Schiavone stuns Wozniacki to reach French semis
Francesca Schiavone today produced one of the most complete performances of this year's French Open to stun Caroline Wozniacki and become the first woman into this year's semi-finals.
Schiavone, 29, dominated almost the entire match, with teenager Wozniacki having no real answer to her opponent's all-court game.
A 6-2 6-3 victory on a soggy Philippe Chatrier Court made Schiavone the first Italian woman to reach the last four of a Grand Slam in the Open era.
Today's match was between the oldest and youngest players left in the draw, with Wozniacki the favourite courtesy of being the number three seed.
The 19-year-old US Open runner-up had lost her only previous match with Schiavone, although that was back in 2008.
She struggled to contain her opponent however this afternoon as Schiavone produced a clinical first set to take control of the match.
Despite the onset of rain on Philippe Chatrier, she broke in game four thanks to a wondrous backhand pass, a clever lob and a brutal forehand return.
The Italian immediately dropped serve but reeled off five straight games to wrap up the first set and move a break up in the second.
Wozniacki fought courageously and capitalised on a dip in Schiavone's serving form to recover both that break and a second.
But the Italian, who was producing winners from all parts of the court, broke again in game eight before serving out the match to set up a last-four clash with Elena Dementieva or Nadia Petrova.
Schiavone will play Dementieva in the last four after the fifth seed came from a set down to beat Petrova 2-6 6-2 6-0 on Suzanne Lenglen Court.
