Sam may have fate on side this time

WRONG place, wrong time.

When Sam Stosur confronted Serena Williams in the 2011 US Open, the Queenslander was widely expected to be blasted off the court by the world’s best player on the same night the US marked the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Stosur duly delivered one of the greatest Grand Slam shocks in history with a watershed performance.

Over six intervening seasons, Williams has added a startling 10 majors, while Stosur is yet to add to her solitary Grand Slam.

But with several big names missing from tomorrow’s French Open, including Williams, Stosur might be in the right place at the right time.

The Gold Coaster typically not only produces her best at Roland Garros, but she is also in form – and there’s no Williams, Maria Sharapova or Victoria Azarenka.

Add Simona Halep’s ankle injury and defending champion Garbine Muguruza and Angelique Kerber’s dodgy form and that’s sufficient for Chris Evert to thrust Stosur into contention.

“This tournament is wide open, but you also don’t have Serena, Azarenka, Sharapova,” said Evert, who strung together a record 125 wins on clay.

“You have a Kerber who is not confident, a Muguruza who is not confident.

“You have all the makings of some great women’s tennis.

“Right now . . . there’s a big, big hole.

“Anybody can come through that hole.

“It’s a big opportunity for somebody to just grab it and take it.”

Stosur is among that group. The 2010 French Open finalist surged into this week’s Strasbourg semi-finals without dropping a set.