Sabalenka Dethrones Swiatek to Reach First Roland Garros Final
In a thrilling French Open semifinal match, Aryna Sabalenka has ended Iga Swiatek’s reign at Roland Garros, defeating the Polish player 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 on Thursday. This victory marks Sabalenka’s first Grand Slam final off of hard court, according to WTA Tennis.
The world number one Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam singles champion and two-time runner-up, took 2 hours and 19 minutes to snap four-time champion Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak at the event. As reported by WTA Tennis, Swiatek’s Roland Garros win-loss record now sits at 40-3.
"I’m super happy with the win today and beating Iga at Roland Garros," Sabalenka said, after her win, as quoted by WTA Tennis. "It’s just something unbelievable and something I’m super proud of, and yeah, just happy to get through this difficult match." This win marks Sabalenka’s tour-leading 40th main-draw win of this season, and she has won her last five Grand Slam semifinal matches.
Sabalenka will now face Coco Gauff of the United States in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 final on Saturday. The two players have a deadlocked head-to-head, with Sabalenka and Gauff tied 5-5 overall and 1-1 at Grand Slam events, as reported by WTA Tennis. "I have to go out there on Saturday, and I have to fight and I have to bring my best tennis, and I have to work for that title, especially if it’s going to be Coco," Sabalenka said.
This was only the second Grand Slam meeting between Sabalenka and Swiatek, with Poland’s Swiatek pulling off a three-set win over Sabalenka in the 2022 US Open semifinals. As noted by WTA Tennis, Swiatek came into the match with a 5-1 head-to-head lead over Sabalenka on clay courts, but this was the first year since 2020 that Swiatek came into Roland Garros without having won a clay-court title.
Sabalenka has now reached six Grand Slam finals during the 2020s – one more than Swiatek. As quoted by WTA Tennis, Sabalenka said, "It’s going to mean everything to me and my team, because I have to say that almost like the whole life I’ve been told where
