Keeping the recent forms of both Garbine Muguruza and Samantha Stosur, today's French Open semifinal between the two ladies promised to be a thrilling affair. Stosur, the former US Open champion, and Muguruza, the rising star, and last year's Wimbledon finalist got on the Suzanne-Lenglen court to fight it out. The Australian could not stay at par with Muguruza's intensity, however, and she ultimately succumbed to her opponent who won in straight sets: 6-2, 6-4.
The Spaniard Starts Off Flying
It was Stosur who started proceedings with her service, but Muguruza who looked ready to pounce from the very beginning. With the help of two exquisite winners, she gained three break point opportunities in the very first game and broke the Australian’s serve immediately. However, it seemed the Spaniard had struck too early as she served two double faults in the next game to now give her opponent two break point opportunities. Muguruza managed to take charge, however and held her nerve to force errors off of Stosur and hit a backhand winner to get out of the game without being broken.
Stosur seemed to be a shadow of herself and unable to replicate her form from the previous rounds, especially when it came to her service. By serving two double faults and making costly errors, she was broken once again in her next service game; this time, to love. Muguruza was ruthless as she consolidated her second break comfortably to jump ahead with a 4-0 lead. Stosur dug deep to hold her next two service games and get on the scoreboard, but the damage had already been done. Muguruza served the set out comfortably in game eight to get one step closer to another Grand Slam final.
Stosur Attempts To Comeback But Is Unable To Overcome Muguruza
The match remained one-sided as Muguruza started off the second set with an extremely strong showing and broke the Stosur serve in her very first game. The Spaniard served tremendously in the next game, hitting two aces and a winner to hold to love and race ahead to a 2-0 lead. Muguruza was striking her forehands deeply, accurately, and far too powerfully for the Australian to be able to keep up. This meant that the next game was extremely crucial for Stosur to mentally stay in the match in order to gain any chance of a comeback. It ended up being a tough hold at advantage but getting out of that game with a hold helped her confidence immensely.
Stosur put this newfound confidence to good use as she hit an inspirational passing shot in the next game and found herself with two break point opportunities. She dug deep to hit a tremendous crosscourt forehand winner to finally break her opponent’s serve and bring the set back on level terms at 2-2. Maybe, the former US Open champion had finally found a way to make things work.
This hope did not last very long as she found herself down two break points in the next game due to pivotal errors. Stosur could not control her nerves as she double faulted to gift Muguruza the very break back which she had worked so hard to undo. It started to go even more downhill for the Australian from here on, as Muguruza consolidated the break and broke Stosur once again. This game was a tough one and went to deuce multiple times, Stosur double faulted on break point again to make it seem as if she had thrown in the towel at last. The Spaniard was now 5-2 up and about to serve her way into another Grand Slam final, but surprisingly, Stosur was not yet done.
By finding some inspiration, Stosur put together three wonderful points to gain three break point opportunities and break Muguruza’s serve with a return ace. She was still a breakdown, however, and had to hold her next game if she wished to keep her Roland Garros hopes alive. This she did, with an ace and by forcing errors off of Muguruza’s forehand. The Spaniard now had a second chance to serve for the match, and it seemed that maybe, her nerves would not allow her to finish the job again as she hit a double fault to take the score to 15-30. However, from here on, she did not give the Australian any chances as she hit two unplayable aces to serve out the set and the match.
This will be the Spaniard's second Grand Slam final; she will be playing Serena Williams once again to attempt to go for the ultimate title. It will be a tough match for the rising star, but she will be able to gain confidence through her powerful performance today.