Iga Swiatek v Aryna Sabalenka: Why world No. 1 will be relishing 'blockbuster' French Open 2025 semi-final more than four-time champion

A "blockbuster" French Open 2025 semi-final awaits us on Thursday when four-time champion Iga Swiatek meets world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. While Tim Henman simply can't call who will win the titanic battle, fellow TNT Sports expert Jim Courier believes Sabalenka will be relishing the match more than her Polish rival. The match will be live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

‘Both finding form at right time’ – Henman builds up ‘blockbuster’ Sabalenka v Swiatek semi

Video credit: TNT Sports

The French Open semi-final between world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and four-time champion Iga Swiatek is set to be an "absolute blockbuster".

That is according to TNT Sports expert Tim Henman, who was reacting after the two giants of women's tennis saw off their respective opponents to seal their place in the last four at Roland-Garros.

Sabalenka had to dig deep to overcome Zheng Qinwen 7-6 (3) 6-3 on a blustery Court Phillippe-Chatrier, before Swiatek dispatched Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5.

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World No. 1 Sabalenka has lost eight of her 12 meetings with the Polish star and is bidding for her first Roland-Garros title. Swiatek, meanwhile, is chasing a fourth consecutive crown in Paris.

"When you think about the match-up against Sabalenka… I mean, they have played each other 12 times, and they've had some absolute battles," Henman said.

"The 2024 Madrid final was literally one of the best matches that I've seen on clay.

Sabalenka believes she is ‘stronger than ever’ after beating Zheng in ‘true battle’

Video credit: TNT Sports

"You want the very best going head-to-head in the latter stages of these big tournaments, and Swiatek v Sabalenka is absolutely a blockbuster.

"What I like is that they're really both finding their form at the right time, so it’s a huge opportunity for both of them.

"When you’ve got two great champions, they're thinking about winning the tournament and to win the tournament you want to beat the best."

On Wednesday, Australian Open titleholder Madison Keys meets 2023 US Open winner Coco Gauff, but Henman is confident the eventual champion will emerge from Thursday’s semi-final.

"For me, right now, those are the two best clay court players in the draw," he continued.

What Swiatek needs to do to 'silence the doubters' with French Open glory

Video credit: TNT Sports

"Coco Gauff is in the bottom half - she might be the second seed - but I think the winner of that match will win the tournament."

Henman believes the match-up is worthy of a final. But Swiatek ended up in the same half of the draw as her rival after falling out of the world’s top two in May for the first time in three years, and is now ranked fifth.

"It’s a massive match and I think it’s going to be very difficult to call that one," he added.

Meanwhile, Jim Courier believes that Sabalenka may be relishing the match more than Swiatek, who has failed to lift a trophy since winning the French Open in 2024.

"In reality, even though she's the world No. 1, she's playing someone who's won here the last three years," Courier said.

Highlights: Sabalenka shows class in beating Zheng to reach semi-finals

Video credit: TNT Sports

"So, in a lot of ways, it's easy for her to say, ‘look, I'm the underdog’, and there's always value if you can kind of trick yourself into thinking that.

"She's got a lot of confidence, and she has more confidence based on her form in this clay court season than Swiatek. But this is Roland-Garros."

Stream the 2025 French Open live and on-demand on discovery+

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Thoughts?