Timea Bacsinszky made a second semi-final in three years with victory over home favourite Kristina Mladenovic in a rain-interrupted clash on Philippe-Chatrier Court.
The adventures of Kristina Mladenovic, which had so entranced France at this edition of Roland-Garros, came to a tame end on Tuesday when the home favourite was defeated fairly comprehensively by Timea Bacsinszky after a quarter-final that had taken all day and seemingly encompassed all four seasons.
At the end of a particularly testing affair on Philippe-Chatrier Court which started with strong morning winds, was interrupted by a storm and was finally completed after two breaks in play in late evening sunshine, it was the Swiss who adapted far better to this lengthy examination of nerve and patience as well as ability, winning 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semis for the second time in three years.
Mladenovic found her hopes ruined of becoming the first French woman since Marion Bartoli six years ago to reach the semi-finals as she found herself largely outplayed by Bacsinszky in each of three sessions separated by two rain breaks. The match lasted one hour, 49 minutes but it actually took five-and-three-quarter hours to complete.
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