Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Barbora Krejcikova, two of the most unlikely Grand Slam finalists of the modern era, meet in Saturday’s French Open title match at the conclusion of a shock-heavy tournament. World No. 32 Pavlyuchenkova has reached this stage for the first time at the 52nd attempt, 10 years after making a first Slam quarters in Paris. Krejcikova, ranked one place lower, has long been labelled a doubles specialist and this is just her fifth appearance in a main draw singles at the Slams, having never previously got beyond the Last 16. 

However, both women have capitalised on a draw where the top seeds fell and just kept falling. “The 14-year-old me would tell me ‘what took you so long?’,” said Pavlyuchenkova, 29, who played her first Slam event in 2007. “It’s been a long road. I had my own long special road. Everybody has different ways. I’m happy I’m in the final.”