Serena Williams survives Putintseva' s onslaught to set up semi with unseeded Bertens

PARIS - Three-time champion Serena Williams pulled out a successful comeback here on Thursday to beat 60th-ranked Yulia Putintseva for her just fifth semifinal at Roland Garros.

Serena Williams waves as she leaves the court.  [Photo/Agencies]

Trailing the 21-year-old Kazakh on one set and a break point down, top-ranked Serena won eight games in a row from 4-4 in the second set before she wrapped it up 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 despite 43 unforced errors.

The 34-year-old American, with 21 major titles in hands, will next play unseeded Kiki Bertens as the world No. 58 upset eighth-seeded Timea Bascinszky of Switzerland 7-5, 6-2 in another women' s semi played Thursday.

With rain delays earlier this week, Serena, as well as other singles players remaining in the main draw, could face a compressed schedule of playing four matches in five days if reaching the final.