Titleholder Swiatek to face top-ranked Sabalenka in French Open women's semifinals
Four-time champion Iga Swiatek's 26th successive win at Roland-Garros on Tuesday set up a semifinal clash against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in what will be their first French Open meeting.
Swiatek defeated Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 to extend her impressive run. The consecutive wins record on the Parisian red clay is Chris Evert's 29.
Sabalenka ousted Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in straight sets to reach the Paris semifinals for the second time. She will face Swiatek on Thursday.
Having been searching for her best form in recent months, Swiatek, who struggled in the previous round, was in total control in the opening set.
She was made to work harder by her 13th-seeded Ukrainian rival in the second set, dropping her serve in the fourth game after hitting two straight unforced errors into the net. But Swiatek broke back immediately and took advantage of Svitolina's poor service game to break again with a thunderous forehand return and move up 6-5. Swiatek sealed the win with a final ace.
Swiatek has won five of the six matches she's played on clay against Sabalenka, including a thrilling three-setter in Spain last year.
"The Madrid final against her is one of the best and most exciting finals that I have played," said Swiatek, who has not won a title or reached a final since her victory at Roland-Garros last year. "It is always a challenge against Aryna. She really has a game for every surface."
Sabalenka is trying to reach her sixth Grand Slam final, and first at Roland-Garros.
"We've had a lot of great battles in the past," Sabalenka said. "I'm super excited to go out there and to fight and to do everything I need to get the win."
Sabalenka shone on big points
Sabalenka overcame a shaky start and windy conditions to prevail against Zheng 7-6 (3), 6-3 and extend her record against the Chinese star to 7-1.
The score did not fully reflect the closeness of the quarterfinal, though, with so little separating the rivals. But Sabalenka demonstrated why she was No. 1, making the difference on big points, while Zheng struggled with her serve in tense moments.
Sabalenka had lost her most recent match against Zheng last month in Rome, having previously dominated their first six encounters. She said that loss was a good thing in the middle of an already exhausting season.
"I was actually glad I lost that match, because I needed a little break before Roland-Garros," Sabalenka said. "Today, I was just more fresh. I was ready to battle; I was ready to leave everything I had on court to get this win."
Sabalenka, a three-time major champion, has yet to drop a set in Paris.
Zheng started strong on Court Philippe-Chatrier, breaking early and dominating with aggressive play.
However, two double faults in the eighth game allowed Sabalenka to break back and shift the momentum.
A misjudged call by Zheng in the 12th game nearly cost her, but she fought off a set point to force a tiebreaker. Sabalenka remained more consistent and secured the set after Zheng hit long on a drop shot.
Zheng saved a break point with an overhead shot in the fifth game of the second set, but Sabalenka's powerful backhand return pinned her down on the next one, allowing the top-ranked player to move ahead 3--2. Zheng did not go down without a fight, though, and broke back immediately, only to drop her two last service games.
The loss ended a run of 10 consecutive match wins for Zheng at Roland-Garros, dating to last summer's Olympic Games.
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