Ashleigh Barty and Marketa Vondrousva meet in one of the unlikeliest French Open women’s finals, live on NBC Sports.
Neither Barty, the No. 8 seed, nor Vondrousova, ranked No. 38, had been past the quarterfinals of any Grand Slam coming into Roland Garros. Only one other time since 1980 has a major final featured two players who had never made it to the last four (2005 French Open, Rafael Nadal over Mariano Puerta.)
One player will end Saturday lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen, signifying the biggest win of her career.
WATCH LIVE: French Open Women’s Final -- 9 a.m. ET
The draw opened up for both players in an upset-filled two weeks.
Barty, the 2011 Wimbledon junior champion who left tennis to play cricket in 2015, was in Serena Williams’ section and Naomi Osaka‘s quarter. But both of those favorites were upset in the first week.
Barty proved her Australian Open quarterfinal and Miami Open title earlier this season were no fluke, dumping three straight Americans to make the final (Sofia Kenin, Madison Keys and Amanda Anisimova).
She’s trying to join Sam Stosur as the only Australian women to win a Grand Slam singles title in the last 40 years.
Vondrousova, a 19-year-old Czech, was an even bigger surprise, becoming the first teen in a major final since Caroline Wozniacki at the 2009 U.S. Open.
She beat four straight seeded players (none in the top 10, though), getting to the final without dropping a set. The last woman to win Roland Garros with a perfect sets record was Justine Henin in 2007.
FRENCH OPEN: TV Schedule | Scores | Men’s Draw | Women’s Draw
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