Kuznetsova Battles to Another Grand Slam Final, Meets Safina

.
Federer holds steady, del Potro reaches semifinal and earns career-first Sekiwake promotion

It is former vs. current Ozeki (=Champion) in the 2009 French Open ladies' final. In today's semis, Svetlana Kuznetsova edged past a tough Samantha Stosur in three sets. The win came only one day after an even closer quarterfinal in which Kuznetsova battled Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) Serena Williams in a 7-6 5-7 7-5 nailbiter -- a result that reversed the outcome of the Australian Open quarterfinal a few months earlier.

By reaching her fourth grand slam final, Kuznetsova has earned a promotion to Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I), up from the top Maegeshira (non-championshiop) rank M1E she occupied before Roland Garros. Kuznetsova can even gain back her Ozeki status of 2005/06 if she collects the second grand slam title of her career (after the 2004 US Open). Stosur, who had thus far been better known as a doubles specialists, will be promoted all the way to Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) from M12E for her heroics.

In the other seminfinal, Ozeki Dinara Safina started nervously against M7E and future Komusubi Dominika Cibulkova, but then settled into her rythm to come through in straight sets. This is Safina's third grand slam final within a year; she will hope it is third time lucky. Safina certainly has looked like a champion for most of this tournament.

Both Kuznetsova and Safina are 23 years old, and both appeared first on the tour in 2002. But Safina still appears like a relatively fresh face in search of her maiden slam, while a Kuznetsova victory would mean the striking comeback of a battle proven veteran.

In the men's tournament, Yokozuna Roger Federer and Komusubi Juan Martin del Potro join M3E Fernando Gonzalez (a former Sekiwake) and the tournament sensation M8W Robin Soderling in the semifinals. For Federer this is the 20th consecutive time he makes the last four in a grand slam, a near-unbelievable achievement (next on the men's all-time list are Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl with 11 and 10 consecutive semifinals, respecitvely). Federer's quarterfinal opponent, ex-Komusubi M2W Gael Monfils, put up serious opposition only in the first set. Del Potro sailed past another ex-Komusubi, M5E Tommy Robredo. the Argentine has therefore secured a career-first Sekiwake promotion. He even holds a small chance to get to Ozeki, but for this he would need to win the tournament.