Russia’s Maria Sharapova advanced into the last-four of the French Open, despite being just one game from a loss against Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.
The 2012 champion fought back to beat unseeded 20-year-old Muguruza 1-6, 7-5, 6-1, to set up a semi-final clash with Eugene Bouchard, who saw off Carla Suarez Navarro 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 7-5.
Muguruza, Serena Williams’ conqueror, broke three times to win the first set in 27 minutes and led 5-4 in the second before the seventh seed forced the game into a decider.
Sharapova broke early in the third and saw off five break points in a 14-minute game at 2-1 before finishing off on the 35th-ranked women’s singles prospect.
“I have to follow my own road,” Sharapova said on being the favorite for the title. “I can’t think that way at this point.”
Bouchard came back from 5-2 down in the opening set and 4-2 down in the third to claim her second Grand Slam semi-final berth in a row (after reaching the Australian Open last-four in January).
The 20-year-old Canadian double-faulted and missed a backhand on two match points before taking the third to clinch a much-deserved win.
“I’m very excited to play in a semi-finalin Paris, it’s a dream,” Bouchard said in French. “I love being in Paris, it’s like being at home.”
