Between all the negative news of injuries, bad weather and poor sportsmanship that have dominated in Paris over the past week, Shelby Rogers and Albert Ramos-Vinolas’ fairytale runs to the quarter-finals have been two rays of light shining through a cloudy French Open.
Rogers is an American former ball girl at her Charleston home tournament, ranked 108 in the world, and with just one previous main draw victory at Roland Garros prior to this fortnight.
The 23-year-old has taken out seeds No. 10, 17 and 25 en route to her first-ever grand slam quarter-final and was overtaken by emotion during her on-court interview with Marion Bartoli after her 6-3, 6-4 victory over an in-form Irina-Camelia Begu in the fourth round on Sunday.
“When you were ball-kidding in Charleston, did you ever think that one day you would be at Suzanne Lenglen qualifying for the quarter-final of Roland Garros?” Bartoli asked Rogers.
“I always dreamed it would happen but I’m not sure I thought it could,” Rogers responded before breaking into tears.
Rogers has backed up each win this past week with an even bigger one the following round, knocking out 17th-seeded Karolina Pliskova, the ever-tricky Elena Vesnina, two-time Wimbledon champion and No10 seed Petra Kvitova, before taking out 25th-seeded Begu, who made quarters in Madrid and semis in Rome this month.
"I always dreamed it would happen but I'm not sure I thought it could." Well @Shelby_Rogers_ , it's happening! #RG16 https://t.co/0eZ2l2LrCu
— Roland Garros (@rolandgarros) May 29, 2016
Rogers’ goal for this year was to just make the cut for the majors and she was the second to last direct entry into the Roland Garros main draw.
“Anyone that’s in the draw has an even chance, I think,” she concluded yesterday.
Her run is reminiscent of her friend Melanie Oudin’s Cinderella story at the 2009 US Open and she admits that inspired her.
“I remember it very well. It was a time we needed an American player to kind of grab on to. She was so awesome, so feisty, and just really confident. It was definitely inspirational and gave me motivation to work harder, because I see her doing it, and why not me, you know?” said Rogers, who faces No. 4 seed Garbine Muguruza in the quarter-finals.
How good is this via @VolvoCarOpen @Shelby_Rogers_ @JenCapriati @WTA @rolandgarros. #RG16 pic.twitter.com/vGPFFq5HbB
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) May 29, 2016
“So I hope that I can inspire some people too because that’s really one of the biggest reasons why I play is for the kids growing up, for the people from Charleston. I want to be a good role model. Hopefully I am.”
Ramos-Vinolas has lost in the first round in Paris in each of the last four years. The Spanish lefty pulled off a massive upseton Sunday, eliminating eighth-seeded Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 to set up a quarter-final with defending champion Stan Wawrinka.
“Difficult to explain how I feel. It’s a lot of emotions. I’m very, very happy,” said the 28-year-old world No55.
“I think I played a very good match, very smart match. I’m very happy.
“I have been working since long time ago very hard, trying to find the way to win more matches. I think this year here I’m saying that maybe the work I did, it’s working on now.”
