PARIS (AP) In the latest surprise at a French Open filled with them, defending champion Simona Halep was knocked out in the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-4 loss to 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova today.
The pressure was on, said Halep, saying she felt nerves, a little bit stressed. … Maybe expectations from myself were big today and maybe I couldnt handle the tension in my body, so I couldnt move my best.
The 51st-ranked Anisimovas first Grand Slam semifinal will come against another player making her debut in that round of a major: No. 8 seed Ash Barty.
The Australian advanced by beating No. 14 Madison Keys of the United States 6-3, 7-5.
The other semifinal scheduled for Friday is No. 26 Johanna Konta of Britain against unseeded 19-year-old Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic. Because a full day of play was lost to rain Wednesday, the womens semifinals normally Thursday, one after another in the main stadium will be played simultaneously on the second- and third-largest courts. The biggest arena will host the mens semifinals, including the much-anticipated matchup between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
The last two mens quarterfinals were later Thursday: No. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 5 Alexander Zverev, and No. 4 Dominic Thiem vs. Karen Khachanov.
Not only has none of the four remaining women won a Grand Slam trophy; none ever has participated in a major singles final.
I cant believe it. I mean, Ive been working so hard, but I didnt think it would pay off like this, said Anisimova, already the first tennis player born in the 2000s to even get to a Slam quarterfinal. This is honestly more than I could ask for.
Anisimova is the youngest American woman into the final four at Roland Garros since Jennifer Capriati was 14 in 1990.
She has yet to drop a set through five matches over these two weeks in Paris and displayed the same brand of confident, take-it-to-the-opponent strokes against Halep.
After her fourth-round victory, Anisimova referred to her effortless shots, and they sure looked that way at Court Philippe Chatrier.
Anisimova, the junior runner-up at Roland Garros as a 14-year-old, is still precocious and still seemingly unfazed by the setting or stage.
Against Halep, a former No. 1 and someone who has reached four major finals, Anisimova repeatedly aimed the ball into corners or went for difficult angles and repeatedly succeeded. She ended up with a 25-16 edge in winners. Most impressive, perhaps, was this: Halep had won 16 consecutive return games coming into Thursday, but Anisimova saved 6 of 7 break points.
Im really happy with my performance, Anisimova said, because this is one of the best matches Ive ever played.
Keep in mind: This was only the teens 43rd tour-level match of her nascent career. And this is only her fourth Grand Slam tournament.
