Key events
*Sabalenka 7-6(1) 0-1 Swiatek Swiatek takes a break and down 15-0, faced with a second serve rips a forehand winner down the line; neither respects the other in that department. Anyroad, while I’m looking up bike companies and colour charts, we land at 30-40, Sabalenka buggy-whipping a forehand like a ninja and howling like like Mad Murdoch as she gains deuce. Swiatek, though, backpedldles well to hit a backhand winner and she might doing a bit better at making this a clay-court match – she has to extend rallies and break sidelines. Which is how she secures the break, swinging a backhand return way out wide then cleaning up from half-court.
“That outfit Saba is sporting is deffo celeste, as made famous by the legendary bike company Bianchi,” advises Chris Collinson. Apparently Bianchi got a great deal on some celeste-coloured paint from the Italian Armed Forces back in the day, and now it’s synonymous with the company).”
Aryna Sabalenka takes the first set
Sabalenka 7-6(1) Swiatek Chance for Swiatek to get back into the breaker with a winner but offered a nicely bouncing ball and a lot of space, she goes long, offering Sabalenka five set points. And she only needs one, another overhit ball finally ending a set that looked over 50 minutes ago.
Sabalenka 6-6 Swiatek (5-1) Whoever loses this breaker will feel extremely poorly, Sabalenka having led through the set and been unable to serve it out and Swiatek after working like mad to come back. But it’s an immediate mini-break for the former then, at the net and lost in the supermarket, a tentative push wide means a second, then an ace takes her to within two points of it.
*Sabalenka 6-6 Swiatek A decent return helps Swiatek to 0-15 and in comms, Lindsay notes that, with the roof closed, no one would’ve expected five breaks of serve in 11 games. I guess conditions are helpful for returning too, allowing both players to rely on their shot-making and, as I type, Sabalenka unloads the suitcase at one only to drop long. She does, though, soon make 30-all, only for a weak serve to invite the forehand winner cross-court; Swiatek duly delivers. And though, on break-back point, Sabalenka finds a much better delivery, backed up with a forehand, she’s soon advantage down, and a poor backhand flies long and plenty. That’s six breaks in 12 games, and here comes a first-set tiebreak.
Sabalenka 6-5 Swiatek* Oh I say! Up 0-15, Sabalenka is sent to the forehand corner and, on the run, stretches to bend a glorious winner just inside the sideline. Then at 15-30, she steps back a little to return and lands a decent one which facilitates a looping forehand, enough to raise two break points … and she only needs one, clobbering a forehand return that’s too good. All that hard work, and after losing seven points out of eight, Swiatek must still break to stay in the set.
*Sabalenka 5-5 Swiatek There’s pressure here, Sabalenka in danger of losing a set she’s dominated. But she rides it well, holding to love, and this is on a rolling boil now, both players completely obsessed with the situation – in different ways but nevertheless.
Sabalenka 4-5 Swiatek* If Swiatek can somehow manufacture a quick hold here, Sabalenka would be under all sorts when serving to stay in the set. But a backhand winner shrieking down the line makes 15-all and it’s soon 15-30; no matter. Swiatek opens shoulders on the backhand, wiping one to the forehand corner, and Sabalenka slips in the process of getting it back, allowing a simple putaway into an empty court. Swiatek, though, doesn’t take it, spanking a backhand as though her opponent is still in the point; her focus is almost terrifying. Meantime, the crowd chant her name so when, at 40-30, another Sabalenka winner raises deuce, the world no 1 noises them up further; she far more eager to be loved than Iga herself. Swiatek then sends her out of court again in making advantage, finding it easier to execute her gameplan now she’s used to the power, and a point later the champ leads for the first time. Sabalenka will now serve to stay in set one.
*Sabalenka 4-4 Swiatek A double opens the game, then a thrashed backhand long and up goes the pressure. Sabalenka, though, is much more solid than she once was and a serve out wide is backed up with a top-spin forehand into the corner that’s just been vacated. And it’s soon 30-all, Sabalenka hammering a backhand winner … only to go long again, handing over a break-back point. The first serve is long and, knowing Swiatek is primed to attack, she goes for too much! Another double, a big double too, and we’re back on serve, Sabalenka roaring at her box. Not that long ago, she thought she’d made 5-1; did that late net-cord call change everything?
