Right, that’s it from me. Stick around on site for all the reports and reaction from today’s matches plus the previews for the men’s semi-finals on Friday. Join Jacob Steinberg for game-by-game coverage of those games and for the finals over the weekend. But from me, cheerio!
That was a high-quality game of tennis, with two players bringing their best to the court. Pliskova was far more competitive than many expected, but Halep was sensational in her defence at times. Her incredible defensive capabilities against Ostapenko’s go-for-broke power hitting should make for a brilliant final.
Simona Halep wins third set to reach final
Third set: Halep* 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 Pliskova (*denotes server) What a rally that is! A brilliant, breathless effort at 15-0 with Halep looking like she’s attempting some sort of bleep test speed record. Pliskova takes the point but only after seeming to win it about four times. Halep though will not be denied and she quickly rattles off a couple of points to give her two match points … and she takes the first!
Third set: Halep 6-4, 3-6, 5-3 Pliskova* (*denotes server) A huge service game for Pliskova here. Halep gives the Czech a taste of her own medicine, hammering away from the baseline to go 15-30 up. Then Pliskova botches a routine forehand return and suddenly faces two break points. She saves the first with a gutsy forehand down the line but blasts what should have been a simple winner long! Halep breaks and will serve for a place in the final.
Third set: Halep* 6-4, 3-6, 4-3 Pliskova (*denotes server) Halep pulls a backhand wide to give Pliskova a look at 15-30 – this could be a chance. And it is – a couple of thumping, belligerent forehands take her to 15-40. A cracking cross-court forehand later and we’re back on serve! Superb stuff from Pliskova.
Third set: Halep 6-4, 3-6, 4-2 Pliskova* (*denotes server) A crunching ace, her sixth of the match, takes Pliskova to 30-15 but a deep, deep return brings Halep back to 30-30, which I think I’m right in saying has been the scoreline in every Pliskova service game in this set. That tells you how hard she is having to work to hold. And she’s got some serious work to do now as Halep goes 30-40 up. Another huge serve does the work for her then a smart backhand down the line gives her the advantage. That should be the spark that sees her hold … but she throws in a double fault and we’re back to deuce. And Pliskova hammers in a forehand that gives her a big hold.
Third set: Halep* 6-4, 3-6, 4-1 Pliskova (*denotes server) Halep’s defensive abilities are just remarkable – she’s returned two or three seemingly unreturnable shots in the past two games. It doesn’t do her much good here though – Pliskova goes 0-30 up despite a broken string midway through the second point of the game. And she gets two break points after a thumping volley at the net but Halep again scurries, skitters, scrambles and scrabbles furiously to work her way back to deuce. A backhand down the line gives Halep advantage and Pliskova nets from the last. That could be the hold that breaks Pliskova’s resistance.
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Third set: Halep 6-4, 3-6, 3-1 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Pliskova plonks a lazy forehand into the net to put Haleop 0-15 up, then nets a backhand – 0-30. Brilliant survival-stuff at the net from Pliskova somehow keeps her in the game at 15-30 and a line-kissing forehand brings it back to 30-all. Halep – who has taken one out of eight break points – gets her ninth, though, and this time takes it with the shot of the match: a brilliant running forehand to beat Pliskova at the net from an almost impossible angle. Halep gets the break.
Third set: Halep* 6-4, 3-6, 2-1 Pliskova (*denotes server) Halep holds to 15 in routine fashion.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on The Internet:
Here's a young Simona Halep with Gheorghe Hagi. pic.twitter.com/Z4SVbsS8cL
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) June 8, 2017
Third set: Halep 6-4, 3-6, 1-1 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Pliskova comes into the net and can’t stoop low enough to pick up the volley then Halep brilliantly scoops over a cross-court winner for 0-30. Some hammering groundstrokes, though, bring her back to 30-30. Dogged stuff from the world No3 but a botched backhand into the net takes us to deuce. A wonderful backhand down the line gives Pliskova advantage and Halep takes advantage of a second serve to bring us back to deuce. Halep will be kicking herself if she can’t break here. She gets a look at a break point but a stonking serve is just about enough to save it, despite Halep’s best efforts. An ace ends it. Excellent stuff all round.
