Michael Venus into another Grand Slam final

Michael Venus
Photo: Photosport

The singles semi-finalists have been confirmed at the French Open in Paris, while New Zealand doubles specialist Michael Venus is into another Grand Slam final.

Venus and his Canadian partner Bianca Andreescu are into the final of the mixed doubles at Roland Garros.

They’ve beaten Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and American Nathaniel Lammons in straight sets.

They’ll meet Miyu Kato of Japan and Tim Puetz of Germany in the final.

Venus has made five Grand Slam doubles finals, winning the men’s doubles title at Roland Garros in 2017.

Women’s holder Iga Swiatek was tested by American sixth seed Coco Gauff in a rematch of their 2022 French Open title clash but the world number one showed her class to secure a 6-4 6-2 victory and reach the semi-finals.

The top seed will face Beatriz Haddad Maia in the last four after the world number 14 defeated Ons Jabeur to become the first Brazilian woman since Maria Bueno in 1968 to reach a major semi-final.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka plays Karolina Muchova in the other semi-final.

In the men’s draw Norway’s fourth seed Casper Ruud battled past 20-year-old Holger Rune of Denmark 6-1 6-2 3-6 6-3 for the second consecutive year to reach the semi-finals.

The pair had met at the same stage in a bad-tempered match in 2022 with Ruud emerging victorious in four sets before falling in the final to 14-time champion Rafael Nadal.

While this year’s Scandinavian clash lacked the vitriol, it was equally captivating even though it had looked one-sided at the start.

Ruud will next play Alexander Zverev who shrugged off a mid-match wobble to battle his way into a third consecutive French Open semi-final with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 6-4 win over Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

The German exited Roland Garros in agony last year after tearing ankle ligaments in the semi-finals, but will hope for better luck when he plays Ruud.

Top seed Carlos Alcaraz plays Novak Djokovic in the other semi-final.

-Reuters/RNZ