The first thing on Sloane Stephens’ mind after winning through to the French Open semi-finals was to seek out her next opponent and good friend, Madison Keys.

“Now I just have to go find her, because I need to tell her some juicy stuff,” the 25-year-old said after beating wily Russian Daria Kasatkina 6-3 6-1 on Tuesday.

The semi will be a repeat of last year’s US Open final, which Stephens won 6-3 6-0.

Keys’ earlier win over Yulia Putintseva ensured that two Americans would face each other in the French Open semi-finals for the first time since 2002 when Serena Williams defeated Jennifer Capriati.

Not only that but neither has ever been beyond the last 16 of the French Open before this year.

Stephens consoled a tearful Keys at the end of the US Open final last year but said there will be no “weirdness” in the locker room this time.

“When we get on the court, it’s time to compete. But before that, we are not going to be weird and awkward and make it, like, weird for each other,” she said.

“I think everything will be normal. And then when we get on the court, it’s time to compete. It’s go time. Until then, we’re the same girls as always.”

For her part Keys said she had ‘lived and died every point’ watching on TV as 10th seed Stephens almost lost to Italy’s Camila Giorgi in round three last week.

Since then both have stepped up a level.

21-year-old Kasatina was always playing catch-up against Stephens after dropping serve to love in the fourth game but she did claw her way back to 3-4 before Stephens broke in an eighth game that proved pivotal.

With former world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson watching on, Stephens then began to hit harder and harder and Kasatkina wilted under the pressure.

Should Stephens go all the way to the final her brother might be kicking himself after losing his passport.

Stephens says he might be bad luck now.

“I wouldn’t let him come now. Are you kidding me? He missed his opportunity.”