Third set: Halep* 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 Pliskova (*denotes server) Well, I didn’t really see this coming at the end of the first but into a third set we go. Halep just seems to have gone a bit flat, disillusioned perhaps with how well Plishkova has refused to throw in the towel The Czech player is deservedly on level terms and you wouldn’t really bet against her powering through and springing a surprise.
On the freshly swept and sprinkled court, Halep races into a 40-0 lead. Pliskova pummels a forehand down the line to keep herself in it but then goes long. Halep starts with a hold.
Pliskova wins the second set 6-3
Second set: Halep 6-4, 3-6 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Pliskova serves for the second set. Halep, allowing errors to creep into her game, skews a forehand wide and Pliskova has two set points … and she needs just the one! For the second time today, we go into a third set.
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Second set: Halep* 6-4, 3-5 Pliskova (*denotes server) Are we going to have two three-setters today? Halep skitters from side to side as Pliskova sets up camp in the centre of the court and a thunking return – her 23rd winner to Halep’s nine – brings up 30-30. And then a set point at 30-40. Halep backhands down the line to save it, then storms on to take the game.
Second set: Halep 6-4, 2-5 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Two long baseline rallies end with Halep 0-30 up. Pliskova wrests back momentum with a booming serve but then overhits her forehand to end another long back-and-forth. Two break points for Halep to break straight back … but Pliskova escapes once more, one of those trademark booming serves coming to her aid in the second point. Deuce. And Halep goes long to give Plishkova the hold.
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Second set: Halep* 6-4, 2-4 Pliskova (*denotes server) It feels like Halep has been in control of this but the official stats show that she leads only 53-52 in total points, which is testament to how well Pliskova has hung in there. She races into a 0-40 lead and three break points but goes long with a forehand. But Halep goes wild and wide from the next! Pliskova goes a break up in the second set.
Second set: Halep 6-4, 2-3 Pliskova* (*denotes server) First serves in = a Pliskova hold to love.
Second set: Halep* 6-4, 2-2 Pliskova (*denotes server) Terrific hitting from the baseline from Halep, pushing Pliskova around the court. Pliskova needs to switch that around. And she does so at 40-15 before charging the net to volley … wide. Nice idea though.
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Second set: Halep 6-4, 1-2 Pliskova* (*denotes server) A double-fault takes us to 30-all on the Pliskova serve but a booming ace gives her the hold. It feels a bit more even at the moment: Pliskova has found a method that is keeping here in the hunt.
Second set: Halep* 6-4, 1-1 Pliskova (*denotes server) Pliskova has gone a bit Ostapenko here – attempting to hit winners with almost every shot. She has a decent success rate too, taking the game to 30-30. But too netted forehands later, Halep has the hold.
Second set: Halep 6-4, 0-1 Pliskova* (*denotes server) It feels like there’s only one winner here, unless Pliskova can completely change the flow of the match. Halep simply needs to continue what she is doing to reach the final. Pliskova has two or three chances to put the first point of this set away from the net but ends up going wide with a volley, though she responds by pummelling a backhand down the line. A solid volley takes the Czech to 40-15 but a scooping backhand cross-court brings Halep back to 40-30 and Pliskova nets to bring up deuce. Again, though, Pliskova does enough to get over the line on her serve.
Halep wins first set 6-4
First set: Halep* 6-4 Pliskova (*denotes server) Pliskova goes long – her 24th unforced error – to give Halep two set points. The Czech saves the first with a blistering cross-court backhand return … but goes wide with the next!
First set: Halep 5-4 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Pliskova serving to stay in this first set. The deepest of deep returns from Halep at 30-all gives her a first look at set point but Pliskova does wonderfully well to save it with an almost insouciant forehand. A couple of deuces later, Pliskova goes wide with a forehand. Second set point … and again saved. After Halep nets, Pliskova escapes with a hold. Still Halep will serve for the first set.
