Giant-killer Schmiedlova ousts Wimbledon champion Krejcikova to reach Olympics semi-finals

Unheralded Slovakian Anna-Karolina Schmiedlova continued her giant-killing run at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday as she beat Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-4, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals.

The 29-year-old, ranked 67, followed up her win over Jasmine Paolini, the runner-up at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon this year, with another commanding performance to put her one win away from a place in the final and a guaranteed silver medal, at least.

Schmiedlova will play either Donna Vekic of Croatia or Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine in the semi-finals.

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Giant-killer Schmiedlova ousts Wimbledon champion Krejcikova to reach Olympics semi-finals

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Krejcikova runs out of steam

Krejcikova had survived a tense three-setter with Elina Svitolina in the previous round and on another hot day at Roland-Garros, the Czech seemed to have little energy left in the tank.

The former French Open champion made 32 unforced errors in all, and though many of them could be put down to fatigue in the heat, it presented Schmiedlova with an opportunity she was not going to turn down.

The Slovakian had lost in the first round at Roland-Garros earlier this year but has found her form at the perfect time.

The first set proved crucial and once Schmiedlova had taken it, the result never really looked in doubt and one final forehand in the net from the Czech sealed the deal.

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