[8] Iga Swiatek met her match in the feisty Greek named [17] Maria Sakkari. Now can Sakkari go all the way?  There seems to be no let down in Sakkari’s game or attitude, so why not.  It has been a tournament of firsts for the Greek. Swiatek was off on her forehand and her opponent capitalized on the opportunities to secure the 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Swiatek’s Injured Thigh: Real or Ploy?

Who knows anymore, so many players are hip to the tactic of a medical timeout disrupting the rhythm of their opponent when they are losing. I saw no evidence of it in the rest of her game, so question the validity of the injury. However, it’s not my body and she could truly have had an injured her thigh. She did not go down without a fight either, so perhaps the injury was real. It’s neither here nor there as Maria Sakkari secured her first major semifinal appearance with the straight sets victory.

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Americas’s New Darling Had A Meltdown

Not surprising the tension of expectations got to the seventeen year old in the second set. This match could have had a different outcome, but then, so could every match if the opponent who lost had capitalized on their opportunities. Barbora Krejcikova was so nervous she could barely serve. Then again Coco Gauff was so nervous she could hardly keep the ball within the lines. In the end, the player with the mental fortitude was able to maintain their composure to secure a semifinal berth in a major for the first time. That was the Czech player, who won 7-6(6), 6-3.

Schwartzman Knows How To Push Rafa’s Buttons

There are a few players who can get under Rafael Nadal’s defense at Roland Garros, and one of them is [10] Diego Schwartzman. For the second time in history, the Argentine snapped another clay court streak at Roland Garros.  However, it was a bittersweet accomplishment because Nadal punished him in the fourth set to secure the 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 victory.

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