Last Frenchwoman in the women’s draw at Roland-Garros, Diane Parry (92nd in the world) offered herself a first round of 16 in a Grand Slam by eliminating the 6th in the world, the American Amanda Anisimova, on Saturday in the third round.
The 23-year-old right-hander won 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (10/3) against the double Grand Slam finalist, who was playing her first clay court tournament of the season in Paris after an injury to her left wrist.
Parry will face Poland’s Maja Chwalinska (114th) on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals.
Eliminated five times in the third round of a Grand Slam tournament, the Frenchwoman had not beaten a member of the top 10 since the 2022 edition of Roland-Garros, when she brought down the defending champion Barbora Krejcikova (then world No.2) in the first round.
On a Philippe-Chatrier court crushed by heat (around 35°C in the shade) like every day since the start of the tournament, Diane Parry was broken from the start but quickly responded (3-3).
– “This is Parry” –
Encouraged by the “Here, it’s Parry” chanted by the public a few hours before the Champions League final between PSG and Arsenal, the Frenchwoman took Anisimova’s serve in the eighth game before concluding it with her commitment (6-3).
Trailing 4-2 in the second set, Parry recovered to 4-4 but lost his serve two games later, and the set at the same time.
In the last act, the Frenchwoman with the elegant one-handed backhand missed four break points before finally converting one to lead 4-3, service to follow.
But Anisimova immediately broke (4-4) after also wasting her first four chances.
Diane Parry ended up making the difference in the tie-break, winning seven points in a row to finally offer herself a second week in the Grand Slam.
“I am so happy to have been able to experience this match in this atmosphere, you were exceptional!”, launched Parry to the public.
“It was a big day, between my match and the PSG final which awaits us later. I hope to make a 2 out of 2!”, joked this PSG supporter.
Supposed to play a doubles match in the evening with her compatriot Fiona Ferro, the French pair finally withdrew.
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