By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, June 3, 2025

The sound of flapping flags about Court Philippe Chatrier amplified as Aryna Sabalenka faced turbulence on the terre battue below.

In danger of going down a double break in the opener, Sabalenka shrugged off stress.

Showing force-of-nature fight, Sabalenka stopped seventh-seeded Zheng Qinwen 7-6(3), 6-3 to advance to her second Roland Garros semifinal.



It is Sabalenka’s 11th career major semifinal, including her ninth semifinal in her last 10 Grand Slam tournaments as she continues her hunt for a maiden Roland Garros crown.

"She played incredible tennis. She's a great player, and I expected her to play a great match," Sabalenka said of Zheng. "I enjoyed this battle. I enjoyed that I had to come back in that first set, and the first set was, like, really tight. It could go either way.

"So I was really enjoying it. I'm super happy that I got win in straight sets."

World No. 1 Sabalenka has not surrendered a set in five tournament wins, raising her 2025 record to a WTA-best 39-6.

Avenging her Rome quarterfinal loss, Sabalenka beat Zheng for the seventh time in eight meetings.

The top-seeded Sabalenka will play four-time champion Iga Swiatek for a spot in Saturday's final.

The fifth-seeded Swiatek defeated No. 13-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 to score her 26th consecutive Roland Garros victory.

"I knew that I need to be proactive, and Elina, we already played Grand Slam quarterfinal in Wimbledon," Swiatek said. "I think I won the first set, and she's that kind of player that goes for it, and she's not going to doubt.

"So in important points, I knew that I have to be brave and just, yeah, be intense and try to push her, because she's not going to give me points for free."

Swiatek sliced her third ace out wide to seal a one hour, 41-minute triumph in style.

"I love it. I love tough challenges," Sabalenka said of facing Swiatek in the semifinals. "I think this is the matches where you actually improve as a player and where you get much stronger. So I love those challenges. And I always excited to face someone strong and then someone who can challenge me.

"I love it, because I take it as a challenge, and I go out there and I fight, and I'm ready to leave everything I have to get the win. So I love those challenges."

Reflecting on her Rome loss to Zheng last month, Sabalenka said she couldn’t wait for “my opportunity for revenge” today, but she had to tame trouble to earn the vendetta victory.

Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng nearly took a double break lead in the opening set. Zheng was leading 4-2 when she reached 30-all on Sabalenka’s serve.

The eighth seed attacked net, was in prime position for a high backhand volley, but dropped her racquet head and pushed it into net. Instead of facing break point, Sabalenka held for 3-4. 

Afterward, Zheng said she felt she lost this match more than Sabalenka won it.

"I think maybe during the match I should play a bit more aggressive, and I think in the first set I made a lot of, you know, easy mistakes," Zheng said. "I give her the chance so easy.

"Of course, I think mostly I made a match lose. I think mostly it's on my hand because already I did some double fault in the first set when I'm leading with my service game."

Disaster nearly struck Zheng in the 12th game when she stopped play at 30-all believing Sabalenka’s shot landed long. The chair umpire came out and ruled the ball had touched the back edge of the line. Hawk-Eye line technology, not used in the tournament but present for television broadcasts, showed the ball was long.

Facing a set point, Zheng kept calm and cracked a backhand pass down the line to erase it. That set point save sparked Zheng on a five-point run as she held then took a 2-0 tiebreaker lead.

Dialing in her drives, Sabalenka won four points in a row for 4-2.

Slamming her fourth ace down the T brought Sabalenka three more set points.

On her second set point, The Belarusian dabbed a drop shot. Zheng caught up to it and had a good look down the line but shoveled a forehand long. Sabalenka rallied from 2-4 down snatch a one-set lead after 68 minutes.

It was the 13th set Sabalenka won in 16 total sets vs. Zheng, prompting the Chinese to leave the court for an extended bathroom break.

A brief burst of wind ruffled Zheng’s lavender skirt as she stood facing break point in the fifth game.

Reading the wide serve, Sabalenka stormed a backhand strike down the line breaking for 3-2 after 98 minutes of play.

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Facing the deepest deficit of the day, Zheng did not hold back.

Operating from the obscurity of the doubles alley, Zheng zapped a backhand return winner down the line for double break point.

On the next point, a lunging Sabalenka made a stab volley, that was called good by the linescrew. However, the the chair umpire came out, checked the mark and ruled the shot landed wide giving Zheng the break back for 3-all.

Hawk-Eye replay showed the umpire made the correct call—the ball was slightly wide of the sideline.

Smiling off that reversal of fortune, Sabalenka came right back, stamping a love break for 4-3.

Tomahawking a tremendous forehand down the line, Sabalenka navigated a tricky deuce hold stretching her lead to 7-6, 5-3.

In a rapid-fire net exchange, Sabalenka stood her ground and drew a netted error for match point.

A lethargic-looking Zheng shoveled a drop shot wide—in a seeming shot of concession—as Sabalenka closed in one hour, 57 minutes.

The US Open champion improved to 11-1 lifetime in Grand Slam quarterfinals.