Wallace wins French Open place with play-off victory
Isabelle Wallace beats Olivia Rogowska in the final of the wildcard play-off to earn a place in the French Open main draw.
Paris, France, 20 May 2018 | Tennis Australia
Isabelle Wallace will make her Grand Slam main draw debut at the French Open after winning the Australian women’s wildcard play-off in Paris.
The 21-year-old beat Olivia Rogowska 6-1 5-7 6-3 in Sunday’s final.
Wallace missed out on a place in the main draw last year when she lost to Jamiee Fourlis in the play-off final.
Twelve months on, she saw off Destanee Aiava and Lizette Cabrera before coming through a tense final against top seed Rogowska.
“I made the final last year and I really like the clay, so I was really happy with the way I played the whole week, and to make the final again was a bonus from last year. I’m really happy with the win today,” said Wallace.
“In the first set I played really well and in the second set she really stepped it up. In the third set we both played really well, it was quite a fight out there.”
looking ahead to making her senior Grand Slam debut, Wallace added: “It feels amazing. I’m just looking forward to the experience, it will be great.
“It’s unbelievable to get the opportunity to have a play-off and compete for it, and a great prize at the end of it.”
Fed Cup captain Alicia Molik, watching from courtside, said: “It was a tough-fought match right throughout.
“Isabelle was a deserving winner, with her clay-court experience and match hardness really shining through. Well deserved!”
The world No.249 joins Ashleigh Barty, Daria Gavrilova, Samantha Stosur and Ajla Tomljanovic in the women’s singles draw at Roland Garros, which gets under way on Sunday May 27th.
Nick Kyrgios, John Millman, Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson will be joined by wildcard Alex de Minaur in the men’s draw.
French Open women’s wildcard play-off results:
Quarterfinals, Friday May 18th
Olivia Rogowska beat Kimberley Birrell 6-4 6-0
Priscilla Hon (Bye)
Isabelle Wallace beat Destanee Aiava 6-1 6-0
Liztette Cabrera beat Ellen Perez 6-3 6-2
Semifinals, Saturday May 19th
Olivia Rogowska beat Priscilla Hon 6-3 6-2
Isabelle Wallace beat Lizette Cabrera 7-6(7) 1-6 6-1
Final, Sunday May 20th
Isabelle Wallace beats Olivia Rogowska 6-1 5-7 6-3