If you’ve been following all of the content I’ve written so far about the french open, you would have seen I didn’t post a round-up of yesterday’s play last night.
I will be combining the results from yesterday, with today as the men's quarter-final matches were rained off, and I wanted a more comprehensive overview of play.
First out on Philippe-Chatrier will be the continuation of Rafael Nadal vs. Diego Schwartzman. Schwartzman leads with a set, but Nadal is a break up, at 5-3 in the second set.
Marin Cilic and Juan Martin Del Potro will be continuing their match on Suzanne Lenglen with the match tied at 6-6 (5-5).
Following the Nadal Schwartzman match will be the two women's semi-final matches. Here are my predictions.
Simona Halep [1] vs. Garbine Muguruza [3]
Simona Halep is the current world No. 1 on the WTA Tour, having previously held this position for 16 weeks between October 2017 and January 2018. Whilst she is the world number 1, she has not won a grand slam.
Since turning professional in 2012, Garbine Muguruza has won six singles titles, including two majors at the 2016 French Open and the 2017 Wimbledon Championships.
This is going to be a very tight match. They have played each other four times, with Garbine Muguruza winning three of them. Their only clay meeting (in Stuttgart in 2015) was won by Simona Halep in three sets.
Both are playing good tennis, but Muguruza did have a dip in form against Sharapova. Whilst she did win (easily) this was more down to Sharapova losing, than Muguruza winning.
My prediction: From day 1, I have said that this is going to be Muguruza’s tournament and I’m sticking with that. I’m going for a Spanish win in three very tight sets. Here’s hoping for some good womens tennis!
Madison Keys [13] vs. Sloane Stephens [10]
It’s the 2017 US Open all over again, just a round earlier, and on clay. So technically; nothing like the US Open.
Madison Keys will be coming into this match with a point to prove. She achieved a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world in October 2016, and has been consistently ranked inside the top 25 by the WTA since early 2015. Keys has played in one Grand Slam final at the 2017 US Open, and also competed at the 2017 WTA Finals. She has won three WTA tournaments and is seeded 13th for Roland Garros.
Sloane Stephens won her first grand slam in 2017. She became the lowest ranked player to win a women's singles title and the first American woman, apart from the Williams sisters to win a GS since the legendary Jennifer Capriati in 2002.
My prediction: I think Sloane Stephens has more consistency coming into this match, and will beat her fellow American in straight sets.