French Open 2025: Aryna Sabalenka takes on Iga Swiatek in crackling semi-final

The Times of India at Roland Garros : The first of Thursday’s last-four matches pits opposites in play and personality — Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.1, against the four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek — making for a crackling contest. The 24-year-old Pole leads the head-to-head 8-4. For Sabalenka, the clay tests the consistency of her power game, and has struggled to finish on the right side of the scoreline here, for reasons ranging from stomach issues and meltdowns.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The two leading ladies of the women’s game, not by rankings, but by major titles won, will pit their contrasting skill sets – howitzer strokes and serve against the steadiest ship on the women’s tour.
Swiatek, the five-time major champion, who is on her shakiest run on the surface since she first triumphed here in 2020, appears to have found her feet on clay. She pulled off a daring three-set win over Elena Rybakina in the fourth round, announcing that she may have come into the clay court Slam without a title in the first five months, but was ready to play. The 5 ft 11’ Belarusian, a popular character in the locker room, having struck up friendships with Paula Badosa and Ons Jabeur, loves dancing and joking around, while Swiatek, a bibliophile, is more of an introvert. In Riyadh, during the WTA Finals last year, Sabalenka approached Swiatek to make a dance video. “Before there wasn’t any communication, any practices with her, but now we are getting (along) better,” Sabalenka said.