• Home
• /
• Tennis
• /
• Sports

Barty, Vondrousova reach final despite row over court

Paris - Vondrousova, 19, is the first teenager to reach a major final in 10 years since Caroline Wozniacki at the 2009 US Open and the first at Roland Garros in 12 years

Ashleigh Barty and Marketa Vondrousova set-up a Roland Garros final showdown on Friday, shrugging off a sexism row which had seen their semifinals shifted away from the tournament's showpiece court.
Barty, 23, reached her first final at the majors, coming back from a set and 0-3 down to defeat 17-year-old Amanda Anisimova 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-3 in a rollercoaster semifinal.
Czech teenager Marketa Vondrousova also made sure of her place in a maiden final at the Slams by edging out Britain's Johanna Konta 7-5, 7-6 (7/2).
Vondrousova, 19, is the first teenager to reach a major final in 10 years since Caroline Wozniacki at the 2009 US Open and the first at Roland Garros in 12 years.
Saturday's final will be the youngest final at a Slam since the 2008 Roland Garros championship match when 20-year-old Ana Ivanovic defeated Dinara Safina, 22.
Vondrousova is the first teenager in a Paris final since Ivanovic in 2007.
Eighth seed Barty is the first Australian in a French Open final since Samantha Stosur finished runner-up in 2010.
"That was amazing, both good and bad," said Barty who will rise to the top three in the rankings next week.
"It was the hardest thing that I ever had to do.
"I am really proud of the way I fought especially in the conditions which were cold and windy.
"Now I can't wait for the final, it's incredible."
Both semifinals got underway after accusations of sexism were made against French Open organisers who had decided to shift the matches away from the showpiece Court Philippe Chatrier.
The main arena had already been scheduled to stage the men's semifinals between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic against Dominic Thiem.
The WTA said the decision, taken after Wednesday's play was washed out and prompted by fears of more rain Friday, was "unfair and inappropriate".
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo of France said it was a "disgrace".