First set: Halep* 5-3 Pliskova (*denotes server) This feels like Halep’s match to lose. She’s so natural on the clay, while Pliskova looks nothing like as comfortable on the surface. Halep races into a 40-0 lead here but Pliskova pegs her back with a huge forehand and a confident volley. She just can’t live with Halep from the baseline though – a hold to 15.
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First set: Halep 4-3 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Pliskova misses a routine backhand down the line to fall 15-30 behind but has the relentless Halep scampering from the next. 30-30. Then they exchange points – deuce. A brilliant backhand under pressure after another long rally gives Pliskova the edge at advantage, then she crushes a serve down the middle to hold.
First set: Halep* 4-2 Pliskova (*denotes server) A scrappy game with Pliskova narrowly missing with a couple of backhands. She can’t quite get going at the moment. Halep holds to 15.
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First set: Halep 3-2 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Philippe-Chatrier is pretty empty for this match – I’d say it’s about a third full, which is a bit of a shame. Perhaps everyone has popped out for a Kronenberg and they’ll be back in a bit. Pliskova pulls a backhand wide at 30-all, which gives Halep the chance of a double break … but she nets a backhand and we’re at deuce once more. Another booming serve and a Halep miscue gives the Czech an important hold.
More than any man and they play best of 5. https://t.co/z14nbg6jXR
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) June 8, 2017
First set: Halep* 3-1 Pliskova (*denotes server) Pliskova crumps a backhand into the net with such force that the ball somehow manages to clamber over into the Halep court. That brings up 15-40 and a mistake from Halep then hands her opponent two break points. Pliskova goes wide from the first and from the second a terrific rally ensues with, predictably enough, Halep getting the upper hand. Deuce. And another. And another. But eventually Halep consolidates the break.
First set: Halep 2-1 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Pliskova is a loper around the court, Halep a scurrier – it’s making for an interesting contrast in styles. A double-fault, her second of the game, gives Halep two break points and after another lengthy rally the Romanian player claims the break at the first opportunity.
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First set: Halep* 1-1 Pliskova (*denotes server) Pliskova gets the better of a 14-shot rally to bring up 30-30 but goes long from the next and nets a backhand to hand Halep a simple hold.
First set: Halep 0-1 Pliskova* (*denotes server) Off we go then. The 6ft 1in Pliskova booms down a couple of her big serves to bag a couple of points, which is to be expected. What will please her most, though, will be getting the best of a baseline rally to close out the game. A confident start for the Czech player.
And while they do that, you can have a read of Simon Cambers’ report on the first semi-final:
Tok, tok, tok, tok … Out come the players for the warm-ups.
Tale of the tape
Simona Halep (Romania)
Age: 26
Ranking: 4
Seeded: 3
Route to the semi-final: 1st rd: Cepelova; 2nd rd: Maria; 3rd rd: Kasatkin (26); 4th rd: Suarez Navarro (21); QF: Svitolina (5).
Karolina Pliskova (Czech Republic)
Age: 25
Ranking: 3
Seeded: 2
Route to the semi-final: 1st rd: Zheng; 2nd rd: Alexandrova; 3rd rd: Witthoeft; 4th rd: Cepede Royg; QF: Garcia (28).
Previous meetings: 4-1 Halep
The second semi
Next up it’s the No2 seed v the No3 seed, Simona Halep v Karolina Pliskova. There’s more than the French Open title at stake here: this is also a battle the top spot in the world. If Pliskova reaches the final that’ll be enough to see her jump above Angelique Kerber at the top of the world rankings. Halep needs to win the whole thing to reach No1.
Halep holds a 4-1 head-to-head lead but the good news for Pliskova is that all five of their previous meetings have been on hard courts. The bad news is that the Romanian’s favourite surface is the clay, and she came into this tournament on the back of winning on the red stuff in Madrid and reaching the final in Rome. Halep has also been to the final of the French Open before, losing to Maria Sharapova in 2014.
Neither has been flawless en route to the final, though Halep was particularly impressive in her quarter-final victory over Elina Svitolina, having been a set and 5-1 down. Pliskova has her work cut out.
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Who will Ostapenko be peppering from the baseline in the final? It’ll be either Simona Halep or Karolina Pliskova. Stick the kettle on, grab a sarnie, then join me for the second semi-final in a few moments.
