Angelique Kerber powers past Caroline Garcia to reach last eight
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Updated 04/06/2018 at 16:46 GMT
Angelique Kerber overpowered Caroline Garcia 6-2 6-3 to reach the French Open quarter-finals with an accomplished display of controlled agression.
Angelique Kerber
Image credit: Getty Images
Former Australian Open and US Open winner Kerber - whose run here matches her best performance in reaching the last eight six years ago - will meet the Belgian top seed Simona Halep for a place in the semi-finals.
The German former world number one, seeded 12th, played from the back of the court throughout the match, making it impossible for her 24-year-old opponent to develop her attacking game.
Double Grand Slam champion Kerber will next face Halep after the Romanian demolished Belgian Elise Mertens 6-2 6-1.
Kerber only hit 11 winners but Garcia made 36 unforced errors, meaning the German was never under too much pressure.
Garcia had reached two semi-finals in top-tier events on clay this season, but in front of her home fans on Court Suzanne Lenglen she was unable to produce her best tennis.
The Frenchwoman briefly threatened a comeback when she pulled a break back for 5-3 after saving four match points, but then sent a routine forehand wide on the fifth match point in the following game.
"I'm happy to be through, she has played really well in the last few months," Kerber said of Garcia, who had reached the quarter-finals last year.
All of the French players in the men's singles draw were knocked out of the tournament before reaching the fourth round.
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