French Open 2023 quarter final as it happened: Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia hits back from a set down to stun Number seven seed Ons Jabeur

What a performance from Beatriz Haddad Maia.

The Brazilian No.14 seed, who hadn’t gone beyond round two of a major until this past fortnight, secures a spot in the semi finals by hitting back from a set down to defeat the No.7 seed in two hours and 29 minutes.

She breaks on her second match point when Ons blazed long and becomes the first Brazilian lady in 45 years to make it to the last four of a Grand Slam.

She will meet either Iga Swiatek or Coco Gauff next.

What. A. Hold.

It takes upwards of 21 minutes and involves clutch work and some bad misses from Jabeur for the Brazilian to fight off FOUR break points and move to within a game of the last four.

Ouch – and then some! Jabeur fights valiantly to swat away three break points but then inexplicably kicks away a return with her foot. She thinks it’s out – but it’s actually IN!

Beatriz takes full advantage of the lack of concentration and a crunching backhand forces to error to re-establish that double break lead.

Beatriz gives her box a slightly concerned glance as Jabeur does find some magic from 30-15 down, landing a sumptuous forehand winner and a sizzling return to snatch one of the breaks back.

Boom! Haddad Maia slams a forehand return down the line to hammer home her advantage with the double break and leave Jabeur needing snookers to rescue the situation.

The Brazilian could yet get tight but Ons needs to find some inspiration from somewhere to keep her dream of reaching the last four alive.

Jabeur cuts a forlorn figure as she trudges towards her towel after being blown away by some red-hot serving from the Brazilian.

Beatriz’s belief is sky high right now as she consolidates to love in style, nailing an ace and series of chunky first serves.

It feels like it’s all on Haddad Maia’s racquet right now.

The Brazilian is bringing the heat on her return and Jabeur is constantly on the back foot. The Tunisian No.7 seed needs back-to-back clutch serves to save two break points and make deuce, but the Beatriz refuses to be denied this time around and corks another big return to make it happen on her third opening.

We are heading into a decider!

Jabeur lashes a forehand long to cough up three set points but saves two with a bit of luck off the net cord via backhand and forehand winners.

Haddad Maia refuses to be denied on her third and takes the breaker 7-5 with a crunching forehand winner down the line.

The Brazilian looks ready for another long encounter at this year’s French Open, corking an absolute beauty of a forehand up the line to lead 3-0.

A superb crosscourt forehand from mid-court puts to bed the memory of a drop-shot fail but she lashes an inch long on another howitzer of a strike to give hope to Ons with the Brazilian leading 4-2 at the change of ends.

Beatriz comes out all guns blazing and nails a couple of returns to snare set point.

The Brazilian lines up another on her trusty forehand but finds the tramlines.

Jabeur leans on her serve in no fewer than five face-offs at deuce and eventually manages to drag herself into the breaker when a drop shot finally comes good to allow her to prod a winner into the open court.

What a hold that is!

Jabeur looks set to strike a potentially killer blow when she clocks up two break points by producing great depth to lure a backhand wide.

The Brazilian digs deep to fend them both off, unloading a series of hefty forehands to make deuce before the Tunisian helps her over the line with some tame errors.

Pressure? What pressure?

Jabeur mops up a third clean hold on the bounce, landing her fifth ace of the match to finish it off, to easily tie the set as we edge closer to sudden death territory in the second.

Jabeur’s drop shot tactic worked a treat early on but it’s not delivering at this juncture. The Tunisian looks dejected as a tame effort drops into the net to hand Haddad Maia the initiative to hold once again after the Brazilian had wobbled with a second double fault of the match to feel a bit of pressure at 30-30.

Jabeur opens with her fourth ace and then Haddad Maia pushes to hard, coughing up a couple of needless errors to allow Ons to easily clock up the clean hold and level matters once more.

That’s disappointing from Ons’ point of view.

The Tunisian unloads a delightful wrong-footing crosscourt forehand to apply heat at 15-30 but then lets her opponent off the hook. She doesn’t do enough on the return and then miss-times a horrible backhand slice into the tramlines.

Haddad Maia jumps upon the gifts and closes out her trickiest hold of the set to stay in front.

Ons bookends a love hold with a blistering crosscourt backhand winner and her third ace of the match. All square in a very tight second set. Who is going to blink first?

Beatriz conjures up a pair of aces to reveal the winning hand as she keeps Jabeur at arm’s length with a game to 30 that keeps her nose in front.

The first set was a bit of a break-a-thon but the server has reigned supreme so far in the second.

Jabeur produces another bewitching drop shot but then follows up with one that refuses the invitation to trickle over the tape. An ace puts her in control at 40-30 but she follows up with a double fault. It really does sum up the hot and cold level she’s producing, but the No.7 seed finally finds enough consistency from deuce, firing down two big serves to get out of dodge.