Time to turn our attention to the first of the men’s quarter-finals, though, as Lorenzo Musetti and Frances Tiafoe warm up on Chatrier.
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French Open quarter-finals: Swiatek sinks Svitolina to set up Sabalenka semi – live | French Open 2025 Key events Thanks Yara. Well, Swiatek’s win over Rybakina the other day seems to have had a transformative effect on her confidence, and the fifth seed (it still seems strange to be writing that) is now just one win away from her first final since the French Open last year. I say “just” – but with that semi-final being against Sabalenka, she’ll need to be at her Nadalian best on the clay as she attempts to become the first woman in history to win the singles title four times in a row. And it is time for me to hand you back to Katy before the later sessions. Enjoy! Yesterday Jack Draper looked crushed after his transformative clay swing ended in defeat to Alexander Bublik. But Tumaini Carayol thinks grass is the perfect surface to make amends.
Read the full analysis here. Swiatek loves clay and especially at the French Open and the stats tell it all. She is the second-fastest player to claim 40 singles main draw wins at the French Open in the open era (equalling Björn Borg) – only Rafael Nadal did it in less matches (41). She has also won her last 26 matches at Roland Garros equalling the longest winning streak in a single women’s singles grand slam event this century (Serena Williams at the US Open between 2012 and 2015). Swiatek and Sabalenka have had some fantastic matches over the years. Most would agree last year’s Madrid final on clay was their best in an epic 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7) Swiatek win. The last time they met at a grand slam was back in 2022 at the US Open which Swiatek eventually won. Swiatek speaks after her win:
She then ends with a quick thank you for her fans in Polish. Swiatek beats Svitolina 6-1, 7-5The second set was much more competitive than the first but the defending champion just had too much for her in the end. And what a way to finish in that last game. Three aces just to overwhelm Svitolina! Swiatek pumps her fist twice after reaching her fourth consecutive French Open semi-final. Second set: Svitolina 1-6, 5-6 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) Swiatek is on a mission. She goes 30-0 up and all Svitolina can do is look at her box helplessly. But all of a sudden, Svitolina capitalises on a rare Swiatek mistake and hits a big forehand in the corner. She takes us to deuce before hitting straight into the net. Another mistake, this time a long return, gives Swiatek the hold. Second set: *Svitolina 1-6, 5-5 Swiatek (*denotes next server) Swiatek serving to stay in the set. She hits a backhand winner to get to game point … but then double faults. Svitolina forces deuce with a fizzing forehand, she receives warm applause from the crowd for that, but then hits a return into the net as Swiatek takes the game. Second set: Svitolina 1-6, 5-4 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) Svitolina holds to love! Wow! She holds her own in a rally and then a fiery smash combined with some big serves gives her the game. One more game like that and she will take the set. Second set: *Svitolina 1-6, 4-4 Swiatek (*denotes next server) Swiatek goes up 40-0 but two great forehands from her opponent make if 40-30. Swiatek though then hits a rocket of a forehand to take the game. All tied again in this set. Who is going to blink first? Second set: Svitolina 1-6, 4-3 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) Svitolina has apparently seen my reporting and said: “Don’t count me out yet!” Svitolina’s forehands in this game have been killer but Swiatek – what a player – manages to deal with them. Svitolina then opts for a drop shot but Swiatek can read her game and wins the point. Svitolina goes back to the forehand, this time with success, before ending a long rally with a backhand that Swiatek can only hit wide. Big hold! Second set: *Svitolina 1-6, 3-3 Swiatek (*denotes next server) How quickly has the defending champion turned this around? She is just toying with her opponent at times, hitting shots just out of Svitolina’s reach and acing her first serves. Tim emails from Japan saying he thinks Iga will win this match and I am inclined to agree! Second set: Svitolina 1-6, 3-2 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) We get to 30-30 after a precise forehand from Svitolina before Swiatek fires long, her ninth unforced error of the match. Svitolina then slips and is unable to hit her return over the net. Another mistake then seals the game for Swiatek. As swiftly as Svitolina had the break it has been snatched back from her! Second set: *Svitolina 1-6, 3-1 Swiatek (*denotes next server) At this level, players have to be sure when they make their shots. Swiatek hesitates for a moment in this game before opting to get close to the net. The extra moment she took in making her decision leads to her netting a drop shot … The defending champion then does it again and Svitolina will take the break! She beams towards her box. A decisive moment? Second set: Svitolina 1-6, 2-1 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) A welcome love hold for Svitolina. She gets a cheap point after Swiatek nets and is up 30-0 and then 40-0 as the Pole hits a return well-long – the ball almost hits the broadcast centre! Think the wind may have played a part there. Second set: *Svitolina 1-6, 1-1 Swiatek (*denotes next server) Hello all! We’re tied in the second set. Svitolina is visibly frustrated as she has just been a bit short in key moments against the defending champion. She hits two returns back-to-back to concede a game that she was initially leading. Second set: Svitolina 1-6, 1-0 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) Svitolina has more wins on clay this season than any other woman. She reached the semi-finals in Madrid, won in Rouen and is playing some of the best tennis of her career, defeating Paolini in the fourth round after saving three match points. But still it’s not enough against a champion reignited. Again Svitolina can’t breathe on serve as she’s taken to deuce. But she shows admirable fight to find a way to hold for the first time since her opening service game. Will it give her anything to hold on to? Yara will take you through the next games to find out … Swiatek wins the first set 6-1Swiatek, serving for the set, glides to 40-15. And Svitolina’s forehand return sails well long. The scoreline doesn’t really do justice