The Clash of Titans is up and running at the Philippe-Chatrier. The world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, is currently taking on the three-time defending champion, Iga Swiatek, in a blockbuster SF clash at the 2025 French Open. Before this match, while talking about this do-or-die battle against the Pole, Sabalenka said, “I love it. I love tough challenges. I think this is the match where you actually improve as a player and where you get much stronger. I’m always excited to face someone strong and then someone who can challenge me.” But as things stand, keeping control of their nerves seems to be the biggest challenge here now. But why?

Both of them are leaving no stone unturned to get the better of the other right from the start of this match. At the moment, the score is well poised at 5-5 in the first set, and guess what? During an intense moment in this match, Sabalenka was even spotted reacting angrily towards coach Jason Stacy after failing to keep her calm in this high-pressure match. She looked a bit frustrated, seeing her grip loosen from this epic encounter.

This is their thirteenth meeting on the Tour, and guess what? Iga Swiatek has an 8-4 record against the Belarusian. So, clearly, her desperation to win this contest was visible through these emotions. It’s now a battle to keep their pride intact! But is it the first time that we’ve seen Aryna Sabalenka expressing her emotions towards her stand?

Well, there have been many such incidents in the past, and highlighting that, Jason Stacy once said, “There are times when she would scream. She gets rid of her emotions because she needs to have that release.” So, perhaps they’re quite used to it now! In that same interview with ‘Lead on Purpose’, Stacy revealed how he and Anton Dubrov (Sabalenka’s head coach) sometimes try to bring out her emotions purposely by making her frustrated.

“It’s like, ‘Alright, she’s an emotional person’, and we’re not going to make that stop. That would be ridiculous. It’s not going to work, alright. For her, actually the yelling and screaming, sometimes smashing rackets, is like, ‘Now we’re ready. This is good’. We get excited, and it’s like BOOM, ready to go. Get that out of your head. Get out of whatever f-ck that you’re in,” said Stacy.

Other than these intense moments with her teammates, Aryna Sabalenka is often found sharing some lighthearted moments, especially with Stacy. In fact, during the Australian Open, she has this tradition of giving autographs on Stacy’s bald head. Other than that, her teammates are also seen joining her in dancing sessions while making a reel for her social media accounts.

According to Stacy, these fun moments are equally important to bring the best out of Sabalenka. He said, “I think it’s crucial. It’s an important key element to any performance to development. As you guys know, it’s all year nonstop, just pressure, pressure, pressure, attention, attention, trying to get better, trying to get better. I think it’s good to have that mix. Which again, allows her to have that outstanding balance of emotional control.” But coming back to this match, what could be the real deciding factor in this clash?

Former German tennis player analyses Aryna Sabalenka’s crucial match against the defending champion

Iga Swiatek has won her last 26 matches at the French Open, equaling the longest women’s streak in a women’s Grand Slam event this century. Other than that, the Pole now also has the highest winning percentage at the French Open in the women’s singles in the Open Era (95.2%). Who would have predicted that she would yet again make a deep run in this tournament, especially after her massive drop in her performance level over the last few months?

Interesting Fact: Iga Swiatek‘s last title triumph came at the 2024 French Open. She has dropped to her lowest ranking (5) since 2022

Talking about this heavyweight battle, the former world number nine, Andrea Petkovic, said, “It is the blockbuster of the entire tournament on the women’s side. Before the tournament started, I put Iga as third favorite – after Aryna and Coco Gauff. But I changed my opinion after I saw her match against Rybakina. I saw the old mental strength of Iga in the most important moments.”

Further doing the analysis of this match, Petkovic added, “Against the best movers in the world, you won’t hit as many winners on the backhand, no matter how good it is – so you have to go with your forehand. Her forehand is the biggest weapon on the clay courts because it has more spin, more margin, and can really jump out of the strike zone of Sabalenka. Swiatek always returns from the same position every single time, no matter who is serving. That works well against players who don’t serve well. But against the Rybakinas and the Sabalenkas, this is a dangerous thing. If you don’t see the ball early enough, you will be under pressure right away.“

Aryna Sabalenka has already won three WTA titles this year, and she is now also the first player to reach the QF at 10 consecutive Grand Slam events since Serena Williams. There is a lot at stake in this match for both players. According to Petkovic, the most important thing for Aryna Sabalenka would be controlling her shots. “It doesn’t mean she has to win the point in the first two or three shots, but she has to be able to gain control. If she is able to do that, I think it will be very hard for Iga to win.” Who do you think has a better chance of winning this semifinal clash, though?