Well, from 3-3 in the third that unravelled pretty quickly for Bacsinszky. But Ostapenko was relentless. She becomes the first unseeded player into the women’s French Open final since Mima Jausovec in 1983. She’s also the first Latvian ever to reach a grand slam final and the youngest player into a grand slam final since 2009. What an achievement for her on 20th birthday.
The crowd again serenade her with “Joyeux Anniversaire”. Twice. Increasingly awkwardly. Let’s stop.
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Jelena Ostapenko wins third set to reach final!
Third set: Ostapenko* 7-6, 3-6, 6-3 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Ostapenko gets in front at 15-0 but Bacsinszky whips a neat forehand away for 15-15. A thumping Ostapenko return kisses the baseline to give her a 15-30 lead and a terrific forehand gives her two match points. Bacsinszky’s serve is unreturnable and saves the first but she can’t save the next! Ostapenko blasts down another winner and storms into the final!
Third set: Ostapenko* 7-6, 3-6, 5-3 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Ostapenko has been a break up not once, not twice, but thrice in this set. Can she make this one stick? Yes she can! Ostapenko races into a 40-0 lead as Bacsinszky makes some uncharacteristic errors and she goes long with a lob from the last. Ostapenko is one game away from the final.
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Third set: Ostapenko 7-6, 3-6, 4-3 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Bacsinszky is the better player at the moment which, given the way this match has played out, means she’ll lose her serve in all likelihood here. And indeed she does. Ostapenko bombards her from the back of the court and this time the winners outweigh the errors. The unseeded youngster is just two games from the French Open final.
Third set: Ostapenko* 7-6, 3-6, 3-3 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) We have the longest rally of the match: 17 shots. Ostapenko gets the better of it then pings down an ace for 30-15 but follows it up with a forehand into the base of the net and a backhand that ends up in the same place. Break point Bacsinszky … and she takes it! A thumping backhand is too hot to handle. Ostapenko folds her arms in disgust.
Third set: Ostapenko 7-6, 3-6, 3-2 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Bacsinszky tiredly dumps a couple of shots into the net and has a pressure-point at 30-30, second serve. Ostapenko pounces on the opportunity and crashes a forehand down the line to bring up a break point … but she goes long and we have another deuce. Bacsinszky brilliantly beats Ostapenko from the baseline to give herself the advantage then the youngster nets. An important hold.
Third set: Ostapenko* 7-6, 3-6, 3-1 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Bacsinszky keeps making Ostapenko play one more shot, one more shot, but she’s on the back foot again here. Nevertheless at 40-30 Ostapenko goes just wide with a backhand, which again Bacsinszky, rather than the line judge, is the one to spot. Ostapenko isn’t happy but it’s deuce. And again. And again. And again. And again. Bacsinszky keeps pegging her young opponent back but can’t get in front and, after five deuces, Ostapenko holds in the longest game of the match so far.
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Third set: Ostapenko 7-6, 3-6, 2-1 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) From the ridiculous back to the sublime – Ostapenko hammers a stunning return down the line to take a 0-30 lead then dominates the next rally to grab three break points. She finds time to throw in a couple of those unforced errors but a wild Bacsinszky backhand means we have a third successive break in this set.
Third set: Ostapenko* 7-6, 3-6, 1-1 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) At love-all Bacsinszky stops a point to get the umpire out of her chair to check a line call. It’s a smart move – the ball was out – and in the blink of an eye she has a 0-40 lead. Ostapenko goes long and glares resignedly at her coaches, seemingly on the verge of bursting into angry tears. We’re back on serve.
Third set: Ostapenko 7-6, 3-6, 1-0 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) So into the deciding set. Ostapenko was verging on a full-on funk at the end of the second, so she’ll have to have used the break to gather herself and refocus. It’s Bacsinszky’s turn to throw in a couple of errors and gift her opponent a 0-30 lead and that’s enough to give Ostapenko her mojo back. She breaks to 15.
