Serena, Muguruza to meet in French women’s final
PARIS — Two years ago at the French Open, Serena Williams was stunned in the second round by a 20-year-old opponent participating in only her 13th match at a major tournament.
That 6-2, 6-2 loss to Garbine Muguruza was, and remains to this day, the most lopsided defeat of Williams’ 338-match Grand Slam career.
So guess who the No. 1-ranked Williams will face in the final at Roland Garros today as she attempts to earn her 22nd major championship and equal Steffi Graf’s Open-era record?
Muguruza, of course.
“I learned so much from that match. I hate to lose, but when I do, I hope it was worth it,” Williams said. “That match was definitely one of those that was kind of needed and worth it.”
Since that setback, Williams has won 47 of 50 matches at majors, collecting four trophies along the way to boost her total to 21. Only Graf and Margaret Court, with 24, own more overall.
Williams moved one victory from Slam title No. 22 — including her second in a row at the French Open — by getting past a poor start and beating Kiki Bertens 7-6 (7), 6-4 in the semifinals Friday. The No. 4-seeded Muguruza advanced by eliminating 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur 6-2, 6-4.
“(Williams) and I are players who like dictating the game,” Muguruza said. “There will be moments when she’ll be dominating, and maybe at times, I will be dominating. I think I can be a tough opponent, too.”
It’s also a rematch of last year’s Wimbledon final, which Williams won in straight sets.
Career Slams seized
Martina Hingis and Leander Paes each completed a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles by winning the final against Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig 4-6, 6-4, 10-8. It was the 10th mixed doubles title at a major for India’s Paes and the fifth for Switzerland’s Hingis.
Paes also owns eight Grand Slam men’s doubles trophies, while Hingis — a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame — has five in singles and 12 in women’s doubles. Heading into Roland Garros, she had won three majors in a row with Mirza as her doubles partner, but they lost in the third round in Paris.
In men’s doubles, American twins Bob and Mike Bryan — already owners of a record 16 Grand Slam titles in their event — will face Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez of Spain. The women’s doubles final will be Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic of France against Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina of Russia.