Marion Bartoli has delighted French crowds by making the semifinals of her home tournament for the first time in her career after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6, 6-4. Bartoli now faces defending champion Francesca Schiavone for a place in the final.
Bartoli was so elated to beat Kuznetsova that she said it was better than winning Wimbledon. “Even if I played the final of Wimbledon, I never felt that excited. When she missed that final forehand, then I was just like, ‘My God, I’m in the semifinals of my home Grand Slam.’
The past years I really felt the pressure here. I was really going to the court without any confidence, to be honest. I really thought that this year I should try to take some pleasure.”
