PARIS — Unseeded Karolina Muchova reached her first Grand Slam final at the last place she expected, saving a match point and using a stirring comeback to grab the last five games despite dealing with leg problems for a 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5 victory over No.
2 Aryna Sabalenka at the French Open on Thursday. Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open in January, was a point from finishing off the topsy-turvy, three-hour-plus semifinal at 5-2 in the third set but then collapsed, dropping 20 of 24 points down the stretch.
In Saturday's title match, Muchova will meet either No. 1 Iga Swiatek, the defending champion, or No. 14 Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Their semifinal was scheduled for later Thursday. At No. 43, Muchova is the fourth-lowest-ranked women's finalist in French Open history.