 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 04 Jun 2009 |
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| 04 Jun 2009 - Paris, France - Simon Cambers | |
| Semifinal line-up decided at Roland Garros |
Here is a novel blueprint for achieving success at a grand-slam event – get injured, don’t practise much and storm through to the semi-finals.
It may not work for too many players but that’s exactly what Russia’s Ksenia Pervak has done en route to earning a well-deserved place in the last four of the girls’ event at the French Open.
The 18-year-old left-hander, who won the Australian Open title in January, beat another Russian, Valeria Solovieva, 62 75 on Thursday and now stands just one match away from another final.
After her victory in Australia, Pervak, had hernia surgery but her recovery took time and she only began practising for Paris a few days before the start of the event.
Throw in the fact that she had never won a match in two previous visits to Roland Garros and her expectations coming in were rather low.
“I’m a little bit surprised that I am in the semis because without practice it’s a little bit tough,” she laughed.
“I’m happy with the way I am playing but it’s still a little difficult with the physical things, because I am not fit enough – I think I am about 65 percent fit. And before, I didn’t win a match in Roland Garros, so I am really surprised by this.”
Regardless of her lack of practice, Pervak is now the favourite for the title. She holds a senior ranking of 156 and has the best pedigree of the four girls remaining in the draw.
That’s not to say she will be taking her next opponent, Daria Gavrilova, lightly.
The Russian battled past Peruvian Bianca Botto 64 26 75 and is proving to be the marathon girl of the tournament, after three consecutive three-set victories.
The other semi-final is set to be a blockbuster clash between ninth seed Kristina Mladenovic of France and American No 15 seed Sloane Stephens.
Mladenovic produced another big serving performance as she saw off South African Chanel Simmonds 76 62.
Stephens extended her stunning run of form as she hammered No 11 seed Silvia Nirjic of Croatia 62 62 to make it 16 wins in a row.
In the boys’ event, German Dominik Schulz followed up his victory over second seed Bernard Tomic with a gutsy 46 75 64 win over Brazil’s Guilherme Clezar.
The left-handed Schulz dug himself out of a hole in the second set and then held his nerve in the decider to set up a clash with France’s Gianni Mina.
Schulz said tiredness had affected him at the start against Clezar, a hangover from his emotionally draining clash with Tomic.
“I was mentally more down yesterday,” Schulz said. “I was dead, really dead. Today it was really good, I feel really good now, even though it was a longer match than yesterday.
“It was so difficult to play against (Tomic) because he’s a hero in juniors. He’s normally playing other levels than us and it was so mentally difficult to manage.”
Schulz said he expected a tough match against Mina, who upset third seed Andrea Collarini 16 62 63.
“We have played twice,” he said. “Once I won European Championships 0 and 4, and then the last time, four weeks ago, I lost 4 and 4. I think simply who has the better day tomorrow has the advantage.”
The other semi-final will be between two unseeded players, Sweden’s Daniel Berta and Henri Laaksonen of Finland.
Berta saw off German Richard Becker 63 63 while Laaksonen eased past Filip Horansky of Slovakia.
Related Articles
> Mina and Mladenovic reach round of last eight
> Top seed Robson latest seed to fall
> Robson through on day of upsets
> Tomic off to a successful start at Roland Garros
> 2009 Roland Garros Preview
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