Paris: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal progressed to the semi-finals of the French Open as the ace players registered victories in their respective fourth round matches.
Nadal defeated Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 while Federer outclassed Stan Wawrinka 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.
World number two Nadal defeated Nishikori in the fourth round match that lasted for an hour and 51 minutes whereas Federer defeated Wawrinka in just three hours and 35 minutes.
Kei had to play five sets against Benoit Paire earlier in the tournament and struggling with an arm injury the exhausted player failed to match Nadal’s pace in the 11th loss in 13 matches against the Spaniard.
Nadal is through to his 31st Grand Slam semi-final, becoming the fourth Open era player to achieve the feat after Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Jimmy Connors. This is the 91st win for Nadal at Roland Garros in 93 matches.After a thrilling five hours and nine minutes win over Stefanos Tsitsipas two days ago, Stan gave his everything to stay in touch with Roger as well, taking the set out of a great rival but finished on the losing side for the 23rd time in 26 clashes against Roger.
At 37, Federer is now the oldest Roland Garros semi-finalist since Pancho Gonzales in 1968 and also the oldest Major semi-finalist since Jimmy Connors at the US Open 1991.Nadal’s match was halted due to rain in the third game of the fourth round match but once the match restarted, Nadal held in game nine to bring the match home and march into the semi-final where he will face Federer.On the other hand, ohanna Konta became the first British woman in 36 years to reach the Roland Garros semi-finals when she swept past Sloane Stephens of the United States on Tuesday.
Konta, the 26th seed, downed last year’s runner-up 6-1, 6-4 and will face either Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova or Croatian 31st Petra Martic for a place in the final. Jo Durie was the last British woman to make the French Open semi-finals in 1983.
The 28-year-old Konta had not won a match at Roland Garros in any of her previous four visits. However, she now finds herself in her third semi-final at a major after runs to the last-four at the 2016 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2017. (Agencies)
