Current tennis title holder Swiatek prepares to face Sabalenka in the French Open semi-finals matchup.
Iga Swiatek Takes Down Svitolina to Set up Semi-Final Battle with Sabalenka
In a dominating display on Court Philippe Chatrier, Iga Swiatek stormed past 13th seed Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5, to keep her dream of a record-breaking fourth consecutive French Open title alive. The Polish powerhouse will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, eager to avenge her loss from the 2025 tournament.
Sabalenka, the top seed, eliminated Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen in straight sets to book her place against Swiatek. In their upcoming encounter, the Belarusian will aim to claim her first win over Swiatek on clay since Madrid 2023.
Speaking about their rivalry, Swiatek remained composed, acknowledging the challenges Sabalenka poses. "Aryna is always a challenge," Swiatek said. "She has a game for every surface. I need to focus on myself, do the work and just go for it."
Although Swiatek has struggled for consistency since her 2024 clay-court treble, she finds solace in their history. The former world number one has managed to beat Sabalenka on the red dirt twice, most notably in the finals of the Madrid and Italian Opens last season.
Swiatek and Sabalenka have met 12 times on the WTA Tour, with Swiatek holding an 8-4 advantage. Sabalenka's only win on clay against the Pole came in Madrid in 2023.
Despite a sluggish start against Elena Rybakina in the fourth round, Swiatek demonstrated her resilience to fight back and dominate the later stages of the game. Against Svitolina, she broke her serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead, before outlasting her opponent in two grueling, tightly-contested games. The five-time Grand Slam champion then served out the opening set to 15, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
As the second set progressed, neither player was able to seize the advantage until Swiatek forced the breakthrough at 5-5 with a powerful forehand. She solidified her win by holding again to 15 and sealing the victory with back-to-back aces.
Defeat for Svitolina means she has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals at the French Open despite reaching the last eight five times in her career. Meanwhile, Sabalenka, who has yet to lose a set in the tournament, will be eager to outshine Swiatek for the first time on clay.
This highly-anticipated encounter is set to take place on Thursday, with the winner moving one step closer to lifting the trophy at Roland Garros.
In the upcoming clash on Thursday, Sabalenka, who has yet to drop a set at Roland Garros, will aim to outshine Iga Swiatek on clay for the first time since Madrid 2023, as both players compete in the semi-finals of the French Open. Iga Swiatek, who has a history of success against Sabalenka on clay, having beat her twice, most notably in the finals of the Madrid and Italian Opens last season, will need to bring her dominating tennis skills to the court to defend her title.
