PARIS, May 25, 2024
Brazilian Laura Pigossi achieved a historic milestone on Friday by securing her first-ever spot in the main draw of Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam tournament of the season. Previously, Pigossi participated at 2022 Wimbledon and entered the 2023 Australian Open as a lucky loser. Last year in Paris, she was eliminated in the final round of qualifying.
This week in Paris was perfect for Pigossi, who won three consecutive matches without dropping a set. She first overcame Elvina Kalieva from the United States with a double 6-1, then defeated Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa 6-2, 6-3, and finished her qualifying campaign by beating Romania’s Cristina Dinu 6-2, 6-2.
Demonstrating an aggressive playing style with few unforced errors and a lot of patience in long rallies, Pigossi celebrated her qualification on the clay courts of Roland Garros, savoring the well-deserved victory.
“I am very, very happy with this achievement. Each match was a challenge, but I maintained focus and determination. It’s a dream come true to play in the main draw of Roland Garros. I felt relieved at the end of the match, knowing that one of my goals was accomplished. Now it’s time to rest and then give it my all in the main draw to achieve new objectives,” Pigossi said after her victory.
With this accomplishment, Pigossi joins Beatriz Haddad Maia in the women’s draw, marking the first time in 33 years that two Brazilian women will compete in the main draw of Roland Garros. The 29-year-old from Sao Paulo also increases the total number of Brazilians in the main singles draw of the French Open to six, a feat last achieved 36 years ago.
SERÃO 6!!! brasileiros entre homens e mulheres a disputar a chave de simples em Roland Garros
Os 4 que jogaram o quali avançaram a chave principal
Laura Pigossi
Gustavo Heide
Felipe Meligeni
Thiago MonteiroSe juntam a Seyboth Wild e Beatriz Haddad Maia
Fora nas duplas… pic.twitter.com/parAAePGAu
— Mundo Do Tênis 🎾 (@mundodotenispod) May 24, 2024
“It’s super important to have all these Brazilians in the draw, it’s a huge joy to see our sport thriving and to know that we can make it there. It’s an energy that propels all of us forward.”
Born on August 2, 1994, in Sao Paulo, Laura Pigossi began her tennis journey at the age of six at Club Athletico Paulistano. Her junior circuit career started at 14, leading her to participate in prestigious tournaments such as the US Open, Wimbledon, and Roland Garros, where she earned her first professional points.
Turning professional in 2012, Laura Pigossi Herrmann de Andrade has become a prominent figure in Brazilian tennis. Her greatest achievement came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where alongside Luisa Stefani, she secured Brazil’s first-ever Olympic tennis medal, a bronze in women’s doubles.
Currently residing and training in Barcelona at ADI under coach Marc Gimenez, Pigossi has won seven singles titles and 43 doubles titles on the ITF Pro Circuit, along with a WTA Challenger title and a WTA Tour singles final. Her accomplishments include a runner-up finish at the WTA 250 in Bogota in 2022, making her the seventh Brazilian woman in history to reach a WTA singles final.
Pigossi is recognized not only for her individual successes but also for her contributions to the Brazilian Fed Cup team, with four victories in four participations. In August 2022, she reached the 100th spot in the WTA Rankings, becoming only the eighth Brazilian woman to enter the top 100 since the women’s ranking system was established in 1974.
