PARIS (AP) — Hirap sa simula, subalit nagawang mailusot ni Serena Williams ang pinaghirapang 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 panalo kontra kay Yulia Putintseva para makaabante sa kanyang kampanya na makopo ang ika-22 Grand Slam title.

“I kept missing. Just misfiring. Honestly, at one point I didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel,” pahayag ng defending champion.

“I guess I was not the most positive mentally, but obviously I didn’t want to stop.”

Hindi naging madali kay Williams ang pagdispatsa sa No.60 na si Putintseva sa kanilang quarterfinal duel.

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“I honestly didn’t think I was going to win that in the second set,” sambit ni Williams, sasabak kontra kay 58th-ranked Kiki Bertens ng Netherlands sa semi-final.

Nakausad naman sa semifinal ng men’s singles si top seed Novak Djokovic nang pabagsakin si Tomas Berdych, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. Makakaharap niya si Thiem, nagwagi kay David Goffin, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-1.

Magtutuos sa hiwalay na Final Four match sina No.2 Andy Murray at defending champion Stan Wawrinka.