Unseeded Jelena Ostapenko is into the French Open final, unfazed by the occasion

One of the great myths of tennis—maybe of sports—states that experience is automatically a benefit. Sometimes the player who recognizes the weight of the occasion is duly burdened by it. And the newcomer swinging away with reckless abandon is at an advantage. Such was the case in the first women's semifinal on Thursday.

🎂 Happy birthday!!

Le plus beau des cadeaux d'anniversaire pour la jeune Jelena Ostapenko qui se qualifie pour la finale !! #RG17 🎁 🎁 🎁 pic.twitter.com/A67XmWwk5A
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2017

'Penko Power. 💪 #RG17 pic.twitter.com/lqIlxxDpaY
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2017

Jelena Ostapenko may not have won a title of any size in professional tennis. But she plays aggressive go-for-broke tennis and, having just turned 20 on Thursday, goes about her business as though she's playing with house money. Her high-risk/high reward game yielded the latter, as she beat Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland in three sets, 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3. Ostapenko cracked 50 winners and recovered nicely after dropping the second set.

So far the decade has treated her well. Imagine if Ostapenko's first pro tennis title is a French Open crown? She's one match from it and hardly seems flustered by the possibility.

Snapshots from the semifinals

French Open 2017 semifinals

Rafael Nadal

Dominic Thiem

Rafael Nadal

Stan Wawrinka

Rafael Nadal

Stan Wawrinka

Andy Murray

Dominic Thiem

Stan Wawrinka

Andy Murray

Rafael Nadal

Andy Murray

Stan Wawrinka

Andy Murray

Jelena Ostapenko

Stan Wawrinka

Andy Murray

Timea Bacsinszky

Jelena Ostapenko

Timea Bacsinszky

Jelena Ostapenko

Timea Bacsinszky, Jelena Ostapenko

Jelena Ostapenko

Simona Halep