Bacsinszky wins the second set 6-3
Second set: Ostapenko* 7-6, 3-6 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Both these players are playing some terrific tennis, the ferocity of Bacsinszky’s defending matched only by that of Ostapenko’s hitting. The Latvian is going for it on every point, regardless of where she is on the court, and it’s not going her way at the moment. There are angry glances at her coaches aplenty. More errors hand Bacsinszky two set points on a plate … Ostapenko batters her way out of the first but then double faults to give Bacsinszky the set.
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Second set: Ostapenko 7-6 3-5 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) The official stats differ slightly from those being published on TV, but Ostapenko leads 32-17 in winners and 38-15 in unforced errors, which pretty much tells you the story of the match. We go to deuce yet again on the Bacsinszky serve and another one of those unforced errors from Ostapenko, overhitting a simple passing shot, gives Bacsinszky the advantage but another one of those winners, this time a backhand down the line, takes us back to deuce.
At this point Bacsinszky is just trying to keep the ball in play and waiting to see what happens. And what happens is a couple of unforced errors, the second a horrible netted volley that leads to the hold and sees Ostapenko drop her racket and put her head in her hands.
Second set: Ostapenko* 7-6 3-4 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) The Bacsinszky drop shot goes awry and hands Ostapenko a 30-0 lead, which becomes 40-0 after a spot of serve-and-volley from the Latvian. Then the mistakes creep in and her 58th unforced error of the match brings us back to deuce. A double-fault and a netted forehand give Bacsinszky a look at a break point … and another netted forehand gives Bacsinszky the break.
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Second set: Ostapenko 7-6 3-3 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Bacsinszky hangs in a rally from deep behind the baseline while Ostapenko hammers away from the back of the court and eventually the youngster, having got herself into a winning position in the point, bashes a forehand wild and wide. 15-0 but it’s hard work for the Swiss. Despite a couple of remarkable returns from the youngster, Bacsinszky holds to 15.
Second set: Ostapenko* 7-6 3-2 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Finally we have a settled spell: three straight holds for, by my reckoning, the first time in the match.
Second set: Ostapenko 7-6 2-2 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Bacsinszky desperately needs to hold here as the momentum threatens to swing decisively her opponents’ way. And she does just that, courtesy of a couple of Ostapenko mistakes.
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Second set: Ostapenko* 7-6 2-1 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) A thunking serve down the middle takes Ostapenko to 30-0 and two booming baseline backhands take her to the quickest of holds. That was almost certainly the shortest game of the match.
Second set: Ostapenko 7-6 1-1 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Make that eight in 14.
Second set: Ostapenko* 7-6 0-1 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Bacsinskzy races into a 15-30 lead and Ostapenko nets a forehand to give her opponent two break points. Of which she needs just one. So in 13 games, we’ve had seven breaks of serve.
Ostapenko wins first set 7-6 (7-4)
First set tie-break: Ostapenko 7-4 Bacsinszky Ostapenko nets on her first opportunity to seal the set but she puts away a volley next up for the lead.
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First set tie-break: Ostapenko 6-3 Bacsinszky Three set points after a cracking forehand down the line …
First set tie-break: Ostapenko 5-3 Bacsinszky A wonderful cross-court backhand from Ostapenko is followed up by a terrific return of serve that helps her open up a two-point lead for the first time.
First set tie-break: Ostapenko 3-3 Bacsinszky More sound defensive tennis from the Swiss player keeps things on an even keel.
First set tie-break: Ostapenko 2-1 Bacsinszky Ostapenko immediately gets the mini-break with a forehand down the line, but it means little given the way these two are playing. Indeed, Bacsinszky levels it up straight away. The Latvian takes the next with a drop shot though.
First set: Ostapenko* 6-6 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Bacsinszky has played some excellent defensive tennis but she’s being forced to play reactively, with Ostapenko the aggressor. Just occasionally, though, the youngster seems to switch off for a game and she does so here. Bacsinszky takes advantage of some second serves to break to 15. We’ll have a tie break for the first set.
First set: Ostapenko 6-5 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Ostapenko gets the better of two short rallies to lead 0-30 then should put away a poor drop shot from Bacsinszky but bunts it meekly into the net. That was a huge chance but she makes no mistake from the next, dominating the rally to bring up two break points. She should put away the first – Bacsinszky brilliantly lobs to save – but batters her opponent again from the next to secure the break. She’ll serve for the first set.
