Ivanovic, Safarova Win; Serena On Wednesday at French Open

by Staff | June 3rd, 2015, 12:39 am
  • 2 Comments

Things went according to plan at the French Open on Tuesday as No. 7 seed Ana Ivanovic dialed it back to her former French Open-winning ways at Roland Garros, defeating No. 19 seed Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-2.
ADHEREL
“Today was a very, very tough match, even though the score doesn’t indicate that,” said Ivanovic, making her first Grand Slam semifinal since winning the French Open in 2008. “It was tough conditions, obviously for both of us. It was very, very gusty. I really tried to just execute my game plan and tried to move my feet more, because in windy conditions that’s what you have to do.”

Ivanovic in the semis will play No. 13 seed Lucie Safarova, who topped No. 21 seed Garbine Muguruza 7-6(3), 6-3.

“It was a battle,” Safarova said. “In the first set the tiebreak was very close and we had some great rallies. I had an early break and lost it in the second, and managed to keep it together and played strong.”


Safarova will now break into the Top 10 for the first time in her career after the tournament. The Czech is on top in her career head-to-head with Ivanovic, leading 5-3 and winning five of the last six.

“She’s a great player,” Ivanovic says of Safarova. “She showed that many times. She had a great match against Maria [Sharapova], and she won Doha beating [Victoria] Azarenka. She’s had so many Top 10 or Top 5 victories. And last year I lost in straight sets to her here.”

The two remaining women’s quarterfinals on Wednesday will feature (1) Serena Williams vs. (17) Sara Errani, and (23) Timea Bacsinszky vs. unseeded Alison Van Uytvanck.

Lethargic at times during the Roland Garros fortnight thus far, Serena will need to bring at least her “A-” game to best the scrambling Italian Errani.

 


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2 Comments for Ivanovic, Safarova Win; Serena On Wednesday at French Open

andrea Says:

congrats to safarova. i always thought she had a good game. what an achievement after being on the tour for so long. first grand slam final! hopefully she can do what her boyfriend of many years hasn’t been able to do and win it!

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