Top seed Aryna Sabalenka produced a career-defining performance at Roland Garros on Thursday, ending Iga Swiatek's stunning 26-match winning streak at the French Open with a thrilling 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 semifinal victory.
Competing under the closed roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier, Sabalenka combined raw power with calm precision to outlast the four-time French Open champion in just over two hours. The victory marks her 40th main-draw win of the 2025 season — the highest on tour — and earns her a sixth appearance in a Grand Slam final, the most by any player in the current decade.
This is a special one," Sabalenka explained after the match. "To defeat Iga here, on her favorite court, demonstrates progress in my game."
The fifth seed and reigning force in Paris since 2020, Swiatek, had not lost at Roland Garros since 2021 and came into the match with a formidable 40-3 career mark at the venue. But Sabalenka's persistent baseline barrage was too much in the third set.
The first set featured Sabalenka taking a 3-0 lead with a double break, before Swiatek rallied to tie the score at 5-5. The two players exchanged four service breaks in a tight opener, but Sabalenka dominated the tiebreak, taking it 7-1 behind thunderous serving and aggressive hitting.
Swiatek rebounded in the second set, changing her strategy by taking the ball sooner and pushing forward. Her aggressive conversion worked as she broke earlier and clinched the set 6-4 with a love game, briefly stopping Sabalenka's momentum.
But the last set was a one-sided masterclass. Sabalenka blitzed through the decider in 22 minutes, registering five winners, losing no unforced errors, and converting all three of her break-point opportunities. Swiatek could not recover from the barrage, losing the set 6-0 in a dramatic end to her title defense.
The victory is also redemption for Sabalenka, who fell to Swiatek in their sole previous Slam encounter — the 2022 US Open semifinal. By reaching the finals of the 2024 US Open, 2025 Australian Open, and now Roland Garros, Sabalenka is the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach three consecutive Grand Slam finals.
She will meet the winner of the second semifinal clash between World No. 2 Coco Gauff and French wildcard Lois Boisson in Saturday's final.
Read also| Gambhir Condemns Chinnaswamy Stampede: 'A Life Matters More Than a Roadshow'
Read also| Watch| Historic Moment: Anushka Embraces Virat as RCB Clinches First-Ever IPL Title
