Shnaider downs Keys for milestone moment

Shnaider, overturning three previous defeats by Keys, advances to the last-eight to take on either world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka or four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka.

What a chance for Shnaider to rise to the occasion in Paris. It would be her first encounter with top seed Sabalenka. Should Osaka prevail on Monday night, Shnaider will seek revenge from a comprehensive 6-1, 6-2 defeat in Rome earlier this month.

“It's going to be a great match. World No.1, former World No.1 (Osaka), Grand Slam champions. So definitely a huge match coming up,” the 22-year-old said.

“My first quarterfinal, so it doesn't matter who is going to win. They have a kind of similar game style, aggressive game style going for the shots.

“I will just try to do my job, try to play again like same as I was today, being aggressive but not going for too, too much. Will try to enjoy and see it as an opportunity to get that experience for my future.”

Stepping on to Court Suzanne-Lenglen, the left-hander had lost her last eight successive matches against top-20 talent.

From an immediate break down, Shnaider seized the initiative with a compelling blend of looping, angled shots and power play. At 4-2 ahead she crouched to the clay and dipped a backhand approach on to Keys’ baseline to provide the platform for a crucial break. A crunching forehand from above shoulder height and Shnaider was roaring a set to the good.

The vast Grand Slam experience in Keys’ locker came to the fore to force a decider, but this was Diana’s day.

The all-court craft and canny transfers to the net capitalised upon the American failing to find consistency. Shnaider was in charge and racing towards new ground at a Grand Slam.

“It’s definitely a huge moment for me. I’m super happy. Me and Madi (Keys) played three times before and I lost every time," Shnaider said.

“I knew what to expect from Madi, she’s such an experienced player, an amazing player. I had to grind for every ball, had to try and put as many balls between the lines. I think I played very smart.

"I thought it was a great match and I’m just super proud of being my first time into the quarterfinals.”

With a spot in the women’s final potentially just five days away, Shnaider is maintaining focus on what's immediately ahead.

“I'm definitely not thinking about how (many) matches left. Just super happy with my performance, just how I played and how I stayed composed through the whole match, just holding my emotions in. I feel like it was huge today,” she added.

“It's already a huge achievement for myself. I feel like I'm just going to enjoy it, playing again in a great stadium, then just fight, and we'll see how it goes.”