Defending champion Iga Swiatek continued her dominant run at Roland Garros on Tuesday, securing a spot in her fourth consecutive semifinal with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
Swiatek, seeded No. 5, defeated No. 13 seed Svitolina in 1 hour and 41 minutes. The Polish star has now won 26 consecutive matches at this tournament, extending her impressive streak. Despite being ranked lower than her usual top spot and narrowly defeating Elena Rybakina in the previous round, Swiatek showcased her best tennis to defeat Svitolina, who was hoping for her fourth Grand Slam semifinal appearance.
“Even though the first set score looks straightforward, it wasn’t that easy,” Swiatek said in a post-match interview. “I had to fight for every point. I’m happy I stayed focused, especially when she broke me in the second set. I kept up my intensity until the end.”
Swiatek vs. Sabalenka: A Semifinal to Watch
The stage is set for a thrilling semifinal clash between Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka, the two players who have dominated the No. 1 ranking since April 2022. Swiatek, who has held the World No. 1 spot for 125 weeks, will face Sabalenka, the current World No. 1, on Thursday. Sabalenka recently defeated Zheng Qinwen to reach this stage.
Swiatek leads their head-to-head 8-4, with a dominant 5-1 record on clay. However, Sabalenka defeated Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 in their most recent encounter, which took place on hard courts in Cincinnati last year. This will be their first meeting at Roland Garros.
“Our rivalry pushes both of us,” Swiatek said. “But it’s not just about tennis. It’s about how we work and our professionalism.”
Svitolina’s Clay-Court Success and Swiatek’s Continued Dominance
Svitolina came into the match as the leader in clay-court victories in 2025, with 16 wins on the surface. She had also reached the semifinals in Madrid and the quarterfinals in Rome. However, Swiatek, who entered Roland Garros without a clay-court title this year, showed why she remains one of the best on the surface.
Swiatek is now the fifth player in the Open Era, joining legends like Rafael Nadal, Chris Evert, Bjorn Borg, and Monica Seles, to win 25 or more consecutive matches at Roland Garros.
“I believe in myself more here at Roland Garros,” Swiatek said. “I push myself to the limit because I know I can overcome challenges more easily on this court than anywhere else.”
Match Highlights
Despite the routine scoreline, the first set was far from easy for Swiatek. She faced three break points, including a tough game at 4-1 to maintain her break lead. Once she got through that, Swiatek took control with her powerful forehand, breaking Svitolina again to win the first set.
The second set saw Svitolina fight back, taking a 3-1 lead as windy conditions intensified. However, Swiatek remained resilient, breaking back to level the score. Svitolina was two points away from winning the set at 5-4, but Swiatek came through with a forehand return winner to break for 6-5.
Serving for the match, Swiatek sealed the win with two aces in a row, finishing with a third ace to book her spot in the semifinal.
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