French Open 2023: Muchova, Sabalenka into semi-finals
Aryna Sabalenka and Karolina Muchova sailed into the French Open semi-finals on Tuesday – both making the final four for the first time.
The second-seeded Sabalenka, of Belarus, overpowered Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-4 to set up a semi-final against the unseeded Muchova. The Czech beat 2021 runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, of Russia 7-5, 6-2.
Svitolina, from Ukraine, was booed by some sections of the crowd because she snubbed Australian Open champion Sabalenka after the final point, continuing her refusal to shake hands with Russian or Belarusian players since Belarus aided Russia in its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Sabalenka’s all-risk tennis paid dividends despite 37 unforced errors. Her aggressive returns and deep groundstrokes put Svitolina on the backfoot from the start. Under pressure at the beginning of the second set and 2-0 down, Sabalenka raised her game to win four games in a row and sealed the match with a forehand winner.
Sabalenka has yet to drop a set in the tournament.
Pavlyuchenkova played for more than three hours in her previous match and appeared tired as she got off a sluggish start and gave away too many easy points against Muchova.
She tried to fight back using her powerful groundstrokes, but her hopes of a comeback were dashed when she went down 4-1 in the second set after another big forehand bounced wide.
Muchova will be playing her second semi-final at a major after making it that far at the Australian Open two years ago.
AP