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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
