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News from Roland Garros ground control...

Andy Murray has been assigned second use of Court Philippe Chatrier tomorrow for his semi-final against Novak Djokovic.

Fair enough. It is a match that demands headline billing.

However it means that we have no definite start time.

Murray will be on court once Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Stan Wawrinka - who start at 12:00 BST - are finished in the other last-four match.

Tsonga and Wawrinka have broken through the four-and-half-hour barrier in their previous two meetings at Roland Garros.

A traditional Friday early knock-off and you might be back from work in time for the meat of the match.

Ominous.

Serena Williams bruises down four beefy serves as Timea Bacsinszky feels the top seed's full force.

It is like sticking your head out of the window of the Tokyo-Kyoto express train facing the Williams' serve.

Ooh la la.

Timea Bacsinszky produces a beautifully controlled drop volley that is far out of the reach of the onrushing Serena Williams. That stops the rot at 0-30. It was so good that Marion Bartoli - on commentary for British television - couldn't help herself from reverting back to her mother tongue in her delight.

Bien joué indeed.

Bacsinszky does decently from deuce as well, stuffing away a second serve down the middle when Williams was sniffing around like a bloodhound.

A good hold. But how much variation can the Swiss bring to her serve to keep it out of reach?

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Take those lazy stereotypes about French time-keeping and efficiency and shove them in the shredder.

We are out and running sharpish after a brisk warm-up and Serena Williams is not hanging around either.

A whistle-stop hold to 15 is followed by that strange, almost mournful, trudge around the far side of the net that she marks the end of every first game with.

Timea's turn...

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First round: beat Lara Arruabarrena 6-3 6-4

Second round: beat Tereza Smitkova 6-2 6-0

Third round: beat Madison Keys (16th seed) 6-4 6-2

Fourth round: beat Petra Kvitova (4th seed) 2-6 6-0 6-3

Quarter-final: Alison Van Uytvanck 6-4 7-5

Total time on court: 6 hours 49 minutes

Average rank of opponent: 51

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First round: beat Andrea Hlavackova: 6-2 6-3

Second round: beat Anna-Lena Friedsam 5-7 6-3 6-3

Third round: beat Victoria Azarenka (27th seed) 3-6 6-4 6-2

Fourth round: beat Sloane Stephens 1-6 7-5 6-3

Quarter-final: beat Sara Errani (17th seed) 6-1 6-3

Total time on court: 8 hours 5 minutes

Average rank of opponent: 76

Timea Bacsinszky told BBC Radio 5 live earlier this year how fear of her father was the driving force behind her tennis and believes "he doesn't deserve to have kids" for the way he treated her.

She calls her father a "control freak" and says of her childhood, "I was living in Switzerland and seeing all those other kids around me who had nice families, and then me on the other side."

Bacsinszky also reveals how tennis tore her family apart, ''I kind of forced my mum to divorce because I told her 'okay, it's un-livable. you cannot live that way, it's not possible."

After nearly quitting the sport two years ago, Bacsinszky says that now, "I am my own boss, I own my own life, it was quite difficult for me earlier to understand that. When you are the kid of a parent, who is that kind of pushy parent, who wants to live his dream through your life, it's difficult."

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Schweini has a bit of previous when it comes to his and Lukas Podolski's bro-mance.

Anyway back to matters Philippe Chatrier.

If the size of the courtwalk earphones is anything to go by then this is going to be a tight match.

Both Timea Bacsinszky and Serena Williams are muffled up in giant headwear as they stride out on court...

So one of the question marks in the 'who will contest the French Open women's final' teaser has gone. And it has been replaced by the smiling face of 13th seed Lucie Safarova.

But there is one question mark remaining. World number one, and 19-time Slam winner, Serena Williams? Or 23rd-seed, and final rookie, Timea Bacsinszky?

Time for a fresh tactical approach from us too - here's my colleague Mike Henson to talk you through the second semi-final....

I'll tell you what Bastian Schweinsteiger is up to - he's not consoling his beloved Ana downstairs. Nope, the Germany midfielder sneaked off sharpish so he could Tweet his birthday wishes to international team-mate Lukas Podolski. This post appeared on Schweiny's official Twitter account seconds after Ivanovic's semi-final defeat was complete...

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Piers Newbery
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

"She got there in the end, a fantastic moment for Safarova, who has had her issues with nerves in the past but overcame them at the second attempt.

"Coach Rob Steckley stands up and high-fives fellow supporters before beating his chest and pointing at Safarova. Meanwhile, Bastian Schweinsteiger troops off with the rest of the Ivanovic team. When does pre-season start at Bayern?"

French Open finalist Lucie Safarova speaking on Court Philippe Chatrier: "It is a dream come true. I cannot believe it.

"I started slowly today but tried to keep up the level and try and play really aggressive because that was the only way to get a win.

To the Roland Garros crowd: "Thank you so much for your support. You were incredible."

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Lucie Safarova waves and flashes a beaming smile as she takes the acclaim of the Roland Garros crowd. Then, with her back still covered in red dust, sits down on her seat, puts her head in her hands, and soaks up her moment of glory. Ana Ivanovic slopes off court out of the back door....

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna: "Safarova played so well, she was not afraid and made an amazing comeback against a tough opponent in the first set and then kept cool after missing a couple of missed match points in the second."

All over! Lucie Safarova, after a few more signs of service-game nerves, finds herself with two more match points. The 13th seed puts a forehand long on the first, but her next one is hammered past Ana Ivanovic.

The Czech leftie crumbles to the clay in joy - and can now turn her attentions to a first Grand Slam final!

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It is like Christmas morning out on Court Philippe Chatrier. After Safarova handed over a perfectly-wrapped present to Ivanovic in the last game, the Serb returns the favour by surrendering her serve immediately. Safarova looks like a kid who has just opened a spanking new games console - and so she might. The Czech serves for the match for a second time....

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BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna: "Ana Ivanovic showed real positivity in that game, hanging in there and waiting until she could see her shots before she went for them."

Image source, Reuters

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...deuce, advantage Ivanovic, deuce, advantage Ivanovic, deuce. Even the Chatrier crowd want to see someone take this game by the scruff of the neck now, encouraging both players with a ripple of applause as they catch their breath. Then Ivanovic grabs a third break point with a sublime forehand which slides down the line to the back of the court. Back roars Safarova before the Serb forces into her into another stray backhand - that's a fourth break point. This time the seventh seed grabs her chance and Safarova must go again