After nearly two hours, Sabalenka was finally able to decide and reach her career's second semifinal in the French Championships.
The three-time Grand Slam winner has won the Australian Open twice and the US Open once, but has never managed to reach the final in Paris.
We are all here for one reason, to win this tournament, and now I get a new chance after the latest semifinal (2023), says Sabalenka in the victory interview on Eurosport.
Zheng Qinwen took Olympic gold last summer and had thereby lined up ten straight wins on the clay at Roland Garros until Tuesday's quarterfinal.
But it stopped there.
But only after great drama, above all in the first set, which Sabalenka finally won in a tiebreak, 7–3, after one hour and 13 minutes.
Iga Swiatek, Poland, has won in Paris four times, including the last three years, and was the big favourite in the quarterfinal against Elena Svitolina from Ukraine.
Swiatek had lined up 25 straight wins on Roland Garros and it looked like it would be an easy journey to the 26th after 6–1 in the first set.
But in the second, Swiatek was pressed hard, Svitolina went up to a 3–1 lead before the Pole could turn it around and take home the set with 7–5.