First set: Ostapenko* 5-5 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Ostapenko’s second serve is proving a weakness, with one here so gentle that Bacsinszky is able to return with a drop shot. Another attempted drop plops into the net cord to bring up 30-30 and a forceful forehand down the line takes the Latvian to 40-30. Bacsinszky goes long from the next to give her opponent an important hold. “C’MOONNN!” she roars from the baseline.
First set: Ostapenko 4-5 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Again Bacsinszky has a fuss-free game, this time holding to 15. That injury break seems to have taken the wind out of Ostapenko’s sails.
First set: Ostapenko* 4-4 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Bacsinszky has her right lower quad taped up and bandaged. She doesn’t seem to concerned about it but she tends to give little away on the court anyway. She’s had to do the bulk of the running thus far, while Ostapenko pounds away from the baseline. The Latvian struggles to test out the injury, though, going wide twice then booming down an ace for 15-30. A double-fault brings up 15-40 … and a netted forehand means Bacsinszky breaks back without breaking sweat.
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Bacsinszky has called for the trainer after jarring her left knee a game or two ago. Ah, but the physio seems concerned with the other knee so it’s a mystery to me. Fingers crossed it’s not too serious.
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First set: Ostapenko 4-3 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) A second serve ace surprises Ostapenko and she takes her irritation out on the next one, hammering a forehand return down the line for 15-30. Bacsinszky goes long with a backhand to offer her young opponent two break points – she saves the first but can do nothing about the second, another pummeling backhand, and Ostapenko goes a break up.
First set: Ostapenko* 3-3 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Serves and Sensibility? Small Time Violation Crooks? The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came down a Moun-10-8 Winner in the Tie Break? OK I’ll stop now. Neither of these players are finding it easy to hold serve. Bacsinszky has used the drop shot to good effect and she does so again here to take a 15-40 lead. Ostapenko again batters her way back into the game from the back of the court, bringing up yet another deuce, and again manages a tricky hold.
First set: Ostapenko 2-3 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Ostapenko goes into stroppy teen mode after a close line call, all shrugs and mutterings. Her luck soon turns though when the net-cord interferes in her favour to bring up 30-all, and she has a break point after crashing another baseline winner past her opponent. The snarl returns after she goes long, then volleys wide when she could probably have allowed Bacsinszky’s looping return to drop wide. Bacsinszky holds.
First set: Ostapenko* 2-2 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) Ostapenko has to wait to serve as latecomers pour into the arena and we see Hugh Grant is in the crowd (though he seems to have been settled in for a while), which means I waste half the game trying to think of tennis puns in Hugh Grant films. I’ve got nothing (15-Love Actually?). A brilliant rally at 30-all ends with Ostapenko going long but she saves the break point with another one of those trademark thumping backhands from the baseline. And she goes on to make an important hold.
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First set: Ostapenko 1-2 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) A couple of crashing baseline winners put Ostapenko 0-30 up and she gets her first look at a break point at 30-40. Bacsinszky goes long and Ostapenko breaks back immediately.
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First set: Ostapenko* 0-2 Bacsinszky (* denotes server) A beautiful backhand dropshot from Bacsinszky puts her ahead in the game, then an exocet of a backhand fizzes past Ostapenko for a 0-30 lead. The Latvian battles back to 30-all, this time leaping all over a loose attempted dropshot, then bullying Bacsinszky from the middle of the court to lead 40-30. Ostapenko is struggling to cope with the Bacsinszky backhand, though, and we’re soon at deuce. Ostapenko goes wide with a cross-court backhand to give Bacsinszky an early break point but a thumping serve puts paid to that. Another wild backhand again goes wide, though, and Bacsinszky’s clever dropshot from the back of the court works for a second time to give her the break.
First set: Ostapenko 0-1 Bacsinszky* (* denotes server) Ostapenko made a slow start against Wozniacki in the last round (going 5-0 down in the opening set) and her radar is a touch askew in this opening game here. She nets a routine forehand and Bacsinszky holds to 15.
