PARIS, France - No.2 seeds Andrea Sestini Hlavackova and Barbora Strycova ensured that the Czech Republic will have representation in the women's doubles final at the French Open by virute of a 6-3, 6-1 win over Lara Arruabarrena and Katarina Srebotnik in Wednesday's quarterfinals.
The elder Czech duo will face their younger compatriots, No.6 seeds Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova, for a spot in the women's doubles final, after the latter won their quarterfinal match on Tuesday.
Read more: Krejcikova, Siniakova check into French Open doubles semifinals
However, it wasn't a clean sweep for the top seeds in the quarterfinals, as No.1 seeds and Australian Open champions Timea Babos and Kristina Mladenovic were stunned by unseeded Japanese pair Eri Hozumi and Makoto Ninomiya, 7-6(4), 6-3, ensuring that Asia will also be represented in the final.
The defeat ends Babos' chances of reaching the World No.1 ranking in doubles on Monday, as Russians Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova will jointly supplant Latisha Chan in the top spot.
The Japanese duo will face No.8 seeds Chan Hao-ching of Chinese Taipei, and Yang Zhaoxuan of China in the other semifinal.
Of the four teams in the semifinals, Sestini Hlavackova is the lone Grand Slam champion or finalist among the eight players.
The 31-year-old Czech is a two-time major champion, having won the 2011 French Open and 2013 US Open titles with compatriot Lucie Hradecka, and reached three other finals with her countrywoman.
She was also the runner-up at the 2017 Australian Open with Peng Shuai to Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Lucie Safarova.
