We’re down to the final four at the 2022 French Open. Iga Swiatek, Daria Kasatkina, Martina Trevisan and Coco Gauff. Read on for my review of Tuesday and Wednesday’s quarter-finals. Thursday is semi-finals day starting at 3pm local time in Paris.
QF notes 🎾
Martina Trevisan d. Leylah Fernandez, 6-2 6-7(3) 6-3 (Tuesday)
I’m getting déjà vu vibes – remember what Barbora Krejcikova did last year?! Trevisan won her tenth consecutive match to reach a first Slam semi-final. Trevisan dominated this match, needing three sets in the end to see off a typically tenacious, Fernandez. Trevisan missed a match point when trying to serve it out at 6-2 *5-4 and eventually served out the match on her third attempt.
Trevisan’s tactics were spot on as she put the ball in awkward positions for Fernandez, looping it up high, and using the angles to drag Fernandez out wide. Something wasn’t right though with Fernandez who took a medical time-out in the first set for a foot issue. Fernandez kept going for wild shots down-the-line from questionable positions. My guess was that she didn’t trust her movement with the foot? Fernandez was stoic and showed little emotion, even when she managed to win the second set. I saw that she didn’t go into press too so I hope she is OK?
In arguably the most lit quarter of the draw, lo and behold it is Martina Trevisan who emerges. A fine, fine effort!
Coco Gauff d. Sloane Stephens, 7-5 6-2 (Tuesday)
The bottom half of the draw is guaranteed to produce a first time Slam finalist as Gauff advanced to the semi-finals. Coco still yet to drop a set!
I enjoyed the first set. Some great rallies, cagey ones too, but all of them showed off the pair’s agility and athleticism. The ball was really kicking up – I wasn’t sure if it was the conditions or just how they were both playing? It was fascinating to watch the pair trying to figure each other out.
Gauff lost her 5-2 lead in the first set but then dialled in from 5-5 onwards. I thought Gauff was more willing to go for her shots than Stephens and normally fortune favours the brave. Gauff’s serve and forehand mostly held up and she won pretty much all the mini-battles in the second set.
It feels like a disappointing result for Sloane because she was sooo good against Teichmann. But then at the same time, given how her clay court season had gone, it feels like a miraculous result to reach the last eight. I’m really pleased for Coco and she’s such an impressive person to me.
Daria Kasatkina d. Veronika Kudermetova, 6-4 7-6(5) (Wednesday)
Another first time Slam semi-finalist… welcome, Daria Kasatkina! It wasn’t pretty at the end but Kasatkina got it done in straights. Kasatkina rallied from a nervy start to lead by a set and a break. Kudermetova worked herself into some promising positions but kept missing the final shot and was generally undone by her unforced error count as she was forced to go for higher risk shots by Kasatkina’s solid play.
The nerves soon surfaced for Kasatkina and as they often do, it affected the serve. Kasatkina failed to serve out the match at *5-4. Kudermetova won two straight games and then took a medical time-out for a foot injury leading 6-5 with Kasatkina to come out to serve to stay in the set. Honestly, I don’t know how you can not have a conscience for doing that at such a crucial juncture of the match. I know it’s well within the rules but not a fan.
Thankfully, it completely backfired on Kudermetova who snapped her own momentum. Kasatkina won 10 out of 12 points on the restart to go up 6-1 in the second set tiebreak. 6-1 quickly became 6-5. Eek! But Dasha held it together on the last point with a cracking drop shot on her fifth match point.
Just thrilled for Dasha. Go and give it your best shot on Thursday!
Iga Swiatek d. Jessica Pegula, 6-3 6-2 (Wednesday)
33 and counting for Iga. It was a bit of a scrappy match to be honest and by no means a vintage performance from Swiatek. It’s mad but i’ve almost come to expect genius every match from Swiatek because she’s set the bar so high. Still, Swiatek was good value for the win and look at that scoreline!
After an early exchange of breaks, it was a competitive opening to the match. Swiatek was a tad lucky to get away with what looked like a clear double bounce when she broke serve to lead 4-3 in the first set. Pegula had some openings but just couldn’t capitalise. It felt like Pegula let Swiatek off the hook on multiple occasions. Four of the last six games of the match went to at least 30-30. Swiatek won them all.
Swiatek has an 8-2 W-L record against the other three semi-finalists. Who can stop Iga still remains the overwhelming question at RG22.
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Super snap 📸
Dasha ❤.
Funny moment 😂
Iga’s deliberation at what to write on the camera and then getting her age wrong haha.
Recommended media 📺
Loved this post-match interview from Coco.
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