Stosur hopes to do Italian job on Errani

PARIS: Australia’s Samantha Stosur vowed Tuesday to avenge her 2010 French Open final loss to Francesca Schiavone when she faces another petite Italian, Sara Errani, in the semi-finals.
Schiavone was the more aggressive player two years ago but sixth-seed Stosur said she learned a “tough lesson” from that match and will come out firing when she faces 21st-seed Errani, whom she has beaten five times in a row.
“I’m going to play aggressive and try and play my game,” said the 28-year-old from Queensland, who is the reigning US Open champion.
Stosur powered past Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-1, while 25-year-old Errani saw off Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
In 2010, underdog Schiavone played the match of her life to upset Stosur 6-4 7-6 (7/2) and claim her maiden Grand Slam title.
“I think the one thing I learned with the match against Schiavone in the final is that she played more aggressive and really stepped up and did more that day,” Stosur recalled.
The muscular Stosur said she will exploit her height advantage and spin-heavy game, with one of the most effective kick serves in women’s tennis, when she faces Errani, but she was ready for a difficult match.
“I’ve had success against her in the past, but, you know, semi-finals of Roland Garros is a whole new ballgame,” Stosur said.
“I think this is probably the breakthrough year for her, making quarter-finals Australian Open, and now here, French Open. You know, she’s having a good year. You’ve got to respect that and be aware of that.”
When Stosur beat Serena Williams to win last year’s US Open, she became the first Australian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title since Evonne Goolagong Cawley at Wimbledon in 1980.
But Stosur was knocked out of the first round of this year’s Australian Open, a performance that still stings.
“Being Australian there is a little bit more pressure playing there, but hopefully one day I’ll be able to handle it better.”
The last Australian woman to win at Roland Garros was Margaret Court in 1973.
Asked about the state of Australian tennis, which has no male contender at Roland Garros, Stosur said there was no “major issue” and “there’s a really good crop of young juniors coming through.”
“We have had the great players in the past, but I think it all goes around in cycles. We have had that bit of a dip now, but it’s getting better and it’s growing,” she added.
Stosur is a former doubles specialist, boasting two Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, at the 2005 US Open and and 2006 French Open, and two mixed doubles titles, at the Australian Open in 2005 and Wimbledon in 2008.