Teenager Vondrousova beats Konta to reach French Open final

The 26th seed Johanna Konta served for both sets, but 19-year-old Marketa Vondrousova battled through 7-5, 7-6 (7/2) in damp and windy conditions.

Published : Jun 07, 2019 16:42 IST

Marketa Vondrousova celebrates after defeating Johanna Konta in the French Open semifinals.
Marketa Vondrousova celebrates after defeating Johanna Konta in the French Open semifinals.
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Marketa Vondrousova celebrates after defeating Johanna Konta in the French Open semifinals.

Marketa Vondrousova became the first teenager in 12 years to reach the final of a Grand Slam, breaking British hearts and beating Joanna Konta 7-5, 7-6 (2) at the 2019 French Open on Friday.

Konta served for both sets at 5-3. But Vondrousova won four games in a row. At a similar stage in the second set, Vondrousova broke and then held serve. But Konta held on to take the set to a tiebreaker. Vondrousova immediately went ahead 2-0 and then raced along to a 7-2 win.

Konta had been chasing history in Paris, but she lost the games that mattered the most. She’s the first Grand Slam semifinalist from Great Britain since Jo Durie at the 1982 US Open.

READ | Djokovic, Nadal and Federer reach same major semis for first time in seven years

The 28-year-old had been attempting to emulate Virginia Wade, the last woman from Great Britain to win a Grand Slam – or make a final – which she did at the 1972 Australian Open.

The 19-year-old Russian is the first teenager since Ana Ivanovic at the 2007 French Open – and she got there without dropping a set all tournament.

Vondrousova will face another first-time Grand Slam finalist, Ashleigh Barty, who’s been the breakout star in the tennis world this year.

Vondrousova relishing Chatrier bow for French Open final

Vondrousova revealed she has never set foot on Court Philippe-Chatrier. The world number 38 from the Czech Republic plans to take in a hit on the main show court before the biggest match of her life, after her semifinal was staged on Court Simonne-Mathieu.

"I want to warm up there. I [have] never been there. I have never played there. It's going to be something new. But I like those big courts. I'm just really looking forward." said the youngster.

Vondrousova is enjoying an incredible ride that she never expected on the hallowed clay.

"It's amazing. I never imagined this. It's the best week of my life so far. I'm just very happy with everything. It's an amazing thing." she said.

Barty, a 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-3 winner against Amanda Anisimova on Friday, has beaten Vondrousova in both of their previous meetings and the surprise package knows she will be in for a tough challenge.

"I played her twice, I think once on grass and once on hard. We never play on clay, so it's going to be something new." said Vondrousova.

"Of course she's top 10 now and she's playing amazing tennis. She's mixing it also like me, so I think it's going to be an interesting match. It's a final, and I'm just gonna focus and try to relax."

 

 

 

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