Tok, tok, tok … the players are warmed up and we’re about ready to go. No sign of that threatened shower around Roland Garros. Glorious sunshine is the order of the day.
A pre-match email: “I saw Ostapenko and Bacsinszky do well as a team in the doubles at the China Open in October - will be interesting to see who knows who’s game better,” writes Andrew Benton. “Bacsinszky was great with the crowd afterwards too, very patient with the fans, giving lots of time for selfies and autographs.”
The fans on Philippe-Chatrier have serenaded the players with “Joyeux Anniversaire”, which, if I remember my GCSE French lessons correctly, means “I have lost my hat. Where is the swimming pool?” Emotional scenes.
Out come the players … Ostapenko leads the way, followed by Bacsinszky in her large headphones.
Weather watch: There’s the chance of a shower this afternoon but in general we’re set fair (though there’s rain forecast overnight). The breeze remains, well, breezy.
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How did these players get to this point? Kevin Mitchell at Roland Garros saw Tuesday’s rain-and-wind affected quarter-finals:
Rain and wind scudded through Paris on day 10 of the 2017 French Open, punching a three-hour hole in the schedule, but it was worth the wait for the combustible but talented teenager Jelena Ostapenko, and the Swiss outsider, Timea Bacsinszky, who will meet in the semi-finals on Thursday. As it happens they share a birthday that day, which is taking Hollywood scriptwriting to absurdity.
Ostapenko, who turns 20 on the biggest day of her career, said after beating Caroline Wozniacki in three sets: “It was tough because we had to go away two times from the court and Caroline is such a tough opponent. It’s great to play here on my birthday. I am really going to enjoy it.”
Tale of the tape
Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)
Age: 20
Ranking: 47
Unseeded
Route to the semi-final: 1st rd: Chirico; 2nd rd: Puig; 3rd rd: Tsurenko; 4th rd: Stosur (23); QF: Wozniacki (11).
Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland)
Age: 28
Ranking: 31
Seeded: 30
Route to the semi-final: 1st rd: Sorribes Tormo; 2nd rd: Brengle; 3rd rd: Jabeur; 4th rd: V Williams (10); QF: Mladenovic (13).
Previous meetings: 0
Preamble
What were you doing on your 20th birthday? If it was anything like mine it involved a trip to the pub, a bar, and a rapid descent into Jägerbombs and embarrassment. And what about on your 28th birthday? If it was anything like mine it involved a trip out for dinner, a bar, and a rapid descent into Jägerbombs and embarrassment.
But for their birthday bash Jelena Ostapenko, 20 today, and Timea Bacsinszky, 28 today, are facing each other for a place in the French Open final. They both came through gruelling quarter-finals in impressive style and their meeting on Philippe-Chatrier this afternoon should provide a fascinating contrast in styles, with the hard-hitting all-or-nothing Ostapenko likely to be the aggressor against the wily counter-punching Bacsinszky.
Bacsinszky’s route to this point is a fascinating one and goes far beyond her results at Roland Garros this year. In 2011 she gave up tennis entirely, having grown sick of a sport she had been forced into. “Because my dad was my coach when I was a kid, I didn’t have a choice to play or not to play,” the Swiss player told the New York Times in 2014. “He wanted to live his dream through me, and unlucky for me, I was playing really well.”
She went to work in bars and restaurants in preparation for a course in hotel management but a wildcard entry into the 2013 French Open reignited her love for the game and, with a new coaching team in place, she has not looked back. This is her third successive trip to the last eight in this tournament and her second semi-final appearance in three years.
Ostapenko’s back story is not as lengthy or as traumatic, though she did spend seven years combining her tennis aspirations with a potential career in ballroom dancing (and if you’ve watched some of the early rounds of Strictly on a Saturday evening you’ll know they can be very traumatic indeed). She still dances, she says, four times a week and reckons it helps with her footwork, though it’s her power that impresses most and could be key to the young Latvian forcing her way through to her first grand-slam final.
The action starts at 2pm BST/3pm in Paris, with the second semi-final, Simona Halep v Karolina Pliskova, to follow.
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