to Svitolina’s effort, it’s taken nearly 45 minutes after all, but it’s Swiatek who has the first set on the board and I think few would bet against the defending champion from here. Swiatek doesn’t even want a full breather at the changeover – she’s sprinting side to side on the baseline, hitting pretend shots – seemingly ready to strike again as soon as Svitolina opens the second set. Swiatek breaks: Svitolina 1-5 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) A subdued Svitolina, perhaps disheartened by not getting what perhaps she deserved on Swiatek’s serve, slumps 0-30 down. And while she fights back to 30-all, is then break point down at 30-40. This time she finds a first serve to save it. And she repels a second break point at Swiatek’s advantage. Much of the problem for Svitolina here is finding the right balance; she knows she needs to attack Swiatek more than perhaps feels natural to her, but if she attacks too much the errors rack up. A third and fourth break point. Monfils looks on much more pensively than he ever looked during his hugely entertaining defeat by Jack Draper in the second round. And Swiatek eventually prevails on the fifth break point. First set: Svitolina* 1-4 Swiatek (*denotes next server) … before saving a second break point, wasting a game point of her own and then having another game point taken away by her when Svitolina calmly finishes off a 20-shot rally with a delicate forehand winner! Swiatek finally consolidates the break when Svitolina pushes into the net! Svitolina was punished in that previous game for not landing enough first serves, and Swiatek has the same problem on the first two points here, but is still able to win them. 30-0. Swiatek rediscovers her first serve but her forehand then goes missing in action, with one shot so wild it probably landed in the River Seine, and it’s 30-all. After another Swiatek error it’s deuce. And yet another makes it Svitolina’s advantage, break point. Svitolina takes matters into her own hands by sprinting forward to the net, but Swiatek pulls off the pass … Swiatek breaks: Svitolina 1-3 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) Swiatek replies with a hold to 15 of her own, finishing it with a flourish, as she nails a cross-court forehand. The four-times champion, and three-times defending champ, then hits a blistering backhand return winner to help her get to 30-all on Svitolina’s serve. Swiatek punishes another second serve and she has her first break point. And Svitolina swats long! First set: Svitolina 1-1 Swiatek* (*denotes next server) As for the head-to-head, Swiatek leads it 3-1, having won their only clay-court encounter in Rome four years ago, but losing their only grand slam meeting at Wimbledon in 2023. Swiatek can be such a fast starter (though not against Rybakina, when Swiatek said it felt as if she was up against Jannik Sinner in the first set), so Svitolina will want to settle quickly here. And that she does, with a confident hold to 15. First set: Svitolina* 0-1 Swiatek (*denotes next server) Maybe Swiatek’s mind is still on Sunday’s spectacle, because she falls break point down in the opening game at 30-40. She gathers her focus in time to save it, and then whips a forehand winner for her advantage. And that may be Svitolina’s problem this afternoon; Swiatek boasts a bit more power. Svitolina’s footwork, athleticism, fitness and fight are among the best in the game, but she doesn’t hit as hard as the top, top players, and that’s why she’s yet to win a slam. Even though I’d love for her to do so. After another deuce Swiatek holds. And here are Swiatek and Svitolina, who are both probably still buzzing from their fourth-round comebacks against Elena Rybakina and Jasmine Paolini. For Swiatek, after a barren run since her third French Open title in a row last year, it brought back some of her aura of invincibility; for Svitolina, it made her even more admired for the results she’s had since returning from maternity leave a couple of years ago. The Ukrainian is such a popular player wherever she goes, even more so in France because of her husband Gael Monfils, who’s taken his place in the player’s box today. That was Sabalenka’s toughest test yet – and she passed it in style. She was more consistent and patient than Zheng, who made twice as many unforced errors, and then showed breathtaking attack in the final five points to settle matters. It’ll be Iga Swiatek or Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals, and I reckon she could still find another level too if she needed to. “That was a true battle,” says a smiling Sabalenka. “Honestly I have no idea how I was able to break her back in that first set. I didn’t start well and I’m really glad I found my rhythm.” Marion Bartoli then asks her about losing to Zheng a few weeks ago in Rome. “Last tournament I was pretty exhausted. I was actually glad I lost that match because I needed a break before Roland Garros. Today I was more fresh and ready to battle and fight. I’m really glad I have another opportunity and another semi-final. I’m ready to go out and compete for every point.” Sabalenka beats Zheng 7-6, 6-3Sabalenka, perhaps pushing too much to get the job done, allows Zheng to advance to 40-0, before smoking a backhand return winner down the line. Another backhand winner, this time cross-court, and Sabalenka is surging back at 30-40 and then deuce. The world No 1 looks in the mood to get this finished. And does so with a winning volley and an errant drop shot from Zheng! The world No 1, Australian Open and US Open champ is through to the semi-finals for the second time after a tight, two-set battle. She still hasn’t dropped a set. Second set: Sabalenka 7-6, 5-3 Zheng* (*denotes next server) “It’s a two games a set advantage if you know how to play the wind,” says Evert as Sabalenka’s hopes of wrapping up the game are blown off-course when serving at 40-30. “You can’t get set with your feet too soon.” From deuce, Sabalenka regroups, and takes the next two points. Zheng must hold serve to inconvenience Sabalenka any longer. Sabalenka breaks: Sabalenka* 7-6, 4-3 Zheng (*denotes next server) But Zheng is so hot and cold. She’s capable of blistering winners but also moments of indecision and doubt. She quickly drops 0-30 down and hands Sabalenka three break points with a double fault, her fifth of the match. And a wild, wayward shot concedes the game. It’s a third consecutive break; this second set is proving as changeable as the blustery Parisian wind. Source link Posted: 2025-06-03 14:40:41 |
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