Ons Jabeur's French Open journey ends at quarter-final stage

Ons Jabeur's French Open campaign came to a dramatic end as she lost to Beatriz Haddad Maia despite winning the first set of their quarter-final on Wednesday.

Tunisian Jabeur was hoping to lift her first major title at Roland Garros and looked set to move one step closer to her dream. But against a defiant Haddad Maia, Jabeur fell short.

Jabeur, targeting a third Grand Slam semi-final in less than a year, lost 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 as her Brazilian opponent battled back bravely to book her own maiden last four Slam appearance.

Haddad Maia became the first Brazilian woman to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since 1968. The 27-year-old left-hander follows in the footsteps of seven-time major winner Maria Bueno who was the last Brazilian woman in the semi-finals of a major - at the US Open.

After playing nearly four hours to beat Sara Sorribes Tormo in the fourth round, Haddad Maia won only one of her service games in the first set. But she saved the only two break points she faced in the second set - both in the 11th game to go up 6-5 - and won the tiebreaker.

The 27-year-old started the deciding set with a double break and a 3-0 lead. A frustrated Jabeur flipped her racket in the air after sending an easy backhand wide on a break-point opportunity while down 4-1. Haddad Maia won the game and served out the match.

"Ons is not easy to play against, you have to be patient but I believed in my body and tried to keep my rhythm," said Haddad Maia.

"In the middle of the second set my coach showed me the clock," she added. "I had to be patient and keep doing the shots because she (Jabeur) is a pretty good player, one of the best in the world."

"So I am proud of me and my team today because it is not easy playing her. I always believed