Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova offered sympathy to her Czech opponent Nicole Vaidisova after the teenager threw away a set and a 5-4 lead to lose their French Open semi-final 5-7, 7-6, 6-2.

"She got little bit nervous. I know how it feels because I've been there, in her position, so many times and I've done it," said the 2004 U.S. Open champion, who now plays Justine Henin-Hardenne in her first French Open final.

"I had a little bit more experience than she has. I was just fighting there. I think I am better physically than she is. I was just playing every point and suddenly she started to make more mistakes."

Kuznetsova was struggling for most of the first two sets and the 20-year-old admitted: "In the second set, when she was hitting all the lines, I was like, 'What have I got to do here?'

"I give all credit to her. I just kept going. I was thinking that she has less experience than I do.

"I just tried not to make any mistakes. I didn't take any risks and she made mistakes because she was rushing too much."

Vaidisova said she would not be haunted by what had happened.

"It's not like I had match points or anything," said the teenager, who had not been beyond round four of a grand slam before. "You know, even if you are 5-4 up serving, you're still so far from winning it.

"I had my chances. Of course, I did. But it happens and I'm just very excited to be playing here in the semi-finals.

"Of course I'm disappointed. I love to win and hate to lose. But there's not much I can do about it right now."

Vaidisova, who beat world number one Amelie Mauresmo and Wimbledon champion Venus Williams [Images] in her run to the last four, admitted she had suffered some nerves but did not blame them for her loss.

"Of course, at that point, you kind of figure, 'If I win this game, I'm in the finals,' she said. "But I don't think I went crazy nervous or just started shaking or anything.

"I really didn't. You know, in a semi-final, you're in a huge stadium, everything.

"But it was more a case of me just not serving very well and her just hanging in there.

"I just have to take my experience from this and figure it out next time."

• Complete tennis coverage
• All you want to know about Sania Mirza