Aryna Sabalenka ended the Roland-Garros reign of Iga Swiatek by beating the defending French Open champion to reach Saturday's final in Paris. (Highlights)
Sabalenka booked her place in her first final in the French capital with a 7-6 (7-1) 4-6 6-0 victory, downing the four-time winner of the competition in two hours and 19 minutes.
In what was their first meeting at a grand slam event since the semi-final of the US Open in 2022, exactly 1,000 days ago, both players struggled on serve in the first set.
Sabalenka led 3-0 after two early breaks and served for the set at 6-5, but Swiatek battled back both times. Both players were broken four times en route to a first-set tie-break.
And it was the world number one who took the early lead, with Swiatek firing a return long to give Sabalenka five set points, but she only needed one to wrap up the set.
Three straight breaks opened the second set, but as quickly as they appeared, the service breaks dried up, with Swiatek able to hold on to her lead at 2-1 over Sabalenka.
The four-time French Open champion executed a love hold to level the match and keep her streak alive for at least one more set.Â
Swiatek's hopes, though, were rapidly extinguished as Sabalenka quickly took command in the decider.
It was Sabalenka who doubled down on ferocious, flat forehands as she romped through the decider, sealing her progress to the showpiece match in just 23 minutes.Â
The Belarusian will face either Coco Gauff or surprise package Lois Boisson in the final.Â
Data Debrief: The streak is over
Despite her struggles coming into the tournament, Swiatek showcased why she was a player not to be taken lightly in the French capital, given her formidable record here.Â
However, the challenge of Sabalenka proved a step too far, with this defeat her first at Roland-Garros since June 9, 2021 (1,457 days ago), interrupting a 26-match winning streak at the event (the second-longest at the event in the Open Era in women's singles).
But for Sabalenka, the show rolls on. She has become the player with the most women's grand slam finals this decade with six, surpassing Swiatek, who has made five.Â
She is also just the third player in the 2000s to reach multiple women's singles grand slam finals in 3+ consecutive years, after Venus Williams (2000-2003) and Serena Williams (2008-2010).
Sabalenka is the first player to reach the final in three consecutive women's singles grand slam events (US Open 2024, Australian and French Open 2025) since S. Williams (Australian Open, Roland-Garros and Wimbledon 2016).
