Contenders Swiatek and Sabalenka move closer to an expected championship, while Musetti anticipates Alcaraz for next round.
Fiery Faceoff Looms as Swiatek and Sabalenka Secure Semifinal Spots
In an exhilarating turn of events at the French Open 2025, current champion Iga Swiatek and world number one Aryna Sabalenka secured their tickets to the semifinals after respective victories on Tuesday. Their highly-anticipated clash looms, with Italian Lorenzo Musetti waiting in the wings for the final spot if Carlos Alcaraz overcomes Tommy Paul.
Lorenzo Musetti pocketed a challenging four-set victory over Francis Tiafoe (16th), 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, and 6-2, dedicating the triumph to his loving family. Mature beyond his 23 years, Musetti reached the semifinals of the French Open for the first time on his favored clay surface. The semifinalist at Wimbledon 2024 has accomplished quite a feat in Paris with the Olympic bronze medal nestled in his trophy collection and a sensational 2022 victory at the Hamburg ATP 500 tournament. Musetti's outstanding form on clay this year has earned him the unique title of the only player in the circuit to reach at least the semifinals of all three Masters 1000 tournaments on clay in 2025.
The women's draw saw no remarkable upsets on Tuesday, and the stalwarts, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, confirmed their places in the semifinals. Swiatek, eyeing her fifth Suzanne-Lenglen Cup and a historic fourth consecutive Roland Garros title, overcame the resilient Elina Svitolina (14th), 6-1 and 7-5. At just 24, Swiatek has now won an astounding 26 consecutive matches at Roland Garros. The former world number one, who hasn't clinched a tournament since her defeat of Sabalenka at the Paris Suzanne-Lenglen Cup 2024, leads the head-to-head series against the current world number one 8-4.
Swiatek and Sabalenka will cross paths once again in the upcoming semifinal bout. The duo last clashed in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 tournament in Cincinnati in the Northern Hemisphere summer of 2024, with the 27-year-old Sabalenka - who has already added three Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open 2023 and 2024, US Open 2024) to her trophy collection – emerging victorious 6-3 and 6-3.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka displayed impressive form ahead of her semifinal showdown, defeating the current Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen (world number 7) in a closely-contested battle, 7-6 (7/3) and 6-3. Having taken revenge on Qinwen after falling to her in the WTA 1000 tournament in Rome in their previous match, Sabalenka feels refreshed and ready for the demands of the upcoming semifinal contest. The Polish powerhouse, Swiatek, is mentally prepared for their titanic battle.
In other Roland Garros news, the men's semifinals are set, with Carlos Alcaraz facing Lorenzo Musetti and Novak Djokovic coming up against Jannik Sinner in the most thrilling matches of the tournament so far. Stay tuned for updates as these encounters unfold in the thrilling French Open 2025.
Swiatek's remarkable win streak at Roland Garros, now standing at 26, puts her physical health in an advantageous position going into her semifinal match against Sabalenka. Meanwhile, Sabalenka's triumph over Qinwen and her previous victory against Swiatek in the Cincinnati WTA 1000 tournament suggests that she is in peak athletic form for sports like tennis.
