The quarter-finalists at the 2018 French Open are all set after Monday’s blockbuster schedule turned into a damp squib with two retirements. I honestly can’t remember a less satisfying slate of last 16 women’s matches with the six remaining matches all being decided in straight sets. Please note there is unlikely to be a post on Tuesday as i’m on tennis duty. Read on for five stories in Monday’s Set Points post from the French Open.
Kasatkina d. Wozniacki (RG, R4)
Daria Kasatkina won three consecutive games to close out her darkness-delayed match against Caroline Wozniacki and advance to her first Slam quarter-final with a 7-6(5) 6-3 victory. I’m absolutely thrilled for Dasha and she’s my favourite player left in the draw! She came out with the right tactics for Monday’s resumption of play as she was patient, mixed up the pace, used angles and went after the forehand.
This is a tough match-up for Wozniacki as Kasatkina often forces her to have to generate pace. I’ve noticed that Wozniacki gets a lot of flack on Twitter these days. I’ll admit that I have grown tired of her petulance and constant complaining on court. However, I think she deserves more credit for the changes she has made to her game. She is so much more aggressive than she used to be back when she was world number one and her forehand has come on leaps and bounds. She makes more errors these days but I think this is because she is trying to be more positive on court. The Dane is next scheduled to play Eastbourne where she reached the final in 2017.
While I was working…
I hate to bring back this section but it’s sadly necessary! In the first match of the day, Simona Halep produced what sounded like her best display of the tournament with a 6-2 6-1 victory over Elise Mertens. I was surprised at the scoreline and really thought Mertens might nick a set.
Over on Suzanne Lenglen, Angelique Kerber reached her first quarter-final at Roland Garros since 2012 with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Caroline Garica. I was surprised to see the match poll so close as I had personally fancied Kerber as the clear favourite in this match-up.
Muguruza and Sharapova advance to the QFs via retirements
The hugely anticipated Sharapova-S.Williams match sadly didn’t go ahead as Serena was forced to withdraw due to a pectoral injury. I was in a meeting at the time and couldn’t work out why the match hadn’t started when I checked the scoreboard! The final match of the day between Garbiñe Muguruza and Lesia Tsurenko was also cut short after just two games when Tsurenko hurt her leg.
What a sucky two days for women’s tennis. It’s just unfortunate!
Wimbledon qualifying
Tickets for Wimbledon qualifying at Roehampton have been released. I’m disappointed to see that the price has been doubled to £10. I’ve always wanted to try out qualies but it clashes with Eastbourne. Perhaps one year…
RG18 QF Polls
The quarter-final line-up is very exciting. Fingers crossed for some competitive matches 🤞🤞🤞. Who you got? Thoughts about all four matches are up on the separate page.
Moo's Tennis Blog 
If anyone is planning on watching the Muguruza – Sharapova match, don’t forget your ear plugs.
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Oh David! Haha
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Imo, Kasatkina – Wozniacki has to be one of the most boring match ups on tour. Neither of them really went for winners…
Kasatkina has to be more aggressive against Stephens. Stephens is as quick as Wozniacki but also has the power to punish short balls and slow serves.
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Well it was the most interesting of all the last 16 match-ups! I thought Kasatkina’s tactics were spot on at the end of the match vs. Wozniacki. I agree that Kasatkina needs to be aggressive vs. Stephens.
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Stephens CAN do those things. She can also play matches where she refuses to move her feet or really do anything with the ball. I think Kasatkina could have the variety of shot and pace that could get Stephens playing a mess. Or she could inspire the American to play her best stuff. You just never know…
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well i enjoyed that match wozniackis consistency made the match really interesting. There were good ralllies and the moment kasatkina got aggressive the match got a little more interesting and started to show case why clay is not wozniackis surface
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I didn’t see the match but Stephens should be motivated enough in a Slam QF. Seems like a clear win today.
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What makes Stephens dangerous is, she can see the final. A Sloane with that kind of belief is very tenacious. She will draw Kasatkina in and… hope Daria is patient enough to recorgnise that.
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I haven’t got a great record in predicting the winner of this tournament, having said that I thought Elina (Svitolina) was going to win it 🙂 Nevertheless, I think Sloane’s going to take a lot of beating in her current form. I can easily see her lifting the trophy this time round.
However, Dasha may have been hampered by accommodation issues yesterday;
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/44356370
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It’s what they usually do, secure accommodations for the first week, and if you make it past the first, sort out the rest of the week. At least, you get more money for being there too.
Speaking of Stephens, I felt the the top half was quite competitive. I reasoned the winner was going to come from there. One of the reasons being, having been tried and tested. Garbine is on a tear of sorts. She has the power game and experience, more importantly the patience to try and suss Sloane out. She is a former champ here, so been there done that, gotten the t-shirt etc. Halep has a winning h2h I believe on clay against Stephens. Either would be a stiff final.
I think a Halep vs Keys final may be the more uncertain final. Garbine is a match for Keys. Keys will have to be clutch in my opinion to get past Garbine. It’s a balanced
match-up going to the semis. Two aggressive power hitters on both sides.
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I was a near perfect 1 for 5 in the 1/8 matches, not counting retirements.
Nothing is stopping me now.
Picks for the 1/4 matches:
Halep over Kerber
Mugu over Pova
Keys over Poots
Stephens over Kasatkina
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Agree with the top three, i’m going for Dasha.
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I agree with your picks James. Although Dasha v Sloane could come down to how nervous Kasatkina is for her first Slam semi final.
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Yep i’m wary of Dasha’s nerves and how she deals with the situation.
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It’s a big ask for any young player. Svitolina was so close last year. Muguruza was up a set against Sharapova in her first Quarter appearance here. Dasha is still only 21.
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Keys doesn’t like scrappy opponents and if Poots isn’t too fatigued from her earlier exploits, she could let Keys self-implode. To be honest, it’s all on Madison’s racquet. Poots has nothing to lose and all to gain.
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Stephens def Kasatkina 6-3,6-1
Watching the 13 min highlights on YT, IMO Stephens powerful forehand and court coverage were the main deferences in her win. Backhands appeared to be equal, but when Stephens unleashed her forehand Kasatkina was overwhelmed.
Kasatkina had 7 more UFEs and 7 fewer winners than Stephens.
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Notable Names:
Bol tournament: Comback girl Schmiedlova beat 15y/o Kostyuk 7-5,6-2. Errani also won.1st rounds.
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ITF Brescia($60K,clay): Siegemund now ranked # 358 won her 1st round.
Poots was entered but apparently had more important things to do(like the FO QFs).
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ITF Surbiton($100,grass): Fanny Stollar and Katie Swan both won 1st round.
Doc Buz ranked #33 was entered but pulled out, probably due to her deep run in the FO.
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Subiton:
Just west of Wimbledon, just east of Hampton Court Palace, and just south of the Hogsmill Sewage Treatment Works.
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I’m near Surbiton! I was hoping to go but doubt I will have time.
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Doc Buz also went deep in doubles. Schmieds had a heartbreaker in the first round of RG I think so glad to see her get a win.
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I saw parts of a couple of Siegemunds matches and in both matches she was rubbing her knee. Not a good sign for someone that had major knee surgery a tear ago.
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Simona Halep: The big toe destroyer
Halep destroyed Lauren Davis’s big toe in the AO.
Halep destroyed Kerber’s big toe in the FO.
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