French Open Women's Singles Semi-finals 2020 Highlights: Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek in Final

Kenin beats Kvitova 6-4, 7-5! (MATCH)

Sofia Kenin, serving for the match, gets off to a 15-0 lead only for Petra Kvitova to hit back with a thunderous backhand. 

The American regains ground and maks it 30-15, only for Kvitova to hit back again. 

Kvitova surges ahead with a big forehand on the return. 

Kenin wants the place in the final pretty bad and she forced the game to deuce. 

With two miss hits from Kvitova, Kenin is through!

See ya soon, Iga 👋@SofiaKenin passes the Kvitova test 6-4 7-5 to reach a first #RolandGarros final and improve to 16-1 in Grand Slams this season.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/MjHYqz2YYs

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 6-5

Sofia Kenin starts off with a good point, working Petra Kvitova on the baseline.
 
Kenin doubles her lead as Kvitova is stunned by the American's resolve.

Kvitova gets a point back on her serve. After Kenin reached 40-15, Kvitova  fought backto make it 40-30.

Kenin breaks again and will now serve or the match again. 

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 5-5

Petra Kvitova does it. She breaks back on Sofia Kenin's serve!
 
Aided by a few Kenin faults thrown in at 15.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 5-4

Petra Kvitova lives to fight for nother point. She takes the point at 30. 

Sofia Kenin treid to finish off the match but will serve for it now. 

Swing and a miss 😆@SofiaKenin #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/5s4vnJGG2l

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 5-3

Sofia Kenin gives away the lead to Petra Kvitova and then fights back to make it 15-15. 

Back-to-back for Kenin as she edges ahead 30-15. 

Kvitova is failign to answer Kenin's serve as the American leads 40-15 and holds serve with an ace.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 4-3

Petra Kvitova needs to do better and play the crucial points better. Sofia Kenin may well be walking away with this game. 

Kvitova leads 40-0 and then holds serve at love. 

Bright lights. Big moment.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/9iI6Ex9BKp

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 4-2

Sofia Kenin off to balzzing start in the point as she leads Petra Kvitova 30-0.

She follows it up a double fault. 

Kenin back in it with a thunderous forehand. 

Kvitova tries to get back, making it 40-30 and then with a mishit from Kenin, draws level at 40-40.

Kenin holds serve after saving 3 break points.

Petra Punishment 💪@Petra_Kvitova #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/f7tp43SVY7

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 3-2

Some expansive tennis from Petra Kvitova and Sofia Kenin as it starts off level at 15-15.

Kvitova gets a lucky on the net as Kenin hits wide. The American gets lucky as Kvitova hits the net on the return. 

Kvitova gets herself to 40-30 an then Kenin drops an absolute peach!

Kenin breaks serve after Kvitova failed to reach the cross court return.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 2-2

Petra Kvitova starts off with a beautiful drop only for Sofia Kenin to make it level at 15-15.

Fancy shots from both fail to work as it stays level at 30-30.

Kvitova tried to race ahead but Kenin made up ground with some terific tennis. And that too on her second serve.

Kvitova returns long as Kenin holds serve with another unforced error from the Czech.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 1-2

Petra Kvitova hits a beautiful forehand to start her off on serve. After she hits long to give Sofia Kenin 15-30, the American levels it with a pinpoint return. 

Unforced erros from both made it 40-40. 

Kvitova holds serve with tow back-to-back mishits from Kenin.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 1-1

Beautful work from Sofia Kenin as she falls on the bseline and then slot away the at the net to take a 0-15 lead. 

Kenin makes it 30-0 as Petra Kvitova hits back and make it 30-15.

Kenin is having none of it as she holds serve!

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4, 0-1 

Sofia Kenin takes a 0-15 lead only for Petra Kvitova to hit back and make it 15-40.

Some big strokes from the Czech and Kvitova holds serve.

Kenin doing it the only way she knows!

The kid is clutch 👌

After a double break for a 4-1 start, @SofiaKenin fends off the comeback efforts of Kvitova to close out the opener 6-4.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/UtNmSWst0j

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020

Kenin vs Kvitova: 6-4 (SET) 

Sofia Kenin, seving fpr the set, smashes it into the net to give Petra Kvitova a 0-15 lead. She follows it up with Kvitova making ti 0-30 witha powerful backhand. 

Kenin gets back as Kvitova retuns wide. Kenin squares it up with a delicious drop. 

She takes over the lead at 40-30 with a crosscourt from Kvitova hitting the net. 

Kvitova makes it 40-40 as Kenin messed up on the second serve.

Kenin fights and fights well as she takes the first set 6-4!

Kenin vs Kvitova: 5-4 

Petra Kvitova, serving to stay in the set, getsoff to a blazin 0-40 lead. 

