FrenchOpen25: Women’s SFs: Swiatek Stunned by Sabalenka, Gauff Storms into Final

 


The “Queen of Clay” has finally been dethroned. After a stunning run of 26 consecutive wins at Roland Garros, Iga Swiatek suffered a rare defeat at her favourite venue. Despite staging a spirited comeback in the quarterfinals against Elena Rybakina, the Polish star could not repeat the feat in the semifinals. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka outplayed Swiatek in a thrilling three-set battle — 7-6, 4-6, 6-0 — handing the four-time French Open champion a resounding loss in her comfort zone.

Sabalenka, known for her aggressive power play and emotional unpredictability, was in peak form in the decider. She allowed Swiatek no breathing room in the final set, dominating every rally and sealing the match in 2 hours and 19 minutes.

This win marked sweet revenge for Sabalenka, who had previously lost to Swiatek in the 2022 US Open semifinal. It also sent her into her first-ever Grand Slam final on clay — and her fourth Grand Slam final overall, having previously won three titles on hard courts.

The match was played under a closed roof on Court Philippe Chatrier due to rain in Paris, eliminating wind as a factor. Sabalenka made an explosive start, breaking Swiatek’s serve in the first and third games to go up 3-0. It appeared Swiatek was headed for a quick defeat, but she clawed her way back. Down 5-6 and facing match point on Sabalenka’s serve, she saved it and pushed the set into a tiebreaker. However, the Belarusian reclaimed her momentum with a dominant display in the breaker.

In the second set, Swiatek turned the tables. She broke Sabalenka twice early on and controlled the set to level the match. Echoes of her comeback against Rybakina gave hope to her fans. But the third set told a different story.

Sabalenka came out like a storm, firing winners from both flanks. Swiatek struggled to keep up and looked mentally deflated as the set progressed. The Belarusian won the set 6-0 without facing a single break point and converted eight of her ten break chances across the match. It was a masterclass in clay-court dominance — from a player not traditionally known for clay prowess.

Gauff Cruises Past Surprise Package Boisson

In the other semifinal, second seed Coco Gauff advanced to her second Roland Garros final with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 win over French wildcard Clara Burel Boisson. The American needed just 69 minutes to end Boisson’s dream run.

Boisson had captured hearts and headlines after becoming the first wildcard in history to reach the French Open semifinals. She had already pulled off major upsets by defeating third seed Jessica Pegula and sixth seed Mirra Andreeva in the previous rounds. But against Gauff, she struggled to hold serve, managing to win just one service game per set.

Gauff, clinical and focused, broke Boisson six times in the match, exploiting the Frenchwoman’s nerves and inconsistent serve. Boisson appeared overwhelmed by the occasion and was often seen covering her head with a towel during changeovers, trying to regain focus. Despite the defeat, Boisson’s remarkable run earned her admiration and respect.

Final Set for a Blockbuster: Gauff vs Sabalenka

With top seed Aryna Sabalenka and second seed Coco Gauff through to the final, Roland Garros 2025 will witness a classic one-versus-two showdown. Gauff, a finalist here in 2022, will be chasing her second Grand Slam title, while Sabalenka aims to add a clay crown to her hard court legacy.


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