TenniStory: Donna Vekic, now into the fourth round of the French Open

From starting in gymnastics to reaching Centre Court: Donna Vekic has seen one of her tennis fantasies come true by playing on the grandest stage her sport of choice offers.

The Croatian, who hit the Top 100 when she was just 16, first stated her primary goal was to become No. 1. That was quickly exchanged for an even “bigger goal”—to capture a major title by virtue that every Grand Slam is “open” for anyone to win.

On Friday at Roland Garros, the 23rd-seeded Vekic moved through to the round of 16 in Paris for the first time, brushing aside No. 15 seed Belinda Bencic, 6-4, 6-1. It marked the second time in four majors (Wimbledon 2018) that Vekic advanced the second week. Now 22, Vekic is four wins away from achieving her greatest dream, and can reduce it to three with a victory over 26th seed Johanna Konta, the woman she battled on Wimbledon's premier court nearly two years ago.