Sakkari beats defending champion Swiatek to reach French Open semi-finals

Maria Sakkari defeated defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-4, 6-4 to reach a maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open on Wednesday.

The world number 18 from Greece will face unseeded Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic for a place in the final after seeing off Swiatek who had required a medical timeout early in the second set.

Thursday's other semi-final sees Russian 31st seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova tackle unseeded Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia.

For only the second time in the Open era, there are four first-time Grand Slam semi-finalists in women's singles, after the 1978 Australian Open.