They squared off in the Premier Mandatory final at Madrid last month, and now they stand one win each from clashing on the climactic weekend at the 2014 French Open. Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep face intriguing semifinal tests, however, so neither can afford to look ahead.

Maria Sharapova vs. Eugenie Bouchard

The undisputed marquee match this Thursday is the semifinal featuring Maria Sharapova and Eugenie Bouchard.  Experience will look to conquer youth as these two fierce competitors vie for the honor of playing in the Roland Garros final this Saturday.

Since the early exit of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova has been the tournament favorite, and that status will not change when she takes to the court against Bouchard.  She has been dominant on clay the last few seasons and reached the final here in Paris the last two.  The Russian also boasts significantly more experience in the latter rounds of the majors, which makes her an imposing opponent for the young Canadian.

None of this is to say that Bouchard will go out with a whimper in this match, however.  Her list of credentials and accolades may not be as impressive as what Sharapova has compiled, but there is a reason why there is so much buzz around this budding star.  Her run in Paris makes this the second consecutive Grand Slam semifinal for the 20-year-old, and she also won her maiden WTA title on the dirt in Nürnberg just prior to Roland Garros.  Also, as Sharapova’s 2004 Wimbledon victory over Serena proved, the fearlessness of youth and its tendency to swing freely can compensate for a lack of big-match experience. 

Of course, swinging freely is rarely an issue for Sharapova either.  The Russian will likely come into this match with guns blazing.  If she can use her powerful ground strokes to get Bouchard on the move, it could be a short day at the office.  Additionally, as she did against Garbine Muguruza, Sharapova needs to put in a high percentage of first serves and not be afraid to use her defense to extend rallies when necessary.  Bouchard is not a great mover and more likely to crack first in a long point. 

Similarly to Sharapova, Bouchard must have a good serving day and look to take control of a rally at the first chance.  But the most crucial thing for Bouchard in this match is remaining focused from start to finish. She must remember to always keep her foot on the gas if she finds herself in the lead, no matter how large it may be.  Sharapova is one of the most determined fighters in the sport, and she has repeatedly shown her ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  If Bouchard wants the upset and a place in Saturday’s final, she is going to have to take it from the Russian.

If Bouchard proves up to the task of challenging Sharapova, this could be a match of spectacular shot-making and plenty of drama.  In the end, even if it is lacking in excitement and drama, there can be no doubt that a worthy contender for the 2014 Paris title will have emerged.

Simona Halep vs. Andrea Petkovic

The red dirt of Roland Garros has produced its share of surprising results over the years, and 2014 has been no exception.  Although she was the fourth seed, Simona Halep was hardly a lock to reach the semifinals.  Even fewer people, including Petkovic herself, would have predicted that the German would do the same.  Yet here they are, and for one of them, the chance to compete in her first major final awaits.

It is nearly impossible to predict which of the pair is more likely to grab that opportunity.  Halep leads their head-to-head 2-1, but they have split their two meetings on clay.  Furthermore, it could be argued that their previous matches are not a true indicator of what they can produce. Petkovic’s victory in 2009 came well before Halep had hit her stride, while the Romanian’s wins in 2013 occurred when Petkovic was still finding her feet again after countless injury setbacks.  Perhaps the only useful tidbit of information that can be extrapolated from their past history is that the first set could take on added importance.  Although their matches have been relatively tight, the winner of the first set has always gone on to close it out in straights.

Of the two, Petkovic is arguably more at home on clay, which she admits is her favorite surface.  She also has a more imposing game, particularly off the forehand wing.  But Halep has faced down her share of power players, including Svetlana Kuznetsova in the previous round.  If Halep is able to use her foot speed and consistency, that could produce unforced errors from the racquet of Petkovic.  It would also buy her time to open up the court to carve out her own share of winners.

Neither woman ever has played a match of this magnitude, so nerves are likely to play a role at some stage.  Halep is the more apt of the duo to effectively manage her nerves.  She has enjoyed more success than the German over the last year, and her progression to this point in her career has been so steady that it might not be as much of a shock to the system to find herself this close to winning a major title.  But Petkovic is the lower-seeded player, which means she has the luxury of playing with less pressure.  If she is swinging freely, it could be enough to secure the victory.

With any luck, the nerves will be kept at bay to ensure that there is plenty of scintillating tennis.  It is a remarkable achievement for both women to have made it to the semifinals, but only one of them will be able the treasure the moment that comes with reaching her first major final.  Hopefully these two also can create an exciting match for the fans to treasure.