Van Uytvanck’s spectacular French Open run ends in quarter-finals

Alison Van Uytvanck’s brave surge in the French Open finally ended yesterday when the Belgian tennis pro lost 6-4 7-5 to Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros.

Neither woman had ever been beyond the second round at Roland Garros, but it was 23 seeded Bacsinszky rather than 93-ranked Van Uytvanck (pictured) who progressed to a semi-final against world number one Serena Williams.

Van Uytvanck, 21, was the lowest-ranked woman to reach the quarter-finals of the clay court major. Considering the she had played in only one grand slam match prior to her arrival in Paris, it was perhaps unsurprising that the occasion of playing on the 10,000-seater Suzanne Lenglen Court finally got to her.

Cheered on by her idol, retired Belgian tennis star Kim Clijsters, from the stands, Van Uytvanck unleashed a string of gutsy shots to recover from 3-1 down to level at 3-3 in the second set. But she failed to get a break and, despite saving four break points in game seven with some her serves, her respite was short-lived.

“I’m a bit disappointed,” said Van Uytvanck after the match. “I know there were chances in the match that I couldn’t quite grasp. But I’m really proud of what I’ve accomplished here.”