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.