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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
JOE KRISHNAN

Teenager Amanda Anisimova stuns Simona Halep in straight sets to reach French Open semi-final

Amanda Anisimova has pulled off one of the biggest shocks in French Open history, beating defending champion Simona Halep in straight sets to reach the semi-finals.

The 17-year-old produced a breathtaking display against the former world number one, needing just over an hour to seal a 6-2, 6-4 victory on PhiIppe-Chatrier.

There was much talk going into the match, which was delayed by a day due to rain, about Anisimova being tennis' next big star and labelled the 'next Maria Sharapova'.

It felt premature given her tender age but Anisimova soon gave the spectators a timely reminder of her ability.

After level pegging for the first four games, the teenager soon settled and her forceful backhand began to shine through as her secret weapon.

She secured the crucial break in the sixth game and never looked back, holding her serve before landing a second break to take the first set 6-2.

And then she stepped things up another level, wowing spectators and pundits with some incredible passing winners on both forehand and the backhand.

Anisimova took a 3-0 lead in the second after snaring an early break and it was looking bleak for Halep, who was struggling to find the answers.

But it just seemed the nerves were starting to take a hold on the youngster, as she conceded a 4-1 lead and allowed the Romanian to break back.

Despite Halep's fightback to 4-5, the teenager dug deep and armed with a match point, she pulled out a stunning backhand down the line to land one of the biggest shocks in recent memory.

Anisimova will face eighth seed Ashleigh Barty in the last four, who beat Madison Keys 6-3, 7-5 on Suzanne-Lenglen.

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