Aryna Sabalenka ended Iga Swiatek’s reign at Roland Garros as she handed the world No. 5 her first loss here since 2021. The top seed played a flawless final set to bagel the four-time champion, winning 7-6(1) 4-6 6-0, and surprised even herself with her dominance.
Swiatek is known for dishing out plenty of bagels and breadsticks – 6-0 and 6-1 sets – especially on the clay. But the Pole got a taste of her own medicine when Sabalenka raced through the decider in 24 minutes, dropping only six points.
The world No. 1 couldn’t believe the third and final set played out so perfectly. But, once she got the first break of the Swiatek serve, the writing was on the wall.
“Well, yeah, the way the third set went, it’s actually, like, shocking for me, to be honest,” a candid Sabalenka said after reaching her first French Open final.
“I really think that, first of all, I’m super happy that I found the rhythm on my serve, and it was much easier after I figured, ‘Okay, I’m in control of my serve’, and also I put so much pressure on her serve.
“I think that was the key, like the second game was the key game, key moment. I think after that game, I kind of, like, stepped in even more, and she was under so much pressure.
“I think after those first couple of games, I wasn’t, like, really surprising, because I felt like I was doing everything right and I was putting so much pressure on her. So I’m happy that it worked and I won that set.”
Four-time champion Swiatek agreed the second game of the decider was the turning point. She explained: “I remember missing, like, two backhands when she broke me first time.
“And she still served really well. I feel like I served the same, and she read my serve much better. So I probably won less points on the return.
“And I don’t really know. You know, I think I lost my intensity a bit, and she just played, you know, like pretty strong as in the first set, but I didn’t react to that well and just couldn’t push back, you know.”
Sabalenka has already completed the near-impossible by beating Swiatek at Roland Garros – only two other players have managed to do so, Maria Sakkari in 2021 and Simona Halep in 2019.
While she’s “super happy and proud” of her efforts, the three-time Major winner knows she can’t relax just yet as she faces No. 2 seed Coco Gauff in the championship match, a rematch of the recent Madrid Open final won by Sabalenka.
She added: “I t was a big match, and it felt like a final, but I know that the job is not done yet, and I have to go out there on Saturday, and I have to fight and I have to bring my best tennis, and I have to work for that title, especially if it’s going to be Coco.
“Yeah, I’m ready. I’m ready to go out, and I’m ready to fight. And I’m ready to do everything it’s going to take to get the win.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk