Teenager Ostapenko through to semi-final
Unseeded Latvian teenager Jelena Ostapenko fought through the rain delays to battle past former world number one Caroline Wozniacki and secure a place in the semi-finals of the French Open at Roland Garros, where there was disappointment for home favourite Kristina Mladenovic. Ostapenko, 19, had struggled against the wind during the opening set on Suzanne-Lenglen, which Wozniacki took control of with two early brakes to race into a 5-0 lead. Although Ostapenko, ranked 47 and looking to reach a first Grand Slam semi-final, recovered to 5-4 with two breaks of her own, the Dane closed out the first set as she broke the Latvian to love in the next game. However, Ostapenko responded in the second set, breaking the world number 12 twice as she moved 5-2 ahead before rain forced the players off. Following a delay of the best part of three hours, the teenager closed out the set on her serve to level. Wozniacki led 2-1 again in the decider before another rain delay. Ostapenko, though, produced the required resolve when play resumed, with a double break putting her on the brink of victory, which she delivered when holding her serve to love as Wozniacki’s return dropped wide. The elation of the 19-yearold was clear as the feat of her achievement began to sank in, after a 4-6 6-2 6-2 win over the 11th seed in just under two hours on court. There was, though, tears of disappointment over on Philippe-Chatrier, where Mladenovic’s hopes of becoming a first French champion since Mary Pierce in 2000 evaporated as she was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Swiss no 30 seed Timea Bacsinszky. Ostapenko and Bacsinszky are set to meet for a place in the final tomorrow.