Aryna Sabalenka’s dream run at Roland Garros 2025 continues, as the World No. 1 defeated Iga Swiatek in a semifinal clash to book her place in the final against Coco Gauff.
While Aryna Sabalenka emerged victorious, she was full of praise for her long-time rival. Swiatek came into the match as the defending champion and one of the favorites to win the title again. That’s not all, the World No. 5 is known as the Clay Queen.
Speaking after the match, the World No. 1 shared her honest thoughts on Swiatek’s performance.
“I have to say both of us improved a lot,” Aryna Sabalenka said. “I think today was a really high-level match. I think she played really well.”
The two hadn’t faced each other in nearly a year, and much had changed in that time, both in terms of form and confidence. While Sabalenka took the World No. 1 spot, Swiatek has faced a significant decline and now sits at the World No. 5 position.
“Both of us were struggling a bit on the serve in the first half of the match,” Sabalenka noted. “I think she’s playing great tennis. Maybe she lost a bit of confidence, so that’s why sometimes you see her missing balls she shouldn’t be missing. But overall, I think today was a really high-level match and today she played really great tennis.”
Sabalenka’s respect for Swiatek’s game was clear. Despite the win, she acknowledged how close the game was and how well her opponent performed.
With the win, Sabalenka now advances to her first French Open final, where she will meet American star Coco Gauff. It marks a major milestone in Sabalenka’s career, as she looks to win her first Grand Slam title outside of the hard courts.
But for now, Sabalenka is taking a moment to appreciate the level of tennis on display — both from her side and from Swiatek’s.
“She’s a great player, and it’s always a tough battle,” she said. “Matches like this, they make you better.”
With that being said, there is no denying that after overcoming one of the toughest opponents on that surface, Sabalenka now carries confidence, momentum, and belief into the biggest clay-court match of her life.
