Iga Swiatek remains on track for a potential fourth consecutive French Open title after reaching the semi-finals. She is set to face long-time rival Aryna Sabalenka in a highly anticipated match.
Swiatek earned her 26th consecutive victory at Roland Garros by defeating No. 13 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine with a score of 6-1, 7-5.
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who has previously spent 41 weeks at the top of the rankings, also advanced to the semi-finals. She overcame eighth seed Qinwen Zheng of China 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 in her quarter-final clash.
Iga Swiatek`s Record at French Open When Winning the First Set
37 wins, 0 losses
Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion who has held the World No. 1 ranking for 125 weeks, will now face World No. 2 Sabalenka in the final four on Thursday.
In her post-match interview, Swiatek commented on her quarter-final performance: “I should have had better intensity in the beginning of the second set. When I saw my intensity go low, I got it high again. I am happy I did it at the end of the set.”
Looking ahead to the semi-final, she added: “Against Aryna it is always a challenge. She has a game for every surface. I have to do the work, be brave with my shots and go for it. She is having a great season.”
“I will not lie, it will be a tough match but I am happy for the challenge,” Swiatek concluded.
Playing in a stadium that was initially not full, Swiatek broke the Ukrainian player early in the match. This was Svitolina`s fifth quarter-final appearance in Paris. Swiatek kept her opponent under pressure using her powerful top-spin forehand and varying the pace and direction of her shots.
Svitolina fought hard but was unable to match Swiatek`s power during rallies. An unforced forehand error into the net gave Swiatek another break, allowing her to secure the set on her serve in the following game.
With her husband, French player Gael Monfils, watching from the stands, Svitolina raised hopes among the spectators by taking a 5-4 lead in the second set.
However, three unforced forehand errors in the subsequent game proved costly. Swiatek then quickly won the next three games to clinch the victory, including hitting three aces in the final game, one of which was on match point.
Wilander: Is Swiatek playing great? Not yet!
Three-time French Open champion Mats Wilander, speaking on TNT Sports, commented: “The last two matches she`s played better. She`s a little bit further behind the baseline than she`s been in the last few months or the last year. She hasn`t made a final in 12 months, which is unbelievable.”
“She`s playing better. Is she playing great? Not yet! But she hasn`t had to play great yet. She`s going to have to play great against Sabalenka, but her confidence is skyrocketing with these wins.”
“I like that she`s playing with shape on the ball. I don`t like it when she plays uber-aggressive. I like it when she spins it and she works the angles, and she`s great in the wind. I think it`s perfect for her.”
“There will be doubters if she goes out in a pretty simple way against Sabalenka.”
Sabalenka makes last four for second time in three years
Sabalenka, who is seeking her first Roland Garros title to add to her two Australian Open and one US Open wins, emerged victorious from a tough, nearly two-hour battle against Zheng.
Eighth seed Qinwen Zheng from China presented Sabalenka with her most significant challenge of the tournament to date. Zheng secured an early break in the first set, but Sabalenka ultimately proved too strong, securing her spot in the last four for the second time in three years.
Sabalenka commented on the tough match: “That was a true battle. Honestly, I have no idea how I was able to break her back and get back in the first set.”
“I was just trying to fight and I was just trying to put as many balls as I could back in. I didn`t start well but I`m really glad I found my rhythm and won this match. It was a tough one,” she added.
Regarding their previous meeting in Rome, where Zheng won, Sabalenka said: “I have to say that in the last tournament I was pretty exhausted. Honestly, I was actually glad that I lost that match because I needed a little break before Roland Garros.”
“I was just more fresh today and I was ready to battle, to fight and to leave everything that I have on court to get this win,” she explained.
The scheduling of women`s matches has been a frequent discussion point during the tournament, and Sabalenka shared her thoughts: “I agree it was a big match and probably would make more sense to put us a little bit later just so more people could watch it.”
Swiatek and Sabalenka set for Paris showdown
Swiatek is aiming to become the first woman in the professional era since 1968 to win four consecutive titles at Roland Garros.
She currently leads the overall head-to-head record against Sabalenka 8-4, and the clay-court head-to-head 5-1.
However, Sabalenka defeated Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 in their most recent encounter, which took place on the hard courts of Cincinnati last year.
This match marks their second meeting at Roland Garros, their first since Swiatek won in the third round in 2022.
The other semi-final features American Coco Gauff against Italian Jasmine Paolini.
