Schiavone Takes On American Hope Stephens in Strasbourg

By Erik Gudris

Photo Credit:Clive Brunskill/AFP/Getty Images

(May 24th, 2012) Tomorrow's semifinals at the Strasbourg International will feature a battle between a wily veteran who has reached two French Open finals against a rising young American star who says that clay is her favorite surface.

No. 2 seed Francesca Schiavone continued her impressive run at the event with another easy 6-0, 6-3 straight sets win this time against Sweden's Johanna Larsson. Waiting for last year's French Open finalist is American Sloane Stephens who knocked out Japan's Ayumi Morita 6-3, 6-4.

This will be a first time meeting between Schiavone and Stephens who has now reached her first ever WTA semifinal.

The other semi will feature a pair of Frenchwomen as wildcard Alize Cornet upset No. 4 seed Anabel Medina Garrigues 7-6, 7-6 while France's Pauline Parmentier defeated qualifier Alexandra Panova 6-3, 6-3.

Tweets of the Week: Roger Gives Haas a Lift, No...

Hantuchova Wins Aegon Classic Title

Vekic, 16, Reaches Second Career Final in Birmi...

Simona Halep Defeats Petkovic for First Career ...

Watch: Mayer's Two-Fisted Head-First Volley in ...

Petkovic Downs Jankovic to Reach Nurnberg Final

Statisfaction: WTA Grass-Court Records

Petkovic to Face Jankovic in Nurnberg Semis

Riske's Love Affair with Birmingham Continues

Tennis Channel Suffers Setback in Court