PARIS: Three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek set up a blockbuster French Open semi-final clash with world number one Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday. Swiatek, the fifth seed, got past 13th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 in Paris after top women’s seed Sabalenka won a nervy quarter-final against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.

“(Aryna) has been having a great season so I’m not going to lie, it is going to be a tough match. But I’m happy for the challenge,” said Swiatek after reeling off her 26th win in a row at the French Open. Both players have shared the number one ranking between them since April 2022.

Sabalenka ended Swiatek’s 11-month reign as world number one last October but the Pole leads 8-4 in their previous meetings. World number five Swiatek has been struggling for her best form and has not reached a final since winning the French Open title last year.

But she gave Svitolina little opportunity on her favored clay surface, breaking in the fourth game to ease through the first set. The pair exchanged consecutive breaks of serve early in the second set, before Swiatek forced the breakthrough at 5-5 with a powerful forehand down the line. She then sealed the win with back-to-back aces. Swiatek is aiming to become the first woman to win four straight Roland Garros crowns since Suzanne Lenglen 102 years ago.

Zheng streak over

Earlier, reigning US Open champion Sabalenka defied the windy conditions and Zheng to avenge her recent loss to the Chinese star in Rome. “The last tournament I was pretty exhausted,” said Sabalenka. “Today I was more fresh I was ready to battle.”

Sabalenka once again got the upper hand on Zheng, who had been on a winning streak of 10 matches on the Paris clay after her run to Olympic gold last year. Zheng broke and led 4-2 in the first set. But numerous unforced errors - 31 in total - allowed the Belarusian to come back.

The second set was also tight before Sabalenka broke back to lead 4-3, taking advantage of her opponent’s errors. “I gave her the chance, so easy,” said Zheng, who has lost seven times in eight meetings to Sabalenka, including in last year’s Australian Open final.

Madrid Open champion Sabalenka feels she is ready to go all the way in Paris, where her previous best performance was reaching the semi-finals two years ago. “It’s high-level matches. I’m super excited to go out there and to fight and to do everything I need to get the win,” said Sabalenka of her tie against Swiatek. — AFP