The Malay Mail Friday 3 JUNE, 2011
Maria Sharapova hit 10 double-faults in her loss to Li, including on match point
paris: tennis/French open
Wind-assisted win
GUSTING winds at Roland Garros helped defending champion Francesca Schiavone into the French Open final, according to her beaten semifinal opponent Marion Bartoli (pic). "The wind blew away some clay as the match went on," explained Bartoli. "Her slice would get lower and lower and it took me a lot of energy to adjust. "It did really bother me. In order to dictate the points as I like to, I had to bend a lot and physically I had to make
Results
Women's semifinals Francesca Schiavone (ITA) bt Marion Bartoli (FRA) 6-3, 6-3; Li Na (CHN) bt Maria Sharapova (RUS) 6-4, 7-5
Today's matches
Men' semifinals Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Andy Murray (GBR); Roger Federer (SUI) v Novak Djokovic (SRB)
much more effort than usual." Bartoli, who was bidding to become the first Frenchwoman to win the title at Roland Garros since Mary Pierce in 2000, acknowledged the better player had won. "She's at ease on clay because it is more receptive to the effects you give to the ball," she said. "I did not play a bad match, but she played a bit too well." Meanwhile, Bartoli is prepared to snub a second successive Olympic Games as her long-running feud with her country's tennis federation goes on. Bartoli has been coached by her father Walter since she was a child and their independent status has ruled her out of Fed Cup contention, where coaches are all appointed by the federation. To be eligible for the 2012 Olympics, a player must make themselves available for Fed Cup selection. — Agencies
sports
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Best of the best Top four in semis with different agendas
EVEN Rafael Nadal acknowledges his French Open semifinal against Andy Murray is not nearly as intriguing as the one between unbeaten Novak Djokovic and 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. "It's the best player of today against the best player in history. It's going to be a beautiful match," Nadal said. "I would watch it — if I was a spectator." Sure, there's a lot on the line for the entire quartet of men who will be playing at Roland Garros today, which one might expect, given that it is only the 12th time in the
Open era, which dates to 1968, that the top four seeded players reached the semifinals at any Grand Slam tournament. Top-seeded Nadal, for example, is bidding to equal Bjorn Borg's record of six French Open championships. No. 4 Murray is dealing with an injured right ankle as he hopes to win his first Grand Slam title — and give Britain its first male champion at a Major tennis tournament since 1936. No. 3 Federer, meanwhile, has gone more than 16 months without reaching a Grand Slam final, which does not sound too bad unless you consider it is his longest gap since he won
Wimbledon in 2003. Djokovic has had plenty of idle time to ponder things. The Serbi has not played a match since winning in the fourth round on Monday. He got a walkover in the quarterfinals when his opponent, Fabio Fognini of Italy, withdrew because of a left leg muscle injury. "I know he's played a lot of tennis, but he's got to be switched on from the start against Roger," said Murray. Federer was the last player to beat Djokovic, back in November at the ATP World Tour Finals in London. — AP
MARIA SHARAPOVA is not too disappointed by her loss to Li Na in the semifinals and will now turn her focus fully on Wimbledon. It was at the grass courts of southwest London where the Russian exploded onto the
international scene when she swept aside Serena Williams in straight sets to win her first Grand Slam title in 2004 as a precocious 17-year-old. And with her comeback from two years blighted by injury well and truly under-
way, it is to Wimbledon once again that she looks as she tries to win a fourth Grand Slam title. "I enjoy going out to the grass from clay," the Russian said. "It's probably my favourite part of the season." — AFP
Sharapova turns to Wimbledon
OFF TO GREENER COURT: Sharapova not too disappointed by her semifinal defeat— AFPpic