French Open: Four-time champion Iga Swiatek to tak...

Iga Swiatek stayed on target to win her fourth consecutive French Open title after reaching the semi-finals, the place she’s going to meet previous adversary Aryna Sabalenka.

Swiatek earned her twenty sixth victory in a row at Roland Garros after a 6-1 7-5 triumph in opposition to No 13 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.

World No 1 Sabalenka is having fun with her forty first week on the high of the rankings and ousted reigning Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 of their quarter-final.

Swiatek, who has spent 125 weeks at world No 1, will now face the present world No 1 within the closing 4 on Thursday.

“I ought to have had higher depth to start with of the second set,” Swiatek stated in a post-match interview. “Once I noticed my depth go low I received it excessive once more. I’m pleased I did it on the finish of the set.

“Towards Aryna it’s all the time a problem. She has a recreation for each floor. I’ve to do the work, be courageous with my pictures and go for it. She is having an excellent season.”

“I cannot lie. It will likely be a tricky match however am pleased for the problem,” she added.

Sabalenka, wanting so as to add a Roland Garros to her two Australian and one US Open crowns, gained a hard-fought, close to two-hour contest.

Zheng, the eighth seed from China, was the final lady to win a title right here having claimed Olympic gold in August.

She went a break up within the first set and gave Sabalenka her greatest check of the event thus far, however was unable to stop her from making the final 4 for the second time in three years.

The 27-year-old stated: “That was a real battle. Actually I do not know how I used to be in a position to break her again and get again within the first set.

“I used to be simply making an attempt to struggle and I used to be simply making an attempt to place as many balls as I may again in. I did not begin properly however I am actually glad I discovered my rhythm and gained this match. It was a tricky one.”

Zheng had defeated Sabalenka in Rome final month, however that most likely did the Belarusian a favour.

“I’ve to say that within the final event I used to be fairly exhausted,” she added.

“Actually, I used to be really glad that I misplaced that match as a result of I wanted somewhat break earlier than Roland Garros.

“I used to be simply extra contemporary as we speak and I used to be able to battle, to struggle and to go away every part that I’ve on courtroom to get this win.”

Swiatek, who accepted a one-month doping ban late final yr, is trying to turn into the primary lady within the skilled period since 1968 to win 4 consecutive titles in Paris.

She leads the general head-to-head 8-4 in opposition to Sabalenka, and the clay-court head-to-head 5-1.

Sabalenka, although, beat Swiatek 6-3 6-3 of their most up-to-date assembly, on the laborious courts of Cincinnati final yr.

This shall be their first-ever assembly at Roland Garros.

Watch the ATP and WTA Excursions, in addition to the US Open in New York, stay on Sky Sports activities in 2025 or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports activities prospects entry to over 50 per cent extra stay sport this yr at no additional price. Find out more here.