Svitolina Holds Her Ground in Rouen, No French Players Qualified for Semifinals

The semifinal matchups for the WTA 250 tournament in Rouen are set. The first match scheduled for this Saturday will feature Olga Danilovic, the third seed in Normandy, against Suzan Lamens.

The Serbian won her third match in three sets this week against Moyuka Uchijima (7-6, 4-6, 6-1), after previously eliminating Aleksandra Krunic (5-7, 6-0, 6-3) and Linda Fruhvirtova (6-2, 3-6, 6-4).

Meanwhile, the Dutch player ended the run of one of the last two French players remaining at this stage of the competition, Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah (6-3, 6-3). Prior to this, the world's 69th-ranked player, aged 25, defeated Bianca Andreescu (6-1, 4-6, 7-6) and then Linda Noskova, the second seed (6-4, 6-1).

In the other semifinal, we find Elina Svitolina. The overwhelming favorite of the Rouen tournament, the Ukrainian, the main seed, and the 18th-ranked player in the WTA this week, has yet to drop a set.

Following her victories over Jil Teichmann (6-4, 6-2) and against her compatriot Anhelina Kalinina (6-4, 6-0), the former world number 3 eliminated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (6-3, 6-2) to reach the semifinals.

Svitolina, who has not won a title on the main circuit since the Strasbourg tournament in 2023, will face Elena-Gabriela Ruse for a spot in the final.

The Romanian, ranked 90th in the world, reached the semifinals without facing a single player who has previously been in the top 100 of the WTA rankings. After Elsa Jacquemot and Camila Rosatello, Ruse eliminated the French lucky loser Jessika Ponchet (6-2, 6-2). She will attempt to reach her first final on the circuit since Cluj-Napoca in 2023.