Sabalenka 4-3 Swiatek* Much better from Swiatek, who makes 40-15 and looks good in the process. But a backhand winner, monstered down the line, makes things close … only for Sabalenka to then net the same shot. The champ is adjusting and is into the match.
“I don’t know if you got the chance to see Serena live,” writes Kerrith Britland, “but if so, how do Saba’s and Serena’s games compare in terms of raw power? Also why is tennis commentating so far behind in terms of technical insight? It’s pretty damning that Kyrgios did a better job than most of the full timers. LET’S GO, IGA!”
I’ve seen Serena live but not Sabalenka; I don’t though, think it’s especially close. Serena, though, was much better rounded with a more natural tennis brain and hands.
As for the commentary, I wonder if tennis is lagging behind because it’s mainly speaking to a part-time audience that mainly watches the majors, so is satisfied with glib cliche.
*Sabalenka 4-2 Swiatek I said earlier we were getting Chrissy on comms but she must be doing it for US telly, as we’ve got Lindsay Davenport; hopefully she does the second semi, which will delight Katy who’s on it for us. Aha! Down 30-15, Swiatek plays exactly the kind of shot she needs to, breaking the sideline to get Sabalenka out of court before tidying up – she needs to do much more of that, because straight balls will be gobbled up. Nevertheless it’s soon 40-30, whereupon an apparent ace looks set to have sealed the hold, but a late let call sends Sabalenka back to her mark – she loves it just as much as you’d expect – all the more so when she frames a forehand for deuce. Seconds later, it’s advantage and the umpire must be fearing a volley at change of ends, but the break point is saved, then Swiatek devastates a second serve when facing advantage herself. This is much more like it from the champ, and after securing the break with a forehand winner she’s quickly at her team in aggressive fashion; perhaps one of them can come down and serve for her?
*Sabalenka 4-1 Swiatek Sabalenka is tucking into Swiatek’s serve like it’s a tasty insult, quickly making 0-40, her hollering reverberating under the roof long after the ball has departed. Swiatek does find a winner of her own for 15-40, but seconds later the double break is restored. If Swiatek can’t find a way of changing her delivery – sending balls to the body, perhaps – she cannot win this match.
“Even bigger French grammar nerd here, brags Joel Fine. “Since the adjective was describing two matches, it should be ‘suffisants’. Back to the tennis now…”
But why?
Aha, then I return to my inbox to find Louis has returned, queue entre les jambes. “Actually, you want “suffisants” as we were talking about a couple games here… I can’t even get my pedantic behaviour right myself.”
Peace has broken out.
*Sabalenka 3-1 Swiatek What colour are we calling Saba’s rig? I’m going for cyan. Successive forehand winners from Swiatek – she has five now, versus three for Sabalenka– make 30-all, and it’s soon 30-40. But offered the chance to finish the game, the champ hits a backhand when another forehand would’ve done and swats wide; to deuce we go. On that winners stat, by the way, it tells us how controlled Sabalenka is: rather than go for lines, she’s hitting balls that can be reached but not returned, or returned to offer simple putaways. Three years ago, she’d have had double the winners but double the unforced errors, so of course as I type, advantage down, she smites a forehand off the back foot, but Swiatek is emerging into the match nevertheless. And this time, offered the chance to thwack a return, she hooks it, with perhaps a bit of frame, on to the sideline. She’s on the board.
Sabalenka 3-0 Swiatek* The closed roof is helping Sabalenka, and she nails a return for 0-15 … then another for 0-30, Swiatek’s serve sitting up right in her forehand’s swing-zone; not since Baltimore has anyone been so concerned for the safety of Fuzzy Dunlop. Anyhow, another vicious return, backhand cross-court, makes 15-40 when Swiatek can’t get it back, and though she saves the first break point, she then sends a forehand long, and that’s the double break! After losing the first set of her quarter to Rybakina by a score of 6-1, the champ had a rethink; she might want to start along that path here, too.
