French Open Glance: Kenin-Kvitova, Swiatek-Podoroska In SFs

Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic serves against Germany's Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic serves against Germany's Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

A quick look at the French Open:

PARIS: A quick look at the French Open:

LOOKAHEAD TO THURSDAY

Petra Kvitova says its a miracle that she is playing at all. Sofia Kenin obsesses about winning. Kvitova vs. Kenin in the French Open semifinals Thursday will pit two powerful hitters who are at very different points in their career arcs. They also are the only women who have reached the fourth round or better at all three of the Grand Slam tournaments played in this pandemic-hit year. Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, was told by doctors she might never be competitive again after she was stabbed by an intruder at her home in the Czech Republic in December 2016. All five fingers on the left hand that she uses to hold her racket were injured and she sustained nerve and tendon damage. Kenin won the Australian Open in February and now is into her first Grand Slam semifinal elsewhere. The 21-year-old American says that performance at Melbourne Park definitely really gave me a big boost. The other womens semifinal involves a pair of unseeded players: 54th-ranked Iga Swiatek of Poland against 131st-ranked Nadia Podoroska of Argentina, the first female qualifier to get to the final four at the French Open.

THURSDAYS FORECAST

Cloudy. High of 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius).

WEDNESDAYS WEATHER

Cloudy. High of 63 degrees Fahrenheit (17 degrees Celsius).

WEDNESDAYS SINGLES RESULTS

Womens Quarterfinals: No. 4 Sofia Kenin beat Danielle Collins 6-4, 4-6, 6-0; No. 7 Petra Kvitova beat Laura Siegemund 6-3, 6-3.

Mens Quarterfinals: No. 1 Novak Djokovic beat No. 17 Pablo Carreo Busta 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4; No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas beat No. 13 Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-2, 6-3.

STAT OF THE DAY

4 Number of three-setters won by Sofia Kenin, out of five matches played, en route to the French Open semifinals. Her opponent, Petra Kvitova, hasnt dropped a set in the tournament.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

First of all, I would like to tell you that Im not a NextGen player anymore. Im a proper adult. 22-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas, when a reporter referred to the marketing slogan used by the mens tennis tour to promote younger players.

___

More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/apf-Tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Next Story