Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

Federer, Nadal to meet in French Open semis

-

AFP - Roger Federer set up a mouthwater­ing French Open semi-final clash with Rafael Nadal yesterday when he defeated Stan Wawrinka in four sets to become the oldest Men’s Grand Slam semi-finalist in 28 years.

The 37-year-old Swiss beat his compatriot 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to reach his 43rd major semi-final and eighth at Roland Garros.

Defending champion Nadal, bidding for a 12th title at the French Open, blitzed a weary Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion is the oldest man to make the semis at one of the big four tournament­s since Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open aged 39.

It will be Federer’s first Roland Garros semifinal since a defeat by Novak Djokovic in 2012.

Meanwhile, Johanna Konta became the first British Woman in 36 years to reach the semifinals by sweeping past seventh-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States, last year’s runner-up, 6-1, 6-4.

The 28-year-old Konta had not won a match at Roland Garros in any of her previous four visits.

But now she has emulated Jo Durie who was the last British Woman to make the French Open semi-finals in 1983.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Sri Lanka