The first two sets were close between Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek were ultra-close. The issue is that neither could hold serve very well. By the time the second set was done, tennis fans had not seen three-straight holds of serve. Plus, even with Swiatek dropping the first set, she had to believe she was going to win.
This is what happens when a player has won a specific tournament three straight times. No matter how poorly Swiatek might have performed this year, compared to how successful she normally is, she had to be a favorite heading into Roland Garros.
Sabalenka, on the other hand, had been ranked as the WTA No. 1 for most of a year, but had never reached the final of the clay-court tournament. Taking one set was fine, but taking two off of the player many assume is the better on the surface is a different issue.
Aryna Sabalenka defeats Iga Swiatek to reach the final of the 2025 French Open
Which is why the third set ended up being such a shock. Sabalenka held, and then broke Swiatek. One would not have been surprised had the Pole not broken right back, but Sabalenka held easily. She then got another break of the Pole, and the outcome seemed certain.
Both players played at a high level, however, and both were trying to take points instead of give them away. Sabalenka finished with 29 winners and 25 unforced errors. Swiatek wasn't far different with 29 winners and 35 unforced errors. Neither players won at least 50 percent of their first serves.
In the end, Sabalenka took the final set without dropping a game and won the match 7-6(1) 4-6 6-0. She will next play the winner of the Coco Gauff and Lois Boisson semifinal match.
Top-ranked Sabalenka has played second-ranked Gauff 10 times, and they have split the meetings. The Belarusian has won three of the last for meetings.
Sabalenka has never faced 23-year-old Boisson, who has managed to make it out of quarterfinals for the first time at any Grand Slam event.