Teenager Vondrousova outwits Konta to reach French Open final

Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic celebrates winning her semi-final match against Britain’s Johanna Konta

Paris (Reuters): Unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova became the first teenager to reach a Grand Slam final for 10 years as she outsmarted Johanna Konta 7-5 7-6(2) at the French Open yesterday.

The 19-year-old left-hander lost the first 10 points of the match on a rainy Court Simonne Mathieu, but had more guile than her bigger-hitting opponent in testing conditions.

She will take on Australia’s Ashleigh Barty in today’s final, bidding to become the first Czech woman to win the French Open since Hana Mandlikova, also 19, won in 1981.

Eighth seed Barty prevented an all-teenager final by beating 17-year-old American Amanda Anisimova in three sets.

Caroline Wozniacki was the last teenager to reach a Grand Slam final when she lost to Kim Clijsters at the 2009 U.S. Open while Ana Ivanovic was the last to reach the Roland Garros final losing to Justine Henin in 2007.

Vondrousova might be the latest off the Czech tennis production line but she is not from the same mould as the likes of hard-hitters such as Petra Kvitova or Karolina Pliskova.

Her game is full of surprises and it was appropriate she finished off Konta with her favourite drop shot.

“It’s amazing. I never imagined this. It’s the best week of my life so far,” said Vondrousova, who moved alone to Prague from the small western town of Sokolov as a 15-year-old.Konta, who has lost all three of her Grand Slam semi-finals, will rue missed opportunities, but praised her wily opponent.

“She’s consistently there asking questions, and I think that’s a real gift of hers,” she said.

Vondrousova has won more matches than any player on the WTA Tour since the Australian Open and has swept through to the final in Paris without conceding a set.