*Sabalenka 2-0 Swiatek In fairness, I’m still surprised by Sabalenka’s power and I’m 212.98 miles away; in 42 years of watching tennis, I’ve never seen anything remotely like it. And after Swiatek makes 0-15, Sabalenka muscles her way to 30-15, despite failing to land a first serve – she’s not happy with the situation – then slams down an ace, before finishing the game at the net, putting away a backhand with exhibition violence. There’s a long way to go, but the match looks to be on her racket.
Sabalenka 1-0 Swiatek* (*denotes server) Swiatek is so methodical in her work, particularly when serving, and her first delivery makes 15-0. But two booming returns, full of length, rush her, and at 15-30, Sabalenka again unloads, her forehands too hot; Swiatek pushes wide and must now face two break points. A double follows, and that’s a poor start from the champ, who somehow seemed surprised by the power coming at her from the other side of the net.
Swiatek to serve, ready … play.
Email! “‘but when they’re as good as the two soon to get under way, they’re more than suffisamment,’” begins Louis Daillencourt. “You want ‘suffisant’; ‘Suffisamment” means ‘sufficiently’. No hard feelings – just a big ol’ French grammar N over here.”
None at all, I actually wondered if it was the correct usage and assumed someone’d set me Google translate straight. De tout, façon j’aime fair la spéléologie. Prendre la première route à droite.
And now Sabalenka; she, as you might imagine, looks far more chill.
Swiatek is ready; Swiatek is always ready, and here she comes.
The roof of Chatrier is closed. I’d have backed Swiatek to cope better with wind and cold, but a still atmosphere makes it easier for Sabalenka to unleash and control her power. So, given that’s harder to achieve from out wide and on the move, the onus is on the champ to prevent her planting her feet.
In her pre-match press conference, Sabalenka said that she and Swiatek performed a TikTok together at the WTA finals – at her behest – and since then, have been on the road to becoming friends. They’re not there yet, but they do sometimes practise together now and though I doubt they ever lose the frisson entirely it’s also nice that they’re getting on.
On which point, we were talking about Chrissy a moment ago, and her friendship with Martina is so profound and genuine as to be moving. If yiou’ve not seen the 30 for 30 on the subject, please do so urgently.
Until that point, though, I’m going for a Swiatek v Boisson final. The former will, I think, have too much variety and dexterity for Sabalenka; she expects to win, she’s playing well enough, and he understanding of angles should keep the world no 1 on the move.
Boisson, meanwhile, has the advantage of surprise and momentum. Moreover, Gauff isn’t playing all that well, and I don’t trust her forehand under the pressure it’s likely to face this afternoon.
Ahhhh, Chris Evert is in the TNT studio, and the great news is she’ll be co-commentating for us. As it goes, tennis is miles behind most other sports in explaining the technical subtleties and so on, but Chrissie is wonderful and I can’t wait for her to tell me what to think.
Preamble
Salut à tout le monde et bienvenue à Roland-Garros 2025 – 12ème jour!
Et quelle journee nous attend! Yes, it’s true we’ve only two singles matches, a reality tinged with sadness – the tournament is nearly over – but when they’re as good as the two soon to get under way, they’re more than suffisamment.
First up, Iga Swiatek, the three-time defending champion, continues her bid for the first four-peat in the women’s game. Though she’s had a difficult year, she’s settled right back in at her home from home and the way she’s been playing, it’ll take something significant to stop her.
But Aryna Sabalenka, her opponent this afternoon, is that and plenty, a bristling, bouncing obelisk of cartoonish power and creativity. Though clay is not a natural a surface for her – she doesn’t move as well as Swiatek – she is more than capable of overriding that disadvantage. Mike Tyson famously said that “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth,” and a match against Sabalenka is the tennis equivalent of climbing into the ring with him on the other side.
And if that wasn’t enough, following them on to court are Coco Gauff and Loïs Boisson – the first wild card to reach the semis in the open era. Gauff has somehow been around for 30 years despite being only 21, her athleticism, temperament and backhand giving her a decent shot of adding to the one grand slam title she’s won so far.
But to prevail here, she’ll need to play much, much better than she did yesterday, her match with Madison Keys setting a new mark for the gap between level of players and standard of play. Moreover, in Boisson, she faces an all-round talent, apparently fully formed, and fully absorbed in the joyous in the process of announcing itself to the world – in front of a home crowd. She will feel like she can’t lose – and the same goes for us. On y va!
Play: 2pm BST
