Record-chasing Iga Swiatek finds her clay court form

Paris — Four-time champion Iga Swiatek of Poland swept aside Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5 on a windy day at the French Open on Tuesday to earn a semifinal spot and stay in the hunt for a record-breaking victory in Paris

The 24-year-old, who accepted a one-month doping ban in late 2024, is looking to become the first woman in the professional era since 1968 to win four consecutive titles in Paris.

Though she failed to win a title going into the French Open this season, she looks to have rediscovered her remarkable clay court form in Paris.

She will next play world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a mouth-watering semifinal after the Belarusian earlier beat China’s Zheng Qinwen in straight sets — 7-6(3) 6-3.

“I should have had better intensity in the beginning of the second set,” Swiatek said in a post-match interview.

“When I saw my intensity go low I got it high again. I am happy I did it at the end of the set.

“Against Aryna it is always a challenge. She has a game for every surface. I have to do the work, be brave with my shots and go for it. She is having a great season. 

“I will not lie. It will be a tough match but am happy for the challenge,” she said.

The Pole is now on a 26-match winning streak at the French Open, following her title three-peat between 2022-2024 to add to her 2020 crown.

Swiatek, playing in an initially sparsely filled Philippe-Chatrier stadium, broke the Ukrainian, in her fifth quarterfinal appearance in Paris, early and kept her on the back foot with her heavy topspin forehand and rapid changes in pace and direction.

Svitolina desperately tried to hang on but she could not match her opponent’s power in rallies, sending a forehand into the net to hand her another break as Swiatek bagged the set on her serve in the next game.

With her husband, French tennis player Gael Monfils, watching from the stands, Svitolina ignited hope among the crowd when she moved 5-4 up in the second set.

Three unforced forehand errors in the next game, however, proved too many and Swiatek raced through the next three games to seal victory, firing three aces in the final game including one on match point.

Sabalenka recovered from a slow start to systematically dismantle Paris Olympic champion Zheng in a 7-6(3) 6-3 victory.

Sabalenka suffered her first loss to Zheng in seven career meetings in the Rome quarterfinals in May, and she went behind early in the opening set at a half-full Court Philippe-Chatrier.

“It was a true battle, and I had no idea how I could break her back and get back into the first set.

“I didn’t start well, and I’m glad I found my rhythm and won,” Sabalenka, who took a step closer to her maiden French Open title, said.

China’s Zheng, bidding to emulate compatriot Li Na’s 2011 triumph at Roland Garros, crushed a powerful forehand winner to break for a 2-1 lead but Sabalenka moved through the gears to level five games later and was denied on set point while up 6-5.

The 27-year-old top seed shrugged off the disappointment to glide through the tiebreak when errors crept into eighth seed Zheng’s game before the players swapped breaks in a high-octane second set.

A huge forehand winner put Sabalenka 5-3 up and the three-time Grand Slam champion never looked back.

Reuters