ANASTASIA, BARBORA IN FINAL BATTLE
Slovenian and Czech to vie for French Open title
ANASTASIA Pavlyuchenkova will play Barbora Krejcikova for the French Open title after the Russian reached her first Grand Slam final on Thursday at a record 52nd attempt, while the Czech saved a match point in a dramatic win over Maria Sakkari.
Anastasia defeated World No 85 Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia 7-5, 6-3, with the unseeded Barbora fighting back from the brink to outlast Maria 7-5, 4-6, 9-7 after three hours and 18 minutes.
Anastasia, a quarter-finalist in Paris a decade ago, became the first woman to play more than 50 majors before making her first final, breaking the previous mark of 44 set by 2015 US Open runnerup Roberta Vinci.
“I am so tired and so happy, it is very emotional,” said the 29year-old Anastasia, who made her Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon in 2007.
“It was difficult, I tried to fight very hard and to work on the tactical side. It is important to stay focused and in the right zone for the final on Saturday.”
The 31st seed dropped serve in the opening game on a sundrenched Court Philippe Chatrier but capitalised on a fourth break point against Tamara to break back for 2-2.
Anastasia, a former junior world number one and Roland Garros girls’ singles finalist in 2006, surged 5-3 ahead as Tamara sprayed a forehand wide.
But the Slovenian immediately broke back, rewarded for her persistence and tireless defence.
Tamara then carved herself two break points at 5-5 but Anastasia managed to hold, and the Russian struck the following game to wrap up the first set as her opponent committed a costly double fault.
Anastasia carried that momentum into the second set, breaking to lead 2-0. Tamara responded to get back on serve but was again broken as the Russian swept into a 4-1 advantage.
Tamara, twice two points from defeat in the first round here, continued to scrap hard and the nerves resurfaced for Anastasia as two double faults allowed the Slovenian to claw her way back to 4-3.
But Anastasia was not going to be denied, as another break left her serving for the match, with victory assured when Tamara fired wide.
Barbora, ranked 33, gave the French Open its fourth unseeded women’s finalist in five years after a nerve-jangling three-set victory over Greece’s Maria.
Both players made a nervy start to their maiden Grand Slam semi-final, with 17th seed Maria the first to hold serve in the fourth game as she took a 3-1 lead.
But Barbora picked up the next four, pulling 5-3 ahead with a sublime lob that left her serving for the set.
The Czech was then broken to love as Maria rattled off eight points in a row to level at 5-5.
A routine hold from Barbora put the pressure back on Maria, who surrendered the set as her shot clipped the net and floated wide.
Maria, who took down last year’s runner-up Sofia Kenin and then reigning champion Iga Swiatek in the past two rounds, regrouped and raced 4-0 ahead in the second.
The Greek fended off a spirited comeback from Barbora to force a decider, Maria breaking for a 2-1 edge and saving a break point in the next game to consolidate as the finish line crept ever closer.
Maria had match point at 5-3 but the resilient Barbora stayed alive with a sweeping backhand volley, and then broke back before moving 6-5 in front.
Barbora watched three match points of her own pass by at 7-6, Maria saving a pair with a crunching backhand winner and an ace.
Barbora held again with relative comfort and brought up another match point on Maria’s serve. A forehand from the Greek was called long, but the chair umpire dramatically overruled — even as TV replays showed the ball to be out.
Rather than dwell on her apparent hard luck, Barbora brought up a fifth match point, converting after three hours and 18 minutes with a backhand winner down the line.