Defending champions Latisha Chan of Taiwan and Ivan Dodig of Croatia on Tuesday advanced to the semi-finals of the mixed doubles at the French Open, while in the men’s singles Roger Federer set up a mouthwatering semi-final against Rafael Nadal.
Unseeded Chan and Dodig took just 65 minutes to see off the challenge of French duo Amandine Hesse and Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 6-3 on Court 7 at Roland Garros.
The Taiwanese-Croatian duo saved six of seven break points and converted four of six, winning 73 percent of their first-serve points to set up a semi-final against top seeds Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The American-Brazilian duo defeated seventh seeds Alicja Rosolska of Poland and Nikola Mektic of Croatia 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) on Court 1 in 1 hour, 13 minutes to maintain their record of not having dropped a set at Roland Garros.
In the men’s singles, Federer set up the clash with Nadal 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 his eighth at Roland Garros.
Nadal, the defending champion who is bidding for a 12th title at the French Open, blitzed a weary Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-1, 6-3.
Federer trails his head-to-head record with Nadal 23-15 — despite winning their past five matches — and 13-2 on clay.
The Spaniard has a 5-0 stranglehold over Federer at Roland Garros, with Nadal winning their most recent clash in the 2011 final.
“The complete dream would be to win the tournament,” Federer said. “Other players won’t agree. It will be difficult, but I believe it anyway.”
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.
Wawrinka saved 16 of 18 break points in a thrilling encounter, but Federer quickly finished off the match after a rain delay.
It is the third seed’s first appearance at the French Open since 2015 after taking time away from clay to focus on Wimbledon, but he has been in fine form in Paris and has only lost one set so far — as has Nadal.
Nadal, who turned 33 on Monday, is three behind Federer in the all-time list of Grand Slam singles titles heading into their 39th career clash.
It is Federer’s first Roland Garros semi-final since a defeat by Novak Djokovic in 2012.
The 2009 French Open champion struck 53 winners on Tuesday, as Wawrinka’s 61 unforced errors proved costly.
Nadal took his record in Paris to 91 wins and just two defeats in a one-sided contest with Nishikori to reach his 31st Grand Slam semi-final.
“It’s a great satisfaction to be in another semi-final, there are lots of emotions,” Nadal said. “My level has been very good throughout the tournament, and I am happy to be able to come back and play another day.”
The win was Nadal’s 11th in 13 meetings against Japanese seventh seed Nishikori, who had played back-to-back five-setters to reach his third quarter-final at Roland Garros.
Nishikori managed just nine winners in the first two sets.
As the skies darkened over the city, so did Nishikori’s mood as he slipped 4-1 down in the third. Even the weather delay did not help as Nadal needed just another eight minutes to finish the job.
Johanna Konta became the first British woman in 36 years to reach the semi-finals by sweeping past seventh seed Sloane Stephens, last year’s runner-up, 6-1, 6-4 to set up a tie against Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova.
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.
“I’ve always said that whenever I step out onto the court, I’m always going to have a chance. I’m always going to have a shot,” Konta said.
Vondrousova, 19, battled past Croatian 31st seed Petra Martic 7-6 (7/1), 7-5.
“She had beaten me four times before, but I think Roland Garros must be my lucky place,” the Czech said after securing the victory on a fourth match point.
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