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SPORTS Saturday 8 June 2019
Something new: A French Open final for Barty, Vondrousova

By HOWARD FENDRICH the second, Konta again
AP Tennis Writer blew a 5-3 edge.
PARIS (AP) — Ash Barty won Konta, the only member of
17 of the initial 18 points in the women's final four with
her French Open semifinal previous Grand Slam semi-
against 17-year-old Aman- final experience, is now 0-3
da Anisimova to lead 5-0 in that round at majors. This
after 12 minutes — and yet time, she was undone by
somehow lost that set. Vondrousova, a left-hand-
Barty then lost the initial 12 er who appears to possess
points of the second set to every shot there is, with an
trail 3-0 — and yet some- enviable variety of speeds
how won it. and angles.
So it was fitting, perhaps, "She's a tricky player," Kon-
that Barty not only fell be- ta said. "That's what she
hind by a break in the de- does well."
ciding set before coming The semifinals were played
back to take control, but in difficult conditions, in
also that she required a drizzle, wind that reached
half-dozen match points to 12 mph (20 kph) and tem-
finally close things out. peratures of about 60
Barty, an Australian seed- degrees (15 Celsius). The
ed No. 8, reached her first matches also were played
Grand Slam final by steady- Australia's Ashleigh Barty celebrates winning her semifinal match of the French Open tennis tour- at unusual courts — sched-
nament against Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. in three sets 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-3, at the Roland Gar-
ing herself and emerging to ros stadium in Paris, Friday, June 7, 2019. uling that was criticized by
beat Anisimova, an Ameri- Associated Press women's tennis tour CEO
can ranked 51st, by a score Steve Simon as "unfair and
of 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3 in a topsy- down 0-5, 15-40, Barty held been enough to break Ani- her major semifinal debut inappropriate."
turvy contest on a windy, two sets points. From there, simova's concentration. well, either. She double- Normally, all French Open
rainy Friday. Anisimova began playing Sure played as if it did. faulted twice in the open- singles semifinals are held
"I played some really good the way she did in her quar- Barty broke there and went ing game while ceding the in Court Philippe Chatrier,
tennis. I played some pretty terfinal upset of defending on a four-game burst. As first 10 points, and faced with the women on Thurs-
awful tennis," said Barty, champion Simona Halep the match slipped away, three set points down 5-3. day and men on Friday.
a 23-year-old who took — and Barty suddenly lost Anisimova had distress writ- On Konta's first chance, she But after a full day of play
nearly two years away from her way. Anisimova took ten all over her face. After badly missed a swinging was washed out by rain
the sport starting in 2014 to six consecutive games. In one lost point, she clutched forehand volley. Wednesday, tournament
switch to cricket before re- the tiebreaker, more of the her racket against her chest "That's what I would do nine officials shuffled the sched-
turning to the tour. same: Barty went up 4-2, like a pillow. After another, times out of 10. And prob- ule. The women's semifinals
"I'm just proud of myself the but Anisimova collected she balled up her right ably nine times out of 10, it were held simultaneously
way I was able to fight and the last five points. hand into a fist and landed probably would go in," Kon- at the second- and third-
scrap and hang in there "Pretty tough to come to a punch on each thigh. ta said. "I definitely don't re- biggest courts at Roland
and find a way," she said, terms with," Barty said of her "She just outplayed me, ba- gret anything." Garros instead of the main
"when I kind of threw away first-set collapse. "Probably sically," Anisimova said. Perhaps, but she never re- stadium, starting just after
that first set." never done that to myself Vondrousova did not start covered in that set. And in 11 a.m.q
After ending Anisimova's before."
breakthrough run, Barty When Anisimova claimed
now takes on another un- that set with a forehand Frenchwoman Frappart promoted
seeded teen for the cham- winner, she raised both
pionship Saturday: 19-year- arms aloft, looking like
old Marketa Vondrousova someone who had just to referee in top division
of the Czech Republic. won the entire match. Not
Vondrousova, ranked just quite, kid. PARIS (AP) — The French
38th, reached her first ma- Still, that momentum car- soccer league has pro-
jor final by overcoming a ried her to a lead in the moted Stephanie Frappart
shaky start in each set and second set, before Barty to referee fulltime in the
eliminating No. 26 Johanna went on a seven-game run country's top division next
Konta of Britain 7-5, 7-6 (2). of her own to go ahead 1-0 season.
Vondrousova has not in the third. The 35-year-old Frappart
dropped a set in the tour- Not ready to quit, Anisi- became the first wom-
nament and can become mova broke to lead 2-1 an to referee a top-flight
the first teenager to win the and had just fended off match in France when tak-
French Open since Iva Ma- three break points when, at ing charge of the Amiens-
joli in 1997. deuce, her coach signaled Strasbourg game in April.
"Best week of my life so from the stands that play Frappart says "I'm proud
far," Vondrousova said. "I'm should stop because the and honored about this
just very happy with every- rain picked up. Anisimova nomination," adding that
thing." paused while the chair she hopes her example en-
That was Barty's mood at umpire climbed down to courages "young girls and In this Sunday, April 28, 2019 file photo, French referee Stephanie
the outset of her semifinal, check whether the lines women to take up referee- Frappart, gestures during the French League One soccer match
which then took quite a were slippery, but deter- ing." She will also referee at between Amiens and Strasbourg at the Stade de la Licorne sta-
turn. Several, actually. mined play could continue. this year's Women's World dium in Amiens, France.
With Anisimova serving The little pause might have Cup in France.q Associated Press