Paris (AFP)

After a semi-final between novices, an initiate: Petra Kvitova, double winner of Wimbledon, and Sofia Kenin, winner of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year, have an appointment Thursday for a place in the final of Roland -Garros.

The other semi-final will oppose on the contrary two newcomers at this level in Grand Slam: the young Polish Iga Swiatek (19 years old, 54th) and the Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska (131st).

In the men's table, two remakes on the menu of the last two quarter-finals on Wednesday.

Between Novak Djokovic and Pablo Carreño Busta (18th), that of their round of 16 of the US Open at the beginning of September, which had come to an end with the shock disqualification of the world No.1 after a ball he had struck in a gesture of temper had inadvertently struck a linesman.

Between Stefanos Tsitsipas (6th) and Andrey Rublev (12th), that of their final in Hamburg on the eve of Roland-Garros.

The Russian then had the last word.

On the women's side, advantage to the more experienced on Wednesday, with the success of Kvitova (11th) and Kenin (6th).

The first, victorious 6-3, 6-3 of the German Laura Siegemund (66th), invites herself in the last four on the Parisian clay for the first time in eight years, but for the seventh time in her career in major tournament.

The second, which contained (6-4, 4-6, 6-0) the sonorous resentment of Danielle Collins (57th) in a 100% American duel, will play its first semi-final Porte d'Auteuil, but has a record fifteen victories for a single defeat in Grand Slam in 2020.

- "Miracle" -

For Kvitova (30), who will reinstall himself in the top 10 at the end of the Paris fortnight, this qualification is "another miracle", after her final at the Australian Open 2019.

"Being in the semi-finals (of Roland-Garros) after everything I've been through is probably stronger (than in 2012) because I couldn't have imagined being able to reach the semi-finals again in Grand Slam ", compares the Czech left-hander.

In December 2016, a knife attack during a burglary at her home in the Czech Republic put her career at risk for a time: her injured left hand required a major operation and she had been taken away from the courts for five months. .

It was precisely at Roland-Garros that she returned to competition in the spring of 2017.

"You can say that this place brings me luck", smiles the double winner of Wimbledon (2011 and 2014), "really happy to be still able to play and to compete with the best".

Kvitova, like Swiatek, hasn't lost a single set since the start of the tournament.

Kenin, on the other hand, has gotten into the habit of letting one slip away: it was again the case in the quarterfinals, for the fourth time in five games.

"I knew that she (Collins) would play very aggressively and that I too had to be aggressive. I had to take my chance when she presented herself, I think I did it well", congratulated the young American (21 years old).

Kenin thus offers his first victory against Collins - obviously diminished physically at the end of the meeting - after three defeats, all in tournaments of less importance.

Revenge taken at the right time.

© 2020 AFP