French Open: Sabalenka and Swiatek poised for mouth-watering semi-final clash
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka will take on four-time champion Iga Swiatek on Thursday for a place in the French Open final.
The mouth-watering clash was set up after the duo both came through their respective quarter-final ties with straight-set victories on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros.
Sabelanka secured a 7-6, 6-3 win over Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng while Swiatek defeated Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 during a windy Tuesday in Paris.
The three-time Grand Slam winning Belarusian struggled in the opening set against Zheng, who was playing in her first French Open quarter-final.
Zheng opened up a 4-2 lead after breaking Sabelanka with the Chinese player looking to extend her winning streak of 10 matches on the Paris clay after her run to Olympic gold last year.
But multiple unforced errors – 31 in total – allowed Sabelanka back into the match before taking the opener after a tiebreak.
The second set was also tight before Sabalenka broke back to lead 4-3, taking advantage of her opponent's errors.
Sabalenka converted her first match point on a poorly-controlled drop-shot from Zheng to reach her seventh semi-final of the season.
'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,' said Sabalenka, who is enjoying her 41st week at the top of the rankings.
'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.
'I was just more fresh today and I was ready to battle, fight and leave everything that I have on court to get this win. I think that's about it.'
Sabalenka lost her most recent match against Zheng last month in Rome, having dominated their first six encounters. She said that loss turned out to be a positive 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,' added Sabalenka, who is looking to secure her first ever French Open final spot.
'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.'
Next up will be former World No 1 Swiatek, who is aiming to become the first woman in the professional era since 1968 to win four consecutive French Open titles.
The Pole has struggled for form this season – which has seen her fail to win a title so far – while dropping down to No 5 in the world rankings, her lowest since 2022.
But the red clay of Roland Garros brings the best out of the 24-year-old who has also won the US Open as well as her four Paris Slams.
After battling back to beat Elena Rybakina in the previous round, Swiatek hit the ground running against the Ukrainian 13th seed.
She broke Svitolina's serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead, before outlasting her opponent in two lengthy, tightly-contested games to consolidate her advantage.
The five-time Grand Slam winner then served out the opener to 15 on a gusty centre court in Paris.
The pair exchanged consecutive breaks of serve early in the second set, but neither could seize the advantage until Swiatek forced the breakthrough at 5-5 with a powerful forehand down the line.
Swiatek showed her killer instinct by holding again to 15 and sealing the win with back-to-back aces.
The Pole is now on a 26-match winning streak at the French Open, following her title three-peat between 2022-24 which added to her 2020 crown.
'I should have had better intensity in the beginning of the second set,' Swiatek said. 'When I saw my intensity go low I got it high again. I am happy I did it at the end of the set.
'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 am happy for the challenge.'
French wildcard sensation Lois Boisson.
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