World number one Andy Murray advanced to his fifth French Open semi-final yesterday, defeating Japanese eighth seed Kei Nishikori 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/0), 6-1.
Murray, who was runner-up to Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros last year, will meet 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka for a spot in Sunday’s final.
Nishikori out-dueled Murray in a five-set classic at last year’s US Open and looked capable of a repeat success as he rolled through the opening set. But Murray responded by taking the second set with ease and stormed through a third-set tie-break before finishing off a tiring Nishikori to seal a fourth successive semi-final appearance in Paris. The Scot set up a semi-final rematch with third seed Wawrinka after beating the Swiss in four sets at the same stage of the tournament a year ago.
Former champion Stan Wawrinka became the oldest French Open semi-finalist in 32 years yesterday when he brushed aside Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. The third seed has not lost a set on his way to a third successive semi-final in Paris.
Rohan Bopanna in mixed doubles final: India’s Rohan Bopanna earned himself an opportunity to become only the fourth Indian to win a Grand Slam trophy by reaching the French Open mixed doubles final with partner Gabriela Dabrowski yesterday.
The seventh seed pair shocked third seeds Andrea Hlavackova and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5 6-3 in the semifinals. This is only the second time in his career that Bopanna has reached the summit clash of a Grand Slam. In 2010, he had made the final of US Open men’s doubles with Pakistani partner Aisam-ul-haq-Qureshi and lost to legendary Bryan brothers. They will now face Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Colombia’s Robert Farah in the final.
Meanwhile, Simona Halep staged a remarkable fightback and saved a match point to reach the semi-final with a 3-6 7-6(6) 6-0 win over Elina Svitolina yesterday.
The third seed Halep trailed by a set and 5-1 against the fifth seed but somehow dug herself out of a hole before storming to victory. Halep clinched the second set with a forehand winner and swept through the decider as Svitolina’s spirit sagged, sealing victory with an ace.
Halep will play second-seeded Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic in the semi-final while in the other half of the draw will feature Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia taking on her Swiss compatriot Timea Bacsinszky. All four players are seeking a first grand slam title.
This post was published on June 8, 2017 6:33 pm