After a tough and long match, Aryna Sabalenka ended Iga Swiatek’s winning streak at Roland Garros with a strong 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 win in the semifinal, snapping Swiatek’s impressive 26-match winning streak at the French Open and reaching her first clay-court Grand Slam final. The match, held under the closed roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier, saw Sabalenka overpower Swiatek’s serve, converting eight break points and completely dominating the final set with aggressive, flawless tennis.
Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion and the tournament’s fifth seed, had been unbeaten in Paris since 2021 and was aiming to become the first woman since 1968 to win four consecutive titles at the event. Although she fought back to take the second set, she couldn’t handle Sabalenka’s relentless pressure in the deciding set, where the Belarusian produced a 22-minute, error-free performance to seal the match 6-0.
The match also featured some controversy. In the second set, Swiatek voiced frustration after chair umpire Kader Nouni denied her request to check a mark on the clay, a courtesy she believed Sabalenka had received earlier. While Swiatek won the second set, the incident seemed to add to her mounting pressure, and she was unable to maintain her level in the final set.
Sabalenka’s win marked her 40th main-draw victory of the season—the most of any player on tour, and secured her sixth Grand Slam final appearance, the highest number by any player in the 2020s. She will face World No. 2 Coco Gauff, who defeated French wildcard Lois Boisson, in the final on Saturday. For Swiatek, the loss was a rare setback on her preferred surface, but experts praised her resilience and expect her to come back stronger after showing significant progress despite the defeat.