Sliding around on smashed up bricks

[Jimski]

Djokovic was just 10-7 this year (before Roland Garros), and very much feeling his way back. I'm not surprised he only made the quarter-finals. (I expected Thiem to hammer him should they have met.) The main surprise is the identity of the semi-finalist.

[Janik]

Muguruza 5-1 up in the first set on Sharapova. Encouraging...

[Janik]

It's just struck me that all four Women's Quarter-Finalists that are currently in action either have been World No.1 (Muguruza, Kerber, Sharapova) or are that currently (Halep). That must be quite unusual for the last eight.

[Janik]

Muguruza is making mincemeat of Sharapova - currently 6-2 5-1. It's the serve that is reportedly the difference, Garbine's second delivery is big enough to stop Sharapova going after it, and the inverse is absolutely not true.
Meanwhile on Chatrier Angie Kerber rather flopped over the line in set one against Simona Halep. Kerber led 4-0, lost one of those breaks but still served for the set at 5-4, was broken, immediately broke back and served for the set again at 6-5, got broken again but came through the tie-break. However the momentum is seemingly with Halep now as she leads 2-0 in set two.

[Janik]

Done and dusted, 6-2 6-1 to Muguruza. That cleans the Women's draw up.

[Satchmo Distel]

Maybe the quarters is as far as Sharapova can go in Slams at this stage of her career, unless she can ramp up her first serve percentage?

[ad hoc]

Hai Simona!

Muguruza is going to be a real challenge, but if she gets it right I reckon it's winnable. I make Muguruza slight favourite but not by a huge amount

[Janik]

Nadal had won 39 consecutive sets at Roland Garros, which was closing in on Bjorn Borg's record of 41 (I think those numbers are right, it was 30-odd and within two I remember that for sure). However the run has been broken as Schwartzman is a set up in the QF.

[Janik]

Nadal's winning percentages on 1st and 2nd serve so far - 48% and 43%. He has been broken 5 times out of 8 service games. Still a long old way to go, and the rain delay could hardly have come at a better time for Nadal (he trails by a set and a break). So it's still just a tiny acorn, but Schwartzman beating Nadal would knock Cecchinato topping Djokovic into a cocked hat.

[Janik]

Today's rain is going to have a potentially distorting effect on the Men's draw. Thiem and Cecchinato have a three day break between their QFs and Semi meeting, having played on Tuesday with the SF not until Friday. Whichever comes through of Nadal/Schwartzman/Cilic/del Potro by contrast will have to play Thursday, Friday, Sunday.

[Janik]

First session, day one - Schwartzman wins 9 out of 15 games, a set and a break up
Second session, day one - Nadal wins 3 out of 3 games (15 from 18 points or something like that), goes from a break down to a break up
Only session, day two - Nadal wins 13 out of 17 games, cruised to a four set victory

Even the Parisian ran loves Rafa.

Delpo two sets to one up on Cilic. The winner of that will likely be the more tired tomorrow.

[ad hoc]

I think I'd prefer Simona to be facing a final with someone she wasn't expected to beat. But surely this time she can do it. Today's performance was superb. She is clearly fighting and winning with her head. Saturday is the massive test of that.

[Logan Mountstuart]

Allez Simona! I've just heard the result. It looks like it will be Stephens, which is slightly worrying as she has already proved that she can handle the pressure in a final. I really, really hope she finally does it this time.

[Jimski]

Yeah, come on Halep - you really do need to win this one.

[E10 Rifle]

Indeed. That was an excellent performance earlier in a match that could easily have turned into a gruelling two-and-a-half-hour three-setter

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

Nothing against Halep, I'm completely neutral about her relative to her main competitors, but can anyone explain why so many on here - not just ad hoc - are such massive supporters?

[Jimski]

For me, it dates back to that Wimbledon semi against Bouchard (who!?) - I desperately wanted Halep to win (she didn't).

[Gerontophile]

I'm ambivalent, and especially in this final as I like Stephens too, but it's nice to see a relative shortarse do well. (see Justine Henin for details.)

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

but it's nice to see a relative shortarse do well

I totally get that. Always rooting for Schwartzmann, and for Cibulkova.

[Janik]

Everybody loves Delpo as well, and he isn't short. More a gentle giant type. Talking of which, I did say pre-tournament that about the only player who I could conceive beating Rafa is Juan Martin. He has the power, the height and the double handed backhand, and also importantly the relative lack of baggage against Nadal (Rafa leads the h2h but only 9-5 rather than the very lopsided numbers against some others). Nadal won last year's US Open SF in four, but Delpo had won the previous two which were not Slams but did include a tremendous match in the Olympic Semis. Very few of their matches in recent years have been straight sets. It's definitely a long shot, but I'm very hopeful that today will be an epic contest.

As for the other Semi, Marco Cecchinato is a dream Semi-Final draw for Dominic Thiem. But then, many years ago, Martin Verkerk was likewise for Guillermo Coria...

[Satchmo Distel]

Delpo is 16-1 to win Wimbledon, which is tempting. I'd fancy him more than Nadal on grass at this stage of their careers.

A second Grand Slam win in 12 months for Sloane Stephens tomorrow would be another big boost for African-American women in the sport, now that we are approaching the post-Serena era. Amazing to think she's already 25, but maybe that's a new peak age for women these days? She's also from my state of residence (FL).

[Satchmo Distel]

We have a women's doubles semi final in which all four women are Czech. Presumably a first for the country and very rare these days for all 4 women in a doubles SF to be the same nationality.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I'm surprised it's been 40 years since Italy produced a men's slam semi finalist.

[Jimski]

An impressive last couple of sets there from Nadal.

I don't know why, but I've got a slight feeling about Thiem for Sunday. Just feel that Nadal isn't quite the player he was last year. He looked vulnerable against Schwartzman, and also in Rome against Zverev. And of course Thiem beat him in Madrid. Depends a lot on Thiem's nerves, of course.

[Jimski]

I just read that Cecchinato had never won a match at a major before this tournament. The first male player to get as far as the semis in the major in which they got their first match win since Martin Verkerk (who went one better in reaching the final).