French Open: Swiatek tees up Sabalenka clash with straight-sets win over Svitolina

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Iga Swiatek will face Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals of the French Open after overcoming Elina Svitolina in the last eight.

Swiatek needed one hour and 43 minutes to beat Svitolina 6-1 7-5, being pushed close in the second set after excelling with her return game in the opener.

The four-time Roland-Garros champion had to fend off break point on three occasions early on, as Svitolina failed to make her pressure count.

Swiatek, by contrast, showed great footwork and put together back-to-back breaks in games four and six, the latter coming when Svitolina smashed a forehand into the net.

Svitolina did get the first break of the second set to go 3-1 up, but she immediately gave up that advantage by firing wide in the next game.

Both players cleaned up their service game from there, but in game 11, Swiatek converted an overhead smash then watched Svitolina's looping shot drift wide for another break.

An ace in the next game brought up two match points for Swiatek, and another big serve ensured she took the first of those chances and continued her quest for a fourth straight Roland-Garros title.

Data Debrief: Swiatek on the cusp of history

Having won the last three editions of the French Open, Swiatek is on a 26-match winning streak at Roland-Garros.

That is the joint-longest run by any woman at a single grand slam this century, with Serena Williams also winning 26 straight matches at the US Open from 2012 to 2015.

The Pole now has a chance to take that record outright, when she meets Sabalenka on Thursday.

This was also Swiatek's 100th win on clay at WTA events, in 114 matches on the surface.

Only Chris Evert, Margaret Court (109 each) and Monica Seles (113) reached their century in fewer attempts.