The quarterfinals of the 2015 French Open are upon us, as we get set for another round of intense tennis action. The field of players at the women’s singles draw is filled with underdogs, as only two top 10 seeded players remain in the quarterfinals.
Lucie Safarova is the latest to pull off a big upset with her victory over World No. 2 Maria Sharapova in straight sets on Sunday. Meanwhile, 20th-ranked Garbine Muguruza continues her stellar play with a straight-sets victory of her own over Flavia Pennetta.
Both Muguruza and Safarova are set to face each other at the quarterfinals in what should be another exciting duel at Roland Garros. Read on below as we preview their upcoming matchup.
There’s also more French Open action going on in the men’s singles competition. Head on over here for our preview of the heavily-anticipated quarterfinals matchup between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Rising star Garbine Muguruza is once again playing some of her best tennis at the French Open. She advanced to the quarterfinals of the famed Parisian tournament for the second straight year by defeating World No. 28 Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday. Muguruza won 11 of her 15 chances at points on net, and tallied 30 winners in the match against Pennetta’s 15.
[sc:Other240banner ]”I think that in big tournaments I feel more motivated, and I can play my best tennis,” Muguruza said after her latest win at Roland Garros. “I’m just really happy to be in the quarterfinals again here in Roland Garros. I think it’s going to be my favorite Grand Slam. I’m just really excited.”
In last year’s French Open, Muguruza pulled off a stunning upset over Serena Williams in straight sets in the round of 64, before she bowed out of the tournament at the hands of Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals.
A quarterfinals rematch at Roland Garros was almost inevitable between the 21-year old and the Russian superstar, but that was until Lucie Safarova pulled an upset of her own over Sharapova. That set up the new semifinals matchup between Muguruza and Safarova, who will now go head-to-head for the first time.
With the win on Sunday, Muguruza improved her record on clay to 15-6 since 2014. Stepping up at Roland Garros could not have come at a better time for the young Spaniard, as she has gone 2-2 in her two other tournaments played on dirt this season. A win at the French Open would be Muguruza’s first Grand Slam title and her first women’s singles title since winning it all in Hobart, Australia on January of 2014.
And just like that, Maria Sharapova’s bid to hoist her third Coupe Suzanne Lenglen came to an end. Lucie Safarova just pulled off the biggest upset at this year’s French Open by defeating World No. 2 Sharapova on Monday.
Safarova won the match 7-6(3), 6-4 behind 34 winners against Sharapova’s 20. And while the defending Roland Garros champion converted on all three of her shots at points on net, Safarova prevailed by succeeding in three out of her own six break point attempts. The Czech also connected on 75 percent of her attempts at points on first serve.
The 28-year old veteran is coming up big in critical matches this season. Safarova’s most recent singles title win came just this February at the Qatar Total Open by defeating Victoria Azarenka. She also got her first career Grand Slam title this season — albeit in doubles competition at the Australian Open together with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
With the stunning victory over Sharapova, Safarova reached the quarterfinals round of the French Open for the first time in her career, and her fifth time to reach the quarterfinals round in 13 events this season. A win at the French Open this year would mark her first career singles Grand Slam title.
Safarova has a respectable 9-4 record playing on clay this season, and is even performing much better here at Roland Garros. The World No. 13 has yet to lose a set in this year’s French Open.
Writer’s Prediction
Safarova ekes out a victory in five hotly-contested sets over Muruguza.
