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French Open: Women's Semifinals Preview

Jun 7th 2017

Karolina Pliskova versus Simona Halep

Only four remain in the hunt to be crowned the 2017 Roland Garros Champion, and for Karolina Pliskova and Simona Halep, that trophy must seem even more tantalizingly close.  Neither is apt to make the mistake of forgetting that there will still be one more match to play, but each also knows that she will be the clear favorite in the final, regardless of the result in the other semifinal.  There is also an added bonus dangling in front of them, as either woman could leave Paris not only with the title, but with the world no.1 ranking. Suffice it to say there is plenty to play for in this encounter, and only time will tell which is more prepared to overcome the challenge.

Karolina Pliskova

Although there was not much chatter about her taking the title here – due in large part to the fact that she somehow has never been beyond the second round at Roland Garros – there is every reason to believe that Pliskova would live up to her second seeding and avoid the minor upset.  She possesses that easy power that is so common to many of the Czech players, and her flat ground strokes do penetrate through the court.  Additionally, she is one of the biggest servers on tour and is relatively comfortable in the forecourt.  She unquestionably is the one in the better position to light up the stat sheet and control what is happening out there.

The problem for Pliskova, however, is that she is playing Halep.  Not only that, but she is playing her on a clay court.  Clay itself virtually guarantees that a few more of those booming serves and blistering ground strokes are going to come back more frequently, and even more so against a player like Halep, who has such a decisive edge in the movement department.  Furthermore, Halep does an exquisite job of moving the ball around the court whether she is on the move or stationary.  She is sure to test the consistency of the second seed in addition to potentially turning this into a track meet, which would heavily favor the Romanian.

The mental side also favors the Romanian.  She was the favorite coming into this event because she did have such a strong season on the clay.  She owns a 4-1 record against Pliskova as well, and there is no discounting the confidence she is feeling following her escape act against Elina Svitolina.  She was thoroughly outplayed by the Ukrainian for nearly two full sets before digging in and somehow finding a way to cross the finish line.  She is playing with house money now, and that makes her even more dangerous.

Simona Halep

Despite her poor record against the third seed and lack of previous success in Paris though, it should not be assumed that Pliskova is not psychologically ready to take on this task.  She has come through some tight spots to reach this stage, and this situation is not new to her.  It was just last summer when she put together a spectacular run to reach the US Open Final, defeating both Venus and Serena Williams along the way.  She believes she has the talent and the tools to win a major.  That experience means that she is more likely than Svitolina to make Halep pay if she gets off to a slow start, and she is unlikely to be intimidated by her opponent or the occasion.

The stage is set for this to be a blockbuster semifinal with a lot riding on the line.  Each has the credentials to earn a coveted spot in the championship match, but the slight nod should go to Halep.  The surface suits her more than it does Pliskova, and she has already demonstrated that she is a troublesome opponent for the Czech.  It could be close, but look for Halep to move through to her second final here at Roland Garros.

Timea Bacsinszky versus Jelena Ostapenko

It is no secret that the women's draw at this year's Roland Garros was wide open.  Even so, with all the former major champions located in the top half of the women's draw, it is still a stunner that it is Timea Bacsinszky and Jelena Ostapenko – who coincidentally share a birthday on Thursday –  who are the two who have advanced to vie for a berth in the championship match.

Timea Bacsinszky

As to which of the pair is most likely to continue her fairy-tale run, that is anyone's guess.  Both prefer the quicker hard courts, although Bacsinszky's best major has historically been Roland Garros.  Each also prefers to make inroads in the rallies with her backhand wing, so to some degree, the result of this match will hinge on which can get on top of the points by most effectively and efficiently utilizing her favorite stroke.  Conversely, the outcome will also be affected by which woman's forehand most regularly holds up under pressure.  Then there is which can employ her other skills best.  Ostapenko is more apt to rip the ball, and if she is on top of her game, that could spell trouble for the Swiss.  But Bacsinszky has been quite effective with her variety of spins and ability to change the pace of the ball.  Focusing on those tactics could actually be more effective against the Latvian, as it will break her rhythm and keep her guessing as to what Bacsinszky will throw at her next.  That alone can be unsettling, but perhaps even more so against a young opponent playing in the biggest match of her career.

Of course, the magnitude of the match itself, and all the pressure that comes with it will also play a role in determining which woman advances.  On one hand, Bacsinszky has more overall experience, and unlike Ostapenko, she has been to this stage of a major – at this very venue – once before.  She comes in with plenty of confidence, having knocked off Venus Williams, the most decorated player in the field, as well as subduing Kristina Mladenovic and the home crowd that was solidly in the Frenchwoman's corner.  She is a woman that lost a few years of her career to injury and essentially walked away from the sport.  Now that she is healthy and able to compete again, she is savoring every moment of competition, which perhaps allows her to play with a little more freedom than your typical veteran at this juncture of a major.

Jelena Ostapenko

Then again, Ostapenko is a talent from whom many are expecting great things, and she might be ready to deliver on them now.  Not only did she get the better of Sam Stosur, but she was particularly impressive with the way she overcame such a slow start against Caroline Wozniacki and weathered the rain delays in the quarterfinals.  She has youth on her side, and as the underdog who may foresee many other such opportunities before her could come in swinging freely.

All told, this is a close one to call.  The slight edge perhaps goes to Bacsinszky, who has more shots in her arsenal to adapt to what is happening on the court, but honestly, neither outcome would be especially surprising.  Either one is a great story here in Paris, and both are worthy of adding another chapter to it.  The only thing known for sure is that one of these women will celebrate her birthday in style by advancing to her first major final.