Ostanpenko roars to glory
Latvian 1st unseeded player to lift title at Roland Garros in Open era
FACTFILE
World number 47 Ostapenko is the first Latvian major champion in history
The 20-year-old is the youngest French Open winner since Iva Majoli in 1997
First player to win a debut tour-level title at a Slam since Gustavo Kuerten in Paris that same year
First career title in just her eighth Slam appearance and will see her world ranking rocket to 12 from 47 Paris, June 10: Nine-time champion Rafael Nadal powered into a record 10th French Open final on Friday and will face 2015 winner Stan Wawrinka for the title after the Swiss outdueled Andy Murray in a five-set epic.
Nadal demolished Austrian pretender and sixth seed Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-4, 6-0 to return to the final at Roland Garros for the first time since the last of his nine titles in 2014.
Wawrinka became the oldest finalist in Paris in 44 years with a thrilling 67 (6/8), 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 61 win over world number one Murray.
“I’ve played a very good event, played well in all the matches and today was no exception,” said Nadal, who has lost just 29 games in reaching Sunday’s championship match.
“I started a bit more nervous, but then I played well. “It’s true that Dominic played with more mistakes than usual today, but it was windy.”
Nadal is bidding to become the first man to win 10 titles at a single Grand Slam and leads the head-to-head with Wawrinka 15-3.
“I always say the same but it’s true. Nine or 10, it’s only 10 percent more. It’s true 10 is a beautiful number, nine is my favourite, but if I win it will become 10.”
However, he will be mindful of another upset after the Swiss stunned an injury-hit Nadal three years ago to claim the Australian Open crown.
“I have been playing a great event. But Stan is playing unbelievable,” said Nadal, who despite his imposing record has split the past six meetings with Wawrinka.
“It will be a super hard final and I will need to play at my very best.”
Nadal withstood a shaky start before reeling off four games in succession to subdue Thiem, who was looking to be just the second Austrian finalist at a Slam after 1995 French Open winner Thomas Muster.
Thiem is the only player to defeat Nadal on clay this season, but the fourth seed barely gave his rival a sniff and conceded just nine points in a chastening final set. Paris, June 10: Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko stunned third seed Simona Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday to win her maiden Grand Slam title and become the lowest-ranked champion in French Open history.
Ostapenko, 20, is the first unseeded player to lift the Roland Garros title in the Open era and the first Latvian major champion in history.
She is the youngest French Open winner since Iva Majoli in 1997 and the first player to win a debut tour-level title at a Slam since Gustavo Kuerten in Paris that same year.
For Halep, bidding to join compatriots Ilie Nastase and Virginia Ruzici as major winners, it was a second final defeat in four years at Roland Garros.
The 25-year-old would have replaced Angelique Kerber as world number one with victory, but Halep was overpowered as Ostapenko blasted 54 winners to the Romanian’s 10.
Ostapenko set the tone immediately, disguising any nerves with an array of bruising groundstrokes to break Halep in the opening game. But the Romanian delivered a swift counter-punch, hitting back straight away on the Latvian’s serve before holding with ease for 2-1. More crisp shotmaking for Ostapenko nudged the 20-year-old ahead once more, but the errors flew off her racquet just as regularly and Halep pulled 4-3 in front.
Ostapenko’s wildness betrayed her as she served to stay in the set at 4-5, netting a forehand to offer Halep set point and drilling long to gift the Romanian the set.
The Latvian’s mood soured further when Halep escaped from 040 down to begin the second set, the third seed then breaking Ostapenko to compound her frustration.
Halep consolidated with a gritty hold for 30 before Ostapenko fought off a trio of break points to stall her rival’s momentum and spark an incredible comeback. The Latvian moved level on serve when Halep hooked a forehand wide and then earned another break to chalk up a fourth game on the trot.