RICKY REPORTS FOR 10SBALLS FROM THE FRENCH OPEN TENNIS – BLOCKBUSTER SEMIFINAL SET AS ANDY MURRAY, STAN WAWRINKA WIN AGAIN IN PARIS

Written by: Staff on 1st June 2016

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

RICKY REPORTS FOR 10SBALLS FROM THE FRENCH OPEN TENNIS - BLOCKBUSTER SEMIFINAL SET AS ANDY MURRAY, STAN WAWRINKA WIN AGAIN IN PARIS

epa05336520 Richard Gasquet of France celebrates after winning against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's single round of 16 match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 29 May 2016. EPA/IAN LANGSDON |

By Ricky Dimon

The last Frenchman standing at the French Open had never previously advanced to the quarterfinals of this event. On Wednesday afternoon, Richard Gasquet found himself four points away from being within one set of a semifinal berth.

Much to the chagrin of the Roland Garros faithful, however, that is when the script was flipped. Andy Murray, who failed to serve out both the first and second sets, clawed his way back from a set deficit and a 3-1 hole in the second-set tiebreaker to roll past Gasquet 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-0, 6-2.

“I think I played some really good stuff today,” the world No. 2 commented. “I do think I played well. Obviously the match could have been maybe more comfortable had I done a bit better serving out the first two sets…. I finished the match extremely well, I think.

“It wasn’t easy for me today. You know, I played two guys where you get zero rhythm, against (Ivo) Karlovic and (John) Isner in rounds three and four. Then (we had) a two-day break where you’re barely hitting any balls because of the conditions. Then coming out and playing a completely different match today, I thought I did well for the most part in a tough atmosphere.”

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland in action against Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain? during their men’s quarter final match at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2016. EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

As expected, nothing was tough for Stan Wawrinka in a surprising quarterfinal matchup against unseeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The third-seeded Swiss gave back a break in the third-set and had to play a tiebreaker, but he still coasted to a 6-2, 6-1, 7-6(7) victory.

“I’m really, really happy to play again another semifinal here, especially seeing the way I’m playing, the way I’m feeling,” Wawrinka explained. “It’s a great feeling. Today it was a really good match. I play some really good tennis.”

Murray and Wawrinka will now face each other for the 16th time in their careers on Friday. Wawrinka trails the head-to-head series 8-7, but he has won three in a row at Murray’s expense dating back to the start of 2013.

The world No. 4 got off to a slow start this fortnight, when he needed five sets to outlast Lukas Rosol. Wawrinka ollowed that up with defeats of Taro Daniel, Jeremy Chardy, Viktor Troicki, and then Ramos-Vinolas.

Once a novice on clay, Murray has transformed himself on this surface over the past few seasons. He is through to a third consecutive semifinal at Roland Garros following victories over Radek Stepanek, Mathias Bourgue, Karlovic, Isner, and Gasquet. Murray shockingly required five sets to beat both Stepanek and Bourgue, but he surrendered just one set in his next three efforts combined.