French Open Quarterfinals: Simona Halep to face Svetlana Kuznetsova

Romania’s Simona Halep, the fourth and highest seed remaining in the French Open, qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time on Monday when she overcame America’s Sloane Stephens 6-4, 6-3.

In Wednesday’s second set of quarter-finals, she will have to overcome the challenge of Russia’s 2009 French champion Svetlana Kuznetsova (28th WTA), who ousted 24th seed Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4, according to ndtv.com.

Kuznetsova, who won her first Grand Slam at the US Open in 2004, is one of two former champions remaining in the draw alongside compatriot Maria Sharapova, the 2012 winner.

Injuries have taken their toll on the 28 year old player who made her breakthrough with her 2004 US Open victory and has not won a title for four years.

This will be the fifth time that Halp and Kuznetsova meet on the field, each claiming two victories against the other. Most recently, Kuznetsova defeated the Romanian player at the WTA Stuttgart Open, taking place in April.

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Roland Garros 2014 Quarterfinals:

Garbine Muguruza (ESP) vs. Maria Sharapova (RUS) [7]
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) [14] vs. Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) [18]

Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) [27] vs. Simona Halep (ROU) [4]
Sara Errani (ITA) [10] vs. Andrea Petkovic (GER) [28]