Thiem enters semis
Austrian sends second seeded Zverev packing at French Open
Paris, June 5: Dominic Thiem made it to a third straight French Open semi- final after swatting aside second- seeded Alexander Zverev 6- 4, 6- 2, 6- 1 on Tuesday.
The seventh- seeded Thiem is in sight of a first final at Roland Garros.
There was no stirring comeback this time for Zverev on Court Philippe Chatrier.
Heading into the match, the German had won three consecutive five- setters — trailing 1- 2 in sets in each — but the rousing effort caught up to him against Thiem.
Just 10 minutes in, Zverev clutched at his left hamstring. He grabbed it again midway through the second set, after giving chase to one of several drop shots Thiem used to force Zverev to run a lot.
After falling behind 1- 4 in that set an hour into the match, Zverev called for a trainer, who applied a thick bandage to his upper left leg.
Soon enough, Zverev lost the second set, too, and it proved to be too much of a deficit to overcome. He trailed 0- 4 in the third set before getting a game.
Over on Lenglen, meanwhile, Madison Keys reached her first French Open semifinal by defeating unseeded Yulia Putintseva 7- 6 ( 5), 6- 4.
The 13th- seeded Keys has not lost a set at Roland Garros.
While Putintseva regularly lost her composure, Keys stayed calm throughout and the big- hitting American secured victory on her first match point with a powerful serve which clipped Putintseva’s racket and flew into the crowd.
Her box, including Lindsay Davenport, rose to acclaim Keys, who lost last year’s US Open final to Sloane Stephens. They could meet in the semis.
The 10th- seeded Stephens was facing No. 14 Daria Kasatkina in a quarter- finals later Tuesday on Chatrier.
The 98th- ranked Putintseva was trying to become the first player from Kazakhstan to advance to a Grand Slam semifinal.
She had her chances against Keys, troubling her with deft drop shots and spinning, looping forehands, but could not hold her nerve.