win.
World No. 51 Anisimova, meanwhile, became the first player born in the 2000s – man or woman – to make a Grand Slam quarterfinal.
The players who stunned top seed Naomi Osaka and 23-time major winner Serena Williams got a taste of their own medicine.

Novak makes history

Top seed and world No. 1 Djokovic continued his bid to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously for the second time by thrashing Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
The 32-year-old becomes the first man to reach the French Open quarterfinals for 10 successive seasons and will now face fifth seed Alexander Zverev in what will be his 13th appearance overall in the quarterfinals in Paris.
Novak Djokovic reaches a record 10th successive French Open quarterfinal, Monday. /VCG Photo

Novak Djokovic reaches a record 10th successive French Open quarterfinal, Monday. /VCG Photo

"It was tricky with the rain, but that's Paris," said the 2016 champion after playing in drizzly conditions.
"I'm really confident with my serve. I hope it continues like that."
Only Australian great Rod Laver has held all four majors at the same time twice before, after his calendar Grand Slams in 1962 and 1969.
German fifth seed Zverev reached his second successive Roland Garros quarterfinal with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) win over Italy's Fabio Fognini.
Last year he achieved his best run at the Slams, making the quarterfinals where he was defeated by eventual runner-up Dominic Thiem.
Japanese seventh seed Nishikori came back from 1-4 and 3-5 down in the final set to beat Benoit Paire of France and set up a quarterfinal clash on Tuesday against defending champion Rafael Nadal.
(With input from AFP)