TENNIS – World number one Aryna Sabalenka battled past four-times champion Iga Swiatek to reach her first French Open final with a 7-6(1) 4-6 6-0 win yesterday that ended the Pole’s reign in Paris and snapped her 26-game winning streak at the tournament.
The Belarusian will face 2022 finalist Coco Gauff in Saturday’s showcase match after the American crushed French hopes with a straight-sets victory over wild card Lois Boisson.
Sabalenka’s power proved too much for defending champion Swiatek, who was looking to become the first female player in the Open era since 1968 to win four consecutive titles in Paris.
Swiatek had won the previous three editions along with her maiden crown in 2020.
“Honestly, it feels incredible but I understand the job is not done yet. I’m just thrilled today with this win and the atmosphere,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka, playing her second French Open semi-final and seeking her first title in Paris, powered into a 3-0 lead, twice breaking the Pole.
She kept attacking her opponent’s serve with Swiatek winning just 35 per cent of her points on her second serve.
Swiatek, who late last year accepted a one-month doping ban and came into the tournament without a title win this season, had reached the semis dropping just one set in five matches. But she looked completely out of sorts yesterday.
With seven unforced errors in the first three games the Pole was playing catch-up from the start.
She struggled with her serve and had racked up two double faults by the fifth game.
Swiatek gradually, however, found her range and precision, countering Sabalenka’s raw power with superb ball placement and levelled when her opponent double-faulted on break point.
Gauff had a much easier task against Boisson, the first player in the Open Era since 1968 to reach the last four of the French Open.
The wild card, ranked 361st in the world at the start, had taken the tournament by storm, beating two seeded players on her French Open debut, including world number three Jessica Pegula, but her scintillating run came to an abrupt halt against Gauff.
The 21-year-old second seed, was a cut above her opponent on the day.
For 22-year-old Boisson Gauff proved too big a hurdle.
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