In one of the most anticipated clashes of the French Open 2025, Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka are set to face off in a semi-final showdown that feels every bit like a championship match. When the tournament draw revealed both players in the same half, tennis fans knew a major showdown was on the horizon. The reigning world number one Sabalenka and the three-time defending Roland Garros champion Swiatek have each advanced to the final four with commanding victories.
On Tuesday at Court Philippe Chatrier Sabalenka kicked off proceedings by defeating eighth seed Qinwen Zheng 7-6(3) 6-3 in a gritty quarter-final. Moments later Swiatek continued her dominance on clay by overcoming 13th seed Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5. The result sets up a high-stakes semi-final between two of the most formidable forces in women’s tennis.
Sabalenka had to fight hard against Olympic champion Zheng who had recently beaten her in Rome. Zheng took an early lead breaking Sabalenka’s serve in the first set but the top seed rallied pushing the match to a tiebreak and sealing the set with authority. They exchanged breaks early in the second set but Sabalenka surged ahead with a decisive break at 3-3 finishing the match with powerful backhands that left Zheng with no response.
Swiatek’s journey in her quarter-final began with a dominant first set but Svitolina responded strongly in the second displaying improved forehand depth. Swiatek however stayed composed and broke serve in the 11th game then closed the match with three commanding aces. That victory extended her unbeaten run at Roland Garros to 26 matches.
Aryna Sabalenka enters this semi-final in top form boasting a 39-6 record in 2025 along with three titles. She’s now joined the elite company of Serena Williams and Martina Hingis by reaching nine Grand Slam semi-finals in her last 10 appearances. While her three major titles have come on hard courts she has shown her versatility by reaching the last four in Paris without dropping a set and having claimed the Madrid Masters title on clay.
Iga Swiatek though may not have won a title yet in 2025 with a 32-9 season record but she thrives on the Paris clay. With four of her five Grand Slam titles won at Roland Garros she has firmly established herself as the Queen of Clay. The Polish star seems to have rediscovered her best form just in time for this high-voltage encounter.
Their head-to-head record stands at 8-4 in favor of Swiatek though they have met only once at a major where she defeated Sabalenka in the 2022 US Open semi-final. Now both have something vital on the line—Sabalenka wants to prove her ability beyond hard courts while Swiatek is eyeing a confidence boost to rejuvenate her season.
“I need to focus on myself do the work be brave with my shots and go for it,” said Swiatek after her win. “Aryna is always a tough opponent and she’s had a great year.”
As Roland Garros nears its final days this clash could easily go down as the most exciting and defining match of the tournament.
