Between the experienced Petra Kvitova (30 years old) and Sofia Kenin on one side opposed to each other in the semi-finals of Roland Garros and the novices at this stage of the competition Nadia Podoroska and Iga Swiatek, the last four of the female table offers very open duels.
Petra Kvitova, the returning
On paper, of the four semi-finalists, she is the one with the most impressive CV. The 11th in the world is also the oldest (30 years old). The Czech player already has two Grand Slams to her credit with her two wins at Wimbledon (2011 and 2014). The left-handed woman had lived a nightmare in December 2016 when she was attacked at her home during a burglary. Removed from the tennis world for five months after an operation on her left hand, she did not find the grounds until June 2017… at Roland Garros. She therefore maintains a very special relationship with Paris. “We can say that this place brings me luck”, recognized the one who will return to the world top 10 after her performance during the fortnight. “Being in the semi-finals after everything I’ve been through is probably stronger (than in 2012) because I could not have imagined being able to reach the semi-finals in Grand Slam again”, compares the Czech left-hander reached the final in Australia earlier this year.
This is his 7th Grand Slam semi-final and his 2nd in Paris after that of 2012.
Sofia Kenin, the ambitious
Fiona Ferro’s killer is the player in the form of the last four. After letting the storm pass in front of the French, she skilfully managed to maneuver against her compatriot, 57th in the world, Danielle Collins (6-4, 4-6, 6-0) in the quarterfinals against whom she remained on three defeats . Victorious of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year, the world n ° 6, 21 years old, does not manage to padlock her meetings on clay: for the 4th time in five games to Roland, she gave up a set. A generosity that could cost him against Kvitova who, on the contrary, has not conceded any round in the women’s table.
The American has just aligned fifteen victories for a single defeat in Grand Slam in 2020.
Nadia Podoroska, forever the first
Never has a player from qualifying reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros. This is to say the performance achieved by the young Argentina, 131st in the world, who like her compatriot Diego Schwartzman in the men’s table can qualify for her first Grand Slam final. Like him with Dominic Thiem, she dismissed in the quarter one of the favorites for the final victory, Elina Svitolina (5th in the world) in straight sets (6-2, 6-4).
For the young woman aged 23 and native of Rosario like a certain Lionel Messi, the course will give her financial ease hitherto unexpected. The player from a family of Ukrainian origin has openly confided on the subject during a press conference. “I have suffered so many years and now I will have some peace, I will have a ranking that will allow me to play bigger tournaments, enter the Grand Slams”, was satisfied the one who has already garnered 450 850 euros.
8 games without defeat Porte d’Auteuil of Argentina: Nadia Podoroska has chained the three in qualification and the five in the main draw.
Iga Swiatek, the new wave
Before this 2020 edition, Swiatek had never passed the round of 16 in a major tournament. But the hunting table of the youngest qualified for the semi-finals (19 years old) is impressive. The 54th world simply offered the two finalists of the 2019 and 2018 edition. In the first round, she had dismissed the Czech Marketa Vondrousova. Before ejecting from the board the Romanian Simona Halep 6-1, 6-2 in 68 minutes, winner here in 2018.
The great friend on the circuit of the Japanese Naomi Osaka, winner of the last US Open, confided to listen to the same song in her headphones before entering the court. The young Polish woman confided that it was “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’Roses. It promises!
This is the number of sets conceded by the Polish since the start of the tournament for an average of four games per match.
