The ‘shocking’ truth behind Aryna Sabalenka’s French Open destruction of Iga Swiatek

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The reign is over. It’s a reality that will hit Iga Swiatek as brutally as a thumping forehand return from Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated the French Open champion 7-6 4-6 6-0 to reach her first Roland Garros final. This is a result that is as emphatic as the final-set scoreline represented: Swiatek’s fortress of Court Philippe-Chatrier was stormed; the dream of a record fourth title in a row left in the dust.

Swiatek’s run of 26 consecutive victories at the French Open, the joint-longest streak at a women’s grand slam this century, came crashing down at the hands of the World No 1. In a tense, rollercoaster semi-final that was dominated on the returns, Sabalenka found a higher level to routinely demolish Swiatek’s vulnerable serve in a gripping battle between the two players who have contested for the No 1 ranking over the last three years.

Sabalenka took some blows herself, with an astonishing 11 breaks of serve between both players in the first 15 games of the match, and had to withstand a response from Swiatek in the second set, but the 27-year-old Belarusian underlined her status as the best in the world with the way she went back to picking her opponent’s game apart in the 24-minute final set.

open image in gallery Swiatek waves to the crowd after defeat in the semi-finals ( Getty )

She will look to add her first grand slam title outside of the hard court tournaments and will faces Coco Gauff in the final, after the American ended the run of French wildcard Lois Boisson. "Iga is the toughest opponent, especially at Roland Garros, I'm proud I managed to get this win,” Sabalenka said. "It feels incredible but the job is not done yet. I'm thrilled with my performance.”

Sabalenka will be the favourite on Saturday after the way she swept Swiatek away in the 6-0 final set proved why. From 30-30 in the second game of the decider, Sabalenka won 19 of the final 21 points to power over the finish line. After being overpowered in the first set, Swiatek had wrestled back the momentum by steadying her serve and looked to have taken it into the decider.

Sabalenka faced 30-30 in the opening game of the third but secured an important hold, establishing the platform where would regain her dominance. “The way the third set went, it's actually, like shocking for me, to be honest,” Sabalenka said. “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.”

Sabalenka said the next game was where it all changed. The score was again 30-30 but Swiatek put a backhand into the net from close range before Sabalenka broke by aiming her heavy forehand behind the Pole. “The second game was the key game, key moment,” Sabalenka said. “I think after that game, I kind of stepped in even more, and she was under so much pressure.”

open image in gallery Sabalenka will play Coco Gauff in her first French Open final ( Getty Images )

Swiatek had recovered from breaks down in the first set and looked to be up for the fight with her response to losing the tiebreak in the second. What changed after missing on the backhand? “I lost my intensity a bit,” Swiatek said. “She just played pretty strong, as in first set, but I didn't react to that well and just couldn't push back.”

The opening games of the semi-final had all the tension and stress of a psychological thriller, with both players turning to vent at their player box as they struggled on serve. It become the rhythm of the match. Sabalenka looked to have made a statement start as she broke Swiatek’s serve in three consecutive games, thumping return winners. Swiatek, though, was able to reverse the mini-crisis she was facing by doing exactly the same thing, going big on the returns behind her forehand to lead 5-4.

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After four breaks of serve each, Sabalenka steadied on her serve to win a dominant tiebreak, wrong-footing Swiatek with her approaches from the baseline. Swiatek lost her composure, appearing to stamp on her racket as Sabalenka put a winner behind her, and was punished for a moment of hesitancy at the net when Sabalenka thundered an ace to lead 5-1. Two points later, Sabalenka had wrapped up a 75-minute set.

open image in gallery Both players struggled on their serve during the first set ( Getty )

open image in gallery Swiatek lost her ‘intensity’ during her final-set collapse ( Getty )

The second set began with three more breaks of serve, although this time Swiatek could enforce scoreboard pressure. The four-time champion produced a soft pick-up at the net and landed an excellent drop shot from the baseline to hold and lead 3-1. It was the decisive moment in the set. From there, Swiatek increased her first-serve percentage, gave Sabalenka fewer opportunities to take aim and forced the third with a love-hold and her best serving game of the match.

Sabalenka responded with an important hold having faced 30-30 in the opening game of the third. After the key second game, Sabalenka roared as she consolidated it with a winner, then found another huge forward return to secure the double-break. With Swiatek nearing the end, Sabalenka made sure there was no way back and added a signature finish to the destruction with another return winner on match point.

“It was a big match, and it felt like a final,” Sabalenka said. “But I know that the job is not done yet, and I have to go out there on Saturday. I have to fight and I have to bring my best tennis. I have to work for that title, especially if it's going to be Coco. 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.”

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