Aryna Sabalenka ends Iga Swiatek's dream run, through to maiden French Open final
Iga Swiatek's incredible run at the French Open came to a heartbreaking end on Thursday. World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka ended Swiatek's 26-match winning streak at Roland Garros, winning the semi-final 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-0 in a two-hour and 19-minute thriller on Centre Court.Sabalenka became the first player since Maria Sakkari in the 2021 quarterfinals to defeat Swiatek at Roland Garros. Swiatek, who was aiming to become the first woman to win four consecutive French Open titles, was handed a stunning 6-0 defeat in the final set — a scoreline she's more accustomed to inflicting on her opponents on clay.advertisementThe Belarusian also booked her spot in a maiden French Open final. After falling short in the 2023 semi-finals against Karolina Muchova, Sabalenka made sure to cross the line this time. Sabalenka also defeated Swiatek for the first time in Grand Slams in only their second meeting.
French Open 2025 women's singles semi-finals UpdatesWith the win, Sabalenka became the first player to reach the final of three consecutive women's singles Grand Slams — the 2024 US Open, 2025 Australian Open, and 2025 French Open — since Serena Williams achieved the feat in 2016 (Australian Open, Roland Garros, and Wimbledon).Sabalenka dominates tie-breaker
Aryna Sabalenka went through to her maiden French Open final. Courtesy: Reuters
advertisementThe opening set was a roller-coaster for both Sabalenka and Swiatek. Sabalenka raced to a 3-0 lead with a double break of serve, putting herself in a commanding position. But Swiatek, who has won the title four times, fought back hard, breaking serve three times to go ahead 5-4, her first lead in the set.At 5-5, Sabalenka secured a fourth break and was just one service hold away from sealing the set. However, Swiatek responded with a break of her own, sending the set into a tie-breaker. Both players struggled on serve at different points, but in the tie-breaker, Sabalenka surged ahead 3-0 and never looked back. Swiatek's 22 unforced errors ultimately proved costly.Swiatek storms backSwiatek made a strong start to the second set, earning her fifth break of the match. But Sabalenka hit back immediately, breaking serve to level the score. Swiatek, however, showed tremendous grit, securing a second break in the set and taking a 2-1 lead by winning four consecutive points in the third game.At 3-1, Swiatek held her biggest lead of the match, but she knew it would take more to put real pressure on Sabalenka. She extended her advantage to 5-3, serving with far more consistency than in the opening set. The Pole eventually closed out the set, sending the first women's semi-final into a decider.Aryna signs off with power and love #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/7tgw7pPmwv— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 5, 2025Swiatek crumblesWith both players locked in, Sabalenka seized the momentum early in the deciding set. She broke Swiatek's serve to go 2-0 up and consolidated her lead with a solid service hold for 3-0. Sabalenka kept the pressure on, breaking again to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Swiatek now faced the daunting task of staging a comeback similar to her fightback in the opening set.But Sabalenka didn't give Swiatek much of a chance to get back into the contest, finishing the match in the most clinical manner. Swiatek committed 42 unforced errors, which ultimately proved decisive.Sabalenka will now face the winner of the other semi-final between Lois Boisson and Coco Gauff in the final.
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