Aryna Sabalenka's 'fight' warning and Iga Swiatek's honest admission about their rivalry: What the duo said ahead of French Open SF

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have set up a blockbuster semifinal meeting at the 2025 French Open. Sabalenka and Swiatek both shared their thoughts on one another ahead of the highly anticipated meeting.

After losing to Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open, Sabalenka was aiming for revenge in their rematch at the French Open. Although Zheng held a 4-2 lead in the opening set, the World No. 1 mounted a stellar comeback to clinch the first set and went on to claim a 7-6(3), 6-3 victory.

In her post-match press conference, Aryna Sabalenka contemplated the possibility of facing Iga Swiatek in the semifinals, as the Pole geared up to lock horns with Elina Svitolina. The Belarusian opened up about how she had developed a better relationship with Swiatek in recent times and expressed excitement about facing the three-time defending champion. However, Sabalenka warned that she was ready to "fight" to come away with the win.

"Before, there wasn't any communication, any practices with her, but now we're getting better. We're getting along better and we practice more often. We know each other quite well. We've had a lot of great battles in the past, so if it's going to be Iga, I'm super excited and it's high level matches. I'm super excited to go out there and to fight and to do everything I need to get the win," Sabalenka said.

The World No. 1 also said that she enjoyed facing formidable opponents like Swiatek because the difficult challenge pushed her to improve as a player.

"I love it. I love tough challenges. I think this is the matches 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," she added.

Iga Swiatek set the stage for her clash with Aryna Sabalenka by claiming a 6-1, 7-5 win over Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals. Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Pole acknowledged that she would need to be at her best against Sabalenka, just like she would against any other top player. She also said their fierce rivalry pushed them both to be better.

"When was the last time we played? I think in Cincinnati. So it was a long time ago. For sure, you need to be 100% and you need to be there. But I wouldn't say it's different against Coco or against good players overall, against the top 5," Iga Swiatek said.

"I don't know if she elevates my game. Against every player, we play different ways so it's hard to compare but for sure, our rivalry is pushing both of us. But it's not only about the level of tennis, it's about everything, how we work and how professional we are," she added.

While Iga Swiatek is aiming to win her fourth consecutive French Open title, Aryna Sabalenka will be determined to reach her maiden final at the Major.

A look at Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka's rivalry ahead of French Open SF

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka - Source: Getty

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka's clash in the semifinals of the 2025 French Open will mark their 13th tour-level encounter. Swiatek will head into the meeting with an edge, as she holds an 8-4 lead in her head-to-head record against the World No. 1.

Although Sabalenka claimed a dominant 6-3, 6-3 victory in their most recent encounter at the 2024 Cincinnati Open, Swiatek won both of their encounters on clay last year.

The winner of the match between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka will lock horns with Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, Mirra Andreeva or Lois Boisson in the French Open final.