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PARIS – Ashleigh Barty has returned from a set and a fall to end the run of the French Open of Amanda Anisimova, 17, with a win at home. 39 to 6-7 (4), 6-3 and 6-3, who put her in her first Grand Slam final.
Barty, seeded number 8, a 23-year-old Australian who took two years of tennis to play cricket, will face another teenager for the championship Saturday: the Czech Marketa Vondrousova, 19, not matured.
"I'm proud of the way I've fought and found a way to get back into this game," Barty said. "It has been an incredible journey and I can not wait to see what happens tomorrow."
Vondrousova also reached her first game for the major title by eliminating Dutchwoman Johanna Konta, No. 26, 7-5, 7-6 (2). Vondrousova has not lost a set in the tournament and may become the first teenager to win the French Open since Iva Majoli in 1997.
Both games were marked by highs and lows, especially Barty against Anisimova, the American at 51st place who did not give up a quarterfinal set.
Barty started as best as he could, taking a 5-0 lead in 12 minutes by winning 17 of the first 18 points.
"I felt," said Barty afterwards, "as if it had happened very quickly."
Moments later, with Anisimova serving at 15-40, Barty scored two points. From there, Anisimova began playing as she had done on Thursday, during the defeat of defending champion Simona Halep – and Barty was suddenly lost.
Anisimova played in six consecutive games and collected the last five points in the tiebreaker. It started with a series of 17 points in a row to lead her to a 3-0 lead in the second set. But then, it was Barty's turn to change things and she did a series of six games to force a third set.
There was one last big change coming. Anisimova was on a break and served at 2-1 in the third when her coach indicated from the stands that the game had to be stopped because of the rain. The chair umpire however checked the white lines and determined that the match could continue.
Anisimova then broke there, opening another round of four games for Barty. Although Barty needed six match points to close the game, she did complete her job.
Vondrousova, meanwhile, trailed 5-3 in each set but came back each time. Konta lost three points in the opening game.
The semi-finals were held in difficult conditions, with drizzle opening the spectator's umbrellas, a wind that reached 12 km / h and a temperature of about 20 ° C (60 ° F). And they were played on unusual courts – schedules deemed "unfair and inappropriate" by the CEO of the women's tennis tour, Steve Simon.
Normally, all the singles semifinals of the Open de France are held at the Philippe Chatrier court, with the women on Thursday and the men on Friday. But after the rain that swept all Wednesday, tournament officials were forced to modify the program.
The two women's semifinals were played simultaneously at the second and third biggest courts of Roland Garros, instead of the main stadium, from 11am.
The semi-finals of the two men – Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic vs. Dominic Thiem – were to be played afterwards at Chatrier.
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