Summary

  • Simona Halep beats Andrea Petkovic 6-2 7-6 (7-4)

  • Romanian through to her first Grand Slam final

  • She will face Maria Sharapova in Saturday's final

  • Sharapova beat Eugenie Bouchard 4-6 7-5 6-2

  • * denotes next to serve

  1. Postpublished at 19:01 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Tomorrow's order of play looks like this:

    Novak Djokovic v Ernests Gulbis at 12:00 BST

    Followed by Rafael Nadal v Andy Murray.

    I think that sells itself.

    See you there shortly before midday.

    Sleep well, we might need it.

  2. Postpublished at 18:50 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Simona HalepImage source, AFP

    It will be Simona Halep's first Grand Slam final, but she is used to the final day of the women's tournament.

    The Romanian has won seven singles since last year's French Open, as well as finishing as runner-up in Madrid.

  3. Postpublished at 18:41 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Maria Sharapova's win over Simona Halep in the final of the Madrid Open followed the template of her performances in the last three rounds of the French Open - losing the first set, but then coming on strong to take the next two.

    Halep would be well advised to make a fast start to the first two sets and ensure it doesn't get to third.

  4. Postpublished at 18:36 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Simona HalepImage source, Getty Images

    Simona Halep speaking to ITV 4: "I feel amazing, it's incredible that I will be in the final. She played a very good game but I think I was just a little bit stronger in the end and I did everything I could to win this match.

    "I have a lot of confidence in myself now I have played a few good matches here but I know Maria will be very tough. We played in Madrid so maybe it will be revenge but I will do everything I can on the court and who knows.

    "I have to play my game, be aggressive, open up the court, play the angles and do my best and hopefully it will be a good match."

  5. Get involvedpublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Zach via text: What an unbelievable game that was! Petkovic with the power and Halep with the precision!

  6. Postpublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    If it does go to three sets in Saturday's final, Maria Sharapova will have done something that no-one else has managed in the French Open so far. It has been a slick run of six straight-sets wins for the Romanian so far.

  7. Postpublished at 18:33 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Piers Newbery
    BBC Sport at Roland Garros

    Simona HalepImage source, AFP

    "Halep closes out what had become a good contest in straight sets to reach her first Slam final, and it was noticeable that Sharapova's coach Sven Groeneveld had sneaked into Chatrier to take a look at the two players vying to take on his employer on Saturday.

    "Sharapova has won all three of her previous meetings with Halep but the Romanian has been getting closer each time, taking her to three sets in Madrid recently. The final has three sets written all over it, surely."

  8. Simona Halep into French Open finalpublished at 18:32 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Simona Halep discards the racquet that she has been wielding to such devastating effect as her final forehand bounds away for a winner. Arms aloft, fists clenched and she is into the final of a Grand Slam for the first time.

  9. Tie-breakpublished at 18:30 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    The serves are as slippery as a bar of soap in an oil slick. Simona Halep drops hers to move the tie-break back on serve at 4-3, but nicks one against the head as Petkovic falters at the net. 5-3 Halep. Petkovic holds. But so does Halep. 6-4 and a first match point. Taken!

  10. Tie-breakpublished at 18:27 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Simona Halep plays a shotImage source, Reuters

    The pair trade early mini-breaks in the first two points, but the first real significant slip looks like a Andrea Petkovic double fault that gives Simona Halep 3-1. Petkovic misses with her first serve on the next point and nets a forehand when a rally does break out. 4-1 and Halep is a double break to the good.

    Make that a single and 4-2 as the Romanian screws wide behind her own tee-off in the final point before the change of ends..

  11. Postpublished at 18:23 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    A Simona Halep hold to love carries us into a second set shoot-out. Will that favour the pace of Petkovic's groundstrokes or the consistency of Halep? Let's find out...

  12. Postpublished at 18:21 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    It's the ball I feel sorry for.

    The yellow fuzzy fella is being given an hiding out there with Petovic pouring on the power and Halep crunching away with compact groundstrokes.

    The Romanian makes her way from 40-15 to deuce, but once more Petkovic has the power to overwhelm her and keep the scoreboard ticking along.

  13. Postpublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Simona Halep turns on the style with a hold to love that includes a forehand at a seemingly impossible angle.

    Petkovic will have to use every bit of court-craft and gamesmanship to impose her game and stifle her opponent.

  14. Postpublished at 18:13 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Andrea PetkovicImage source, AFP

    Simona Halep gives Andrea Petkovic cause for concern as she puts a spurt of pace on the ball with her double-handed backhand and is rewarded with a winner and 40-30.

    Petkovic has got this one covered though. The German hammers away the final shot of the game with a forceful forehand.

  15. Postpublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    It as intriguing mix of styles now. Simona Halep motoring around the court like a turbo-boosted tank, all short, squat, punchy groundstrokes, while the rangy Andrea Petkovic, who doesn't cover the ground as swiftly, unleashes the full length of her limbs into anything she can get set for.

    Halep sees her way through from deuce, but the match is tighter now than it has ever been.

  16. Postpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Simona Halep stretchesImage source, AFP

    It is not just Simona Halep making it hard for Andrea Petkovic - the German is sticking a few obstacles in her own way. From 40-0 up, she starts to get twitchy and the shots start slipping.

    A double fault carry the pair of them through to deuce and it feels like it might be fatal for Petkovic is she doesn't make it out of the game intact.

    She musters her minerals to find an escape route though.

  17. Postpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Simona Halep resumes first-set service, carving through Andrea Petkovic in double-quick time. She looks like she wants this done in two.

    Andrea PetkovicImage source, AP
  18. Halep breakspublished at 17:54 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    That is the danger for Andrea Petkovic. A slight dip in form and she is shipping free points all over the Philippe Chatrier court. From 40-15 up she loses four straight points to see her own break wiped out.

    The German realises that Simona Halep is creeping up on her but none of her increasingly desperate and increasing wayward groundstrokes land and it is too quickly, too late.

  19. Petkovic breakspublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 5 June 2014

    Andrea PetkovicImage source, Reuters

    That is a twist worthy of an EastEnders' closing-credits drum-roll.

    Andrea Petkovic is suddenly middling everything, just as Simona Halep's scurrying demands. She whittles her way to break point and comes to the net with success swatting away a drive volley.

    Cutting down on Halep's time by coming in when she gets the upper hand in rallies seems to be paying dividends.