At the same time as those matches, fourth-seeded Garbine Muguruza’s semifinal against Samantha Stosur and the Djokovic match will now be played next door on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
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Serena Williams of the USA serves to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Wednesday, June 1, 2016 in Paris.
Defending champion Serena Williams came back from a set and a break down to beat 60th-ranked Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 and reach the French Open semifinals.
“Mentally I feel pretty good”.
This is Djokovic’s 10th presence in quarter-finals of the French Open, in which he will play against the victor of the match between Czech Tomas Berdych and Spanish David Ferrer. I’m in a way glad to have a match like this, because it’s a challenge that you need to overcome.
David Goffin vs. Dominic Thiem.
“I played the best tennis of the tournament so far”.
“I had to play my best tennis on some points”, Djokovic said. “I never expected to reach a final here”, he said courtside after a 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory that cemented his growing reputation on a surface he once mistrusted. It was a wonderfully weird performance from the world No1 – Putintseva was a point away from serving from the match – and she seemed to be fighting herself at times, but she got there in the end.
Back on Court Philippe Chatrier on Wednesday for a match that should have been played on Monday, Djokovic closed it out but encountered stiff resistance from the 14th seed, who forced him into lung-busting rallies.
“Our aim was to play for as long as possible, even if that meant being criticised for playing in hard conditions”.
Thiem, playing in his first Grand Slam semi-final, had taken just nine points off the Djokovic serve at that stage.
Earlier this week, leading players Venus Williams, Simona Halep and Agnieszka Radwanska, as well as Djokovic’s previous opponent Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, criticised organisers for making them play through rainy spells.
Bertens saw off Swiss eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky 7-5, 6-2 in today’s other quarter-final tie.
Wawrinka is looking in ominous form and eased past surprise quarter-finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-2 6-1 7-6 (9/7).
“I was lucky there”, the 29-year-old Serb said after reaching his 30th grand slam semi-final.
Brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, three-time Olympians who are seeded fifth, advanced to the semifinals in men’s doubles after a 7-6, 6-3 quarterfinal-round win over Marcin Matkowski and Leander Paes.
The world No 1 has already won the year’s opening major, beating Andy Murray in the Australian Open final and he will bid to add the French title that would make him the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four majors at the same time.
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She was also well ahead in the second set before Stosur finally made her sweat.
