Keys advances to French Open semis

Both Stephens and Keys were out injured a year ago.

“Maybe we’re just the only two people who haven’t said that we hate clay, so we’ve gotten good vibes with it”, she said.

U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens set up a semi-final clash against fellow-American Madison Keys after easing past Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-1.

American Sloane Stephens, the 10th seed, now stands between Halep and a first grand slam title.

Dabrowski and Pavic were eyeing a second straight major after winning the Australian Open mixed doubles in January.

What’s more, whereas Stephens barely had to get out of second gear in her semi-final, Halep was a force to be reckoned with as she beat Muguruza 6-1, 6-4.

He returned to the court with his leg bandaged and lost the next game.

“So I go into grass season feeling really great, so hopefully that can all just carry over”. “I’d love for both of us to be able to be in the position to play each other multiple times”.

“That means one American will be in the final of a French Open, which is another wonderful thing”.

Elated at securing the world No.1 ranking with a comprehensive 6-1 6-4 semi-final victory over Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza, Halep intends to block out lingering negativity over performances at the tail end of majors.

Halep feels better equipped to finally break her duck in Paris.

“Honestly”, Keys said, “the [U.S.] Open feels like it was 12 years ago, at this point”.

Keys has now bettered her best run in the French capital, advancing to the second week of a Slam in nine of her past 11 outings. Along the way, Simon defended the status of the first racket of the world and virtually guaranteed a place at the Final tournament. The 2016 French Open Champion is a clean hitter of the ball, and is playing with such authority. “But before that, we are not going to be weird and awkward and make it, like, weird for each other”, she said. The 12-time Grand Slam victor fought through a bothersome neck and right leg before falling to Cecchinato, who before Monday was most well-known for a match-fixing suspension that was eventually overturned on appeal.

Now comes challenge of taking on Nadal at Roland Garros. “It has been a long time without good feelings”.

“I have three: my mom, my coach, my agent. I was close to quit”. A spot in the finals is at stake.

In 2009, del Potro lost to Roger Federer in the French Open semifinals.

“Somebody’s going to win”. A lone break to 4-3 was enough to seal the victory, marked by a final smashing first serve, wide to the backhand.

“I know that she’s a strong opponent”. The Kazakh showed great resolve to force a tie-break, though, saving two set points on her own serve.

Keys has now reached the semifinal stage at three of the four Grand Slams.

That he trailed by a set and a break before rain delays allowed him to change tactics and recover to get there?

Backed by fans who loudly chanted her first name between games, Halep went ahead 3-0 with the help of only one victor.

Nadal needed only two points to even his match at a set apiece.