It’s the second major of the Year for our Champ and she kicks off against the French 17 year old Wild Card, Ksenia Efremov. Final match of the day on the second show court and it is nearly 9pm local time when Sorana takes to the stage…

‘BAAAA BA BABA BAAAA BA BAAAA BABA’

‘Oleeeeee!’

Firstly fair play to Ksenia Efremova, I thought she was going to get thrown to the lions today but the teenage French player went out to face Sorana, one of the hottest players on tour right now with no fear whatsoever

She coped well with the early pace and broke our Champ straight away, sending a few shockwaves across the Romanian fans, still heartbroken over Gabi’s sad retirement earlier in the day (get well soon Champ ♥️) Efremova was swinging loose too, some of the backhand returns were thunderous and left Sorana scratching her head

But experience over youth won through – the turning point was when she was 3-1 up, the excited youngster waved her arms in the air to get the crowd going, not that French players need to do this when they are winning. There was then a glance over from Sorana and that for me was the turning point, I could almost read Sorana’s mind, it was like she was saying

‘You have got a hell of a way to go yet young lady’ and our Champ went on to win the next seven games 👀

I wrote about this in relation to Romanian Derbies recently, players love an atmosphere, whether you are for them or against them they feed off the adrenaline of the crowd.

It’s been a long time since the French enjoyed singles success at Roland Garros and over the years, particularly recently, they have not helped their own players. Have they not learnt from the Great Sir Andy Murray that the best players in the world do not mind playing the villain and often thrive on it?

In the last few years the crowds at Roland Garros have got worse when French players play, they love to ‘Boo’ and they cannot shut up during points, they actually make the situation worse for many of their own players, they put pressure on them and their taunting of the opponents affects both players’ concentration

It is often a group of people who spoil it for everyone else but the very best, like Sorana know what to do 💪

Efremova played very well and showed some great promise but Sorana has been on tour longer than her opponent has been alive, she has a lot still to learn for sure

Congratulations today Champ – cool as an Adelie Penguin and looking striking in her pink New Balance kit, I have affectionately nicknamed her The Pink Panther, I am spot on with the speed ♥️

I missed the next match as I was playing tennis myself. Sorana dispatched Germany’s bright young star Eva Lys 6-3 6-0. I was surprised that the score was so dominant and wondered if Sorana was just too good or perhaps Eva was having troubles but when I watched the third round, Sorana defeating Argentinian clay specialist, Solana Sierra 6-0 6-0 I knew it was the former. Sori was unplayable, she locked in and never let Sierra up for air, putting her away in under an hour. She was fast and deadly, she truly was, The Pink Panther!

Sorana was the overwhelming favourite in the fourth round against Chinese qualifier, Xiyu Wang. However, her opponent who has done a lot of winning at home tournaments this year was no slouch, she definitely packed a punch and asked the Romanian a fair few questions. The Pink Panther had set the bar so high in the first three rounds there was a little drop off in this match, both exchanging breaks frequently as they hammered at each other’s service games affectively but neither player was sustaining the momentum long enough to run away with the match. Yet Sori sized her chance in the second set tiebreak to maximise and break through, winning match four, still without dropping a set. In doing so she made history, she had reached only her second Roland Garros quarter final in her career. Her first was 17 years earlier, marking the longest gap after a debut quarter final. Her Swansong continues to be the stuff of dreams.

Her next opponent, World Number 5, Mirra Andreeva was not even born when Sorana played her first pro match on tour, she faces a foe she is playing for just the second time, the first was just a few weeks ago at another clay quarter final, Andreeva won but the good news is that it was very close, Sorana falling in three having lost the first set. Sori is also going into this one in the form of her life.

This is unquestionably Sorana’s hardest assignment so far, we are looking at two players who now both have a very good chance of going all the way

A clash of generations, it should be worthy of a night session!

I believed in the last match between these two that Sorana’s experience should have won through but credit to Mirra, I was wrong, however I believe fatigue finished off our Champ in that one, she arrives at this one relatively fresh after her super week, this will be key but winning that first set, although not the be all and end all will give the Pink Panther a massive advantage, it will save energy in what will be a very difficult match and her record in three after winning the first this year has been excellent, I think losing just two off the top of my head

Also for all of Sorana’s experience, confidence and inspiring attitude this season, trust me she will still be very nervous, she is not used to being so deep in majors, yet she has the best team and the most loyal fans that will play a key part.

Mirra is a massively popular young player and quite right, but the Sorana success story has captured the hearts of the tennis World, she’s going to get a lot of support tomorrow and should remember that millions at home will be cheering for her too especially in Romania 🇷🇴

Good luck Champ, I believe in you Pink Panther 🩷

Sadly Sorana fell to the Russian, 6-0 6-3. I missed this one as I am presently at the Grass Court tournaments in Birmingham. It looked like Mirra was just too good and did to Sorana what Sorana had done to everyone else she faced this fortnight. Sorana had nothing but kind words for the teenager in the press conference and hoped she would go all way. She also seemed content with her magnificent run, I am little saddened it ended so quickly but I have nothing but love and admiration for Sorana, more than ever this season because what is happening and what I am trying to share with you.

I am going to Queens next week and hopefully Wimbledon, then after Iasi, where Sorana confirmed she is playing so hopefully I can report on some juicy live matches in the next three articles.

But Paris was so magical, so proud of you Pink Panther 🩷