UNSEEDED German Laura Siegemund has earned a place in his first ever Grand Slam quarter final alongside a couple of top eight seeds in Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova. The 32-year-old veteran produced an impressive performance to down Spaniard Paula Badosa in straight sets, 7-5 6-2.

The match lasted an hour and 36 minutes with Siegemund doing more damage courtesy of 25 winners to 12, and the pair splitting 30 unforced errors apiece. Both opponents were serving at a high clip with more than two thirds of their first serves going in, but it was the German who took control on those points with a 72 per cent winning record to Badosa’s 54 per cent. By the end of the match she broke five times, in order to advance through to the next round.

“It’s exciting to come so far. It was always my dream to be in the second week of a Slam,” Siegemund said post-match. “We just spoke about it with my boyfriend in the US Open. It was one big goal for me to make it in singles into the second week of a Slam. “That’s where I see myself. “That’s where I want to be. “I’m glad I’m making that come true now.”

Now Siegemund has the tough task of facing Kvitova, in what will be her first match on Court Philippe Chartrier this tournament. She said she was looking forward to the challenge and being in a more predictable setting with the roof.

“I kind of like to play on Chatrier because you know when you play, apart from maybe matches before you, but you know the conditions a little bit better,” Siegemund said. “Out there it’s very different every day. “Wind, rain. “Also today there were some phases where it rained pretty hard, like almost if it goes more then you would have to stop, all that stuff. “Not unhappy about going into Chatrier and having the roof if we need to.

“Petra is a really tough opponent, no question about it. “It will be totally different of all the matches I have played here so far. “I played also more against clay court players, more with spin and very tactical. “She’s not like that. “She serves very well. “There is no second chances in rallies with her. “That will be different and I’m looking forward to it.”

Kvitova breezed past China’s Zhang Shuai to also make the Roland Garros quarter finals for the first time in nine years. Whilst the seventh seeded Czech is no stranger to going deep in Grand Slams, she has not reached the last eight in Parish since 2012. Kvitova defeated Zhang 6-2 6-4 in an hour and 25 minutes, hitting 23 winners to nine and dominating off her first serve with a success rate of 71 per cent to 51 per cent. Of her drought reaching the last eight, Kvitova admitted clay was not her preferred surface.

“I think it’s been a miracle for me to make the semifinal here in Roland Garros,” she said post-match. “I wasn’t really the player who always ever succeed on the clay… After eight years to be in the quarterfinal again, it’s great. “I’m really happy for that, that I’m still able to play on all surfaces.” One year I do remember I won tournaments on all surfaces. “I showed myself that I can really play on every surface. “So I’m glad for that.”

Meanwhile Australian Open winner Kenin moved a step closer to claiming her second Grand Slam title by knocking over unseeded Frenchwoman Fiona Ferro in an impressive come-from-behind win. Kenin took an hour and 44 minutes to win 2-6 6-2 6-1. Ferro headed into the match on an 18-game winning streak including a title at Palermo, and started strongly before the 21-year-old bounced back.

Kenin actually led 2-0 in the first set before conceding six consecutive games to her opponent and Ferro took a commanding lead. A series of breaks early in the third before Kenin held her serve in the fourth game took her to a 3-1 lead, then broke and held again to go out to the double break and eventually win it 6-2. It was a part of a nine of 10 games winning run which saw the American teenager go from 1-1 to to 6-2 and 4-0 in the third. Ferro finally managed to hold in the fifth game of the decider, but Kenin took it out by holding serve and breaking in the last game of the match.

“I was just super proud of myself,” Kenin said post-match. “Yes, there was a lot of emotions. I was just super happy that I won. “Like, the crowd wasn’t the best, which is understandable, but still I wish it would have been a little bit different.”

“I’m like super happy that I’m in the quarters. “I usually don’t play really good on clay. “In the past in juniors, I really hated the clay. “Last year I started to like it for the first time. “I’m just super proud of myself. “I feel like I’m playing really well.”

Unfortunately for 30th seed Tunisian Ons Jabeur and unseeded American Danielle Collins, their match which was scheduled to go ahead was postponed due to timing and the pair will now face off first-up on day nine for a spot in the quarter finals.

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