French Open title would 'mean everything' for Sabalenka
PARIS: Aryna Sabalenka said winning a first French Open title would "mean everything" after she knocked out three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals yesterday.
The world number one snapped Swiatek's French Open winning streak at 26 matches with a 7-6 (7/1), 4-6, 6-0 success and will face second seed Coco Gauff on Saturday for the title.
Sabalenka is targeting a fourth Grand Slam title and first not on hard courts, after winning last year's US Open and the Australian Open back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.
"It's going to mean everything to me and my team, because I have to say that almost like my whole life I've been told it (clay) is not my thing and then I didn't have any confidence," the Belarusian told reporters.
"In the past I don't know how many years, we've been able to develop my game so much, so I feel really comfortable on this surface and actually enjoy playing on clay.
"If I'll be able to get this trophy, it's just going to mean the world for us."
Sabalenka edged a topsy-turvy first set that featured eight breaks of serve in a tie-break, before Swiatek hit back to level the match.
The finale turned out to be a complete anti-climax, as Swiatek made 12 unforced errors in the third set and won only six points.
"The way the third set went, it was actually shocking for me, to be honest," admitted Sabalenka.
Swiatek has still not reached a WTA final since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen 12 months ago.
She showed signs of a revival on the Paris clay where she has dominated since lifting the title as a teenager in 2020, but her game deserted her in the deciding set as she fell to only the third French Open defeat of her career.
"I feel like I played better than weeks before," said Swiatek. "I'm just happy that I have this place to come back to every year and just try to push myself."
Sabalenka has now won their last two meetings, and five of 13 in total.
This was the first time the pair, the dominant players in women's tennis of the past few years, have gone head-to-head at a Grand Slam tournament since Swiatek's win in the 2022 US Open semi-finals en route to the title.
Sabalenka will be the favourite to win the trophy when she takes on Gauff, who she lost to in the 2023 US Open final.
"It felt like a final (against Swiatek), but I know that the job is not done yet, and I have to go out there on Saturday, and I have to fight and I have to bring my best tennis," added the 27-year-old Sabalenka.
"I have to work for that title, especially if it's going to be Coco.
"I'm ready. I'm ready to go out, and I'm ready to fight. And I'm ready to do everything it's going to take to get the win."
American Gauff was too strong for 361st-ranked French hero Lois Boisson, easing to a 6-1, 6-2 win in the second semi-final.
Sabalenka roared out of the blocks, building a 4-1 lead with a double-break, only for Swiatek to battle back and edge in front on serve.
Sabalenka did manage to create a chance to serve out the set, but Swiatek broke again to force a tie-break as the Belarusian lashed a groundstroke long.
The three-time Grand Slam champion finally got the first set on the board, though, blasting through the breaker as Swiatek eventually cracked.
The pair belatedly stabilised behind their serves after more early breaks in the second, albeit too late for Sabalenka in the set as Swiatek held to love to force a decider.
The four-time champion had never lost a three-set match at the French Open, but she wilted under the pressure in a disappointing final set that lasted just 22 minutes.
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