Upsets were the order of the day in the wheelchair events at Roland Garros, with Momoko Ohtani producing a stunning 7-5 6-4 victory over top seed and defending champion Diede De Groot in the women’s singles semi-finals.

Ohtani, playing just her second Grand Slam event following her debut at the 2020 US Open, saw points for a 5-2 lead in the second set come and go, but denied De Groot a route back into the match to reach her first Grand Slam final in one hour, 13 minutes.

“I had never won against her before, so I did not expect this,” Ohtani admitted. “I never expected to win two matches and reach the final at my first French Open.”

Having previously split her time between her university studies and wheelchair tennis, Ohtani committed herself to the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour in 2019 with a view to reaching the top 10 and preparing for the Paralympics in 2021. Now she awaits Japanese compatriot Yui Kamiji in the final, after the No.2 seed beat Aniek Van Koot 6-2 6-2.

“I’m very excited for her,” Kamiji said of Ohtani. “Her second time playing a Grand Slam and she is already in the final. And I’m very excited to play against her – we’ve already played a few matches, and she always does well. She makes many balls and hits deep, so it will be fun to watch I think.”

Of her own form, Kamiji added: “Yesterday I was a bit tight because I hadn’t played on clay since last year’s Roland Garros. But today I was relaxed, focused on the game and focused on my play, so I was pleased with my performance today.”

While the women’s draw is guaranteed a Japanese champion, men’s top seed Shingo Kunieda was ousted in the semi-finals by Belgium’s Joachim Gerard, through to his second major final – and first since the 2016 Australian Open – following a gruelling 7-5 2-6 6-4 victory in two hours, 46 minutes.

Gerard, who had never previously advanced beyond the first round in Paris, will face Alfie Hewett, the 2017 Roland Garros champion, after the Briton edged a compelling showdown with defending champion Gustavo Fernandez 7-6(5) 7-5.

“I’m exhausted, but pretty happy,” Hewett said, having saved two set points in the second before breaking to seal victory. “There was really nothing in it. Gustavo played a much, much higher and more aggressive game in that second set and I found it more difficult to hold my serve. I’m very, very happy to have been so resilient out there.”

Fellow Briton Andy Lapthorne booked his place in the quad singles final in his debut appearance in Paris with a testing 6-3 2-6 6-3 win over David Wagner. The 29-year-old will face two-time defending champion Dylan Alcott for the title after the Australian avenged his US Open final defeat by Netherlands’ Sam Schroeder with a 6-2 6-4 win.