Italy’s defending champion Francesca Schiavone put in a typically battling display to reach the French Open final again with a 6-3 6-3 win over home hope Marion Bartoli on Thursday.
Schiavone was a shock winner at Roland Garros last year but the fifth seed has looked a real contender from the start this time as bigger names crashed out early.
A break for 5-3 in the first set came at just the right time for the Italian after some cagey exchanges occasionally peppered with a neat drop shot or volley in the wind. The second set was topsy-turvy but Schiavone eventually won when Bartoli netted.
She will meet Li Na in Saturday’s final after the Chinese, bidding to be the first Asian to win a grand slam singles title in her second consecutive final, beat Maria Sharapova in straight sets.
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