Restless sleep no handicap for Bacsinszky

PARIS - Sometimes, nerves get the better of Timea Bacsinszky.

The good thing is it happens off the tennis court.

Facing wind, rain and cold and a crowd cheering her French opponent, the 30th-seeded Swiss on Tuesday reached the French Open semifinals by defeating 13th-seeded Kristina Mladenovic 6-4, 6-4 in a match twice interrupted by rain.

It was all the more impressive considering Bacsinszky hardly slept the night before.

"I went to bed more or less at 11 pm," she said. "I woke up at 4 am because I could not sleep for an hour. Then I went back to sleep, but up earlier than my alarm. My heart was beating really fast."

Bacsinszky was having a nightmare. She dreamed she had to leave her hotel room and play in another tournament. But at the last minute she realized had forgotten presents for her family.

"I remember that I had, like, three towels that I wanted to give to my siblings because I have three," she said. "But I forgot them in the closet. So it was a big drama, so I could not get into the plane without giving the towels of the French Open, and I woke up and I was sweating. It was terrible for me."

Bacsinszky almost quit tennis earlier in her career because of foot and abdominal injuries. She played her first semifinal in Paris two years ago, losing to eventual champion Serena Williams.

Bacsinszky was up a set and a break in the second against Williams before she crumbled and eventually lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-0.

"Serena isn't taking part in this tournament, so this will help me quite a lot," Bacsinszky said.

Her opponent for a place in the final will be 19-year-old Jelena Ostapenko, who beat Caroline Wozniacki 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. They play on Thursday - Ostapenko's 20th birthday and Bacsinszky's 28th.

"She's feisty. I'm no longer feisty. I'm eight years older than her, even though at the French Open I'm in a fighting mood," Bacsinszky said. "I know it won't be a bed of roses."

Associated Press