Sofia Kenin barely got a chance to contest for the point as Kvitova take it at love.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 5-3 

Petra Kvitova gets the lead early with a powerful forehand and Sofia Kenin is trailing as the Czech shows great control at the net. 

Kenin fights back to make it 30-30.

Kvitova's drop shot forces Kenin to hit long and then Kenin fight back. 

Kenin holds serve with and ace and then with an unforced long from Kvitova.

Squat work paying dividends 🏋️‍♀️@SofiaKenin #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/nkTPzHxbjb

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020

Kenin vs Kvitova: 4-3

Petra Kvitova and Sofia Kenin are level pegging i nthe initial part of the point. 30-30 it is.

It is Kvitova who gets luck on her side agains as she holds. 

Kenin vs Kvitova: 4-2 

Petra Kvitova is not one to give in so easily as she takes a 40-0 lead on Sofia Kenin's serve. 

Kenin manages to get a fault from Kvitova, not once but twice to make it 30-40. 

Kenin fails to hold on to her serve and Kvitova gets the rub of the luck and the one break back.

Pulling out all the tricks@SofiaKenin #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/UrHo80yjg9

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020

Kenin vs Kvitova: 4-1 

Petra Kvitova does not want to broken back-to-back so early in the gaem as Sofia Kenin races to 30-15 lead.

Kenin has been phenomenal in her approach so far. And aided by Kvitova's lose serving, takes a 40-15 lead. 

She breaks again!

Kenin vs Kvitova: 3-1 

Sofia Kenin raced to a 30-0 lead only for Petra Kvitova to hit back with a powerful reutrn to make  it 30-15. 

Kenin is controling the baseline and it up 40-15. But her serve is retined magnificently by Kvitova. 40-30 it is.

Kenin though holds on to her serve.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 2-1 

Sofia Kenin breaks Petra Kvitova first and that too at 15!

Kenin has been at her explosive best as Kvitova is sent searching for answers. 

Kenin vs Kvitova: 1-1 

Sofia Kenin seres well to go 30-0 up as Petra Kvitova hits back to make it level with some powerfull cross court backhands. 

Kenin though also holds her opening service game against Kvitova.

Kenin vs Kvitova: 0-1 

Petra Kvitova is serving first gets the first on the board as Sofia Kenin hits long. 

Another unforced error from Kenin means Kvitova is up 30-0. Kvitova raes to hold serve at love.

Petra Kvitova - Path to the Semi-final!

1st rd: bt Oceane Dodin (FRA) 6-3, 7-5

2nd rd: bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-3, 6-3

3rd rd: bt Leylah Fernandez (CAN) 7-5, 6-3

4th rd: bt Zhang Shuai (CHN) 6-2, 6-4

QF:     bt Laura Siegemund (GER) 6-3, 6-3

Sofia Kenin - Path to the Semi-final!

1st rd: bt Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

2nd rd: bt Ana Bogdan (ROU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

3rd rd: bt Irina Bara (ROU) 6-2, 6-0

4th rd: bt Fiona Ferro (FRA) 2-6, 6-2, 6-1

QF:     bt Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0

Intersting!

Australian Open champion Kenin and two-time Wimbledon winner Kvitova have both made the last four without facing a seeded opponent!

Sofia Kenin (USA x4) v Petra Kvitova (CZE x7)

Head-to-head: Kvitova leads 2-0

Now for the second semi-final, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will face Australian Open winner Sofia Kenin!

The winner of this match will take on Iga Swiatek for the French Open women's songles title.

Finalsist Speak! 

"I was surprised! But I always knew if I was going to make a final of a Grand Slam I always knew it would be at Roland Garros. I wanted to play this match as if it was the first round, had I thought it was the semi-final it would have stressed me.I don’t want to think about it right now. It will be touch match for sure." 
- Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek is yet to drop a set so far!

Iga Swiatek's sets so far at #RolandGarros, updated:

6-1
6-2
6-1
6-4
6-3
6-2
6-1
6-2
6-3
6-1
6-2
6-1

Just 2️⃣3️⃣ games dropped by Swiatek - the fewest conceded by a player en route to the French Open final since Mary Pierce in 1994 (10). pic.twitter.com/eGM8AbqwDH

— Live Tennis (@livetennis) October 8, 2020

Swiatek vs Podoroska: 6-2, 6-1 (Match)

Iga Swiatek is serving for the match and takes a 15-0 and Nadia Podoroska hit back immidiately. 

Swiatek is up 30-15 with a brilliant shot. Podoroska was hoping Swiatek hit lonng but the umpore rules not in her favour. 

Swiatek's serve wins her the game.

Welcome to the final 👏

19-year-old @iga_swiatek dominates Podoroska 6-2 6-1 to become the first 🇵🇱 woman in the Open Era to reach the title match in Paris.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/48CIv1C8vO

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 8, 2020