Category News

When the French Open draw was made a fortnight ago, it was the potential women’s match that everyone wanted to see.

Iga Swiatek – the reigning champion known as the ‘Queen of Clay’ – against world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals.

The pair have dominated the WTA Tour over the past three years, leading to an era-defining rivalry that resumes when they meet in the last four at Roland Garros on Thursday.

“It is the blockbuster of the entire tournament on the women’s side,” said former world number nine Andrea Petkovic, who will be analysing the match for BBC Radio 5 Live.

Poland’s Swiatek, seeded fifth, is bidding for a fourth straight title while Belarusian rival Sabalenka is seeking to snatch the crown for the first time.

They have never played each other at the clay-court Grand Slam and it will be the first time they have met competitively since the Cincinnati Open last August.

Swiatek, 23, leads their head-to-head record, with eight wins from 12 matches, including five of six meetings on clay.

Coming into Roland Garros, it was clear to see Swiatek’s reign was under threat.

The former world number one has dropped to her lowest ranking since 2022, having not reached a tour-level final since claiming last year’s French Open.

It was the first time she arrived at Roland Garros without winning a title in the clay-court swing since her maiden triumph in 2020.

After a humbling defeat by Danielle Collins in the Italian Open third round, Swiatek insisted her previous record in Paris would count for nothing.

But she has improved match by match, and the manner with which she fought back from a set down against Elena Rybakina in the last 16 felt like a renaissance moment.

“Before the tournament started I put Iga as third favourite – after Aryna and Coco,” said Petkovic.

While it feels like Swiatek is still short of her very best level, the frustration she showed earlier in the clay-court swing has rarely been evident.

She has regained more trust in her damaging top-spin forehand, taking it more regularly from the centre of the court.

“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 back your forehand,” said Petkovic.

“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.”

Stepping back in her returning position – like she did against Rybakina – may also be a key tactic against another big server.

“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,” Petkovic added.

“But against the Rybakinas – and the Sabalenkas – this is a dangerous thing.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka replaced Swiatek at the top of the rankings last year and has opened a commanding lead over her rivals this season.

With 39 wins from 45 matches, her powerful style transcends all surfaces and is backed up by an unparalleled consistency.

Sabalenka, who has won three WTA titles this year, is the first player to reach the quarter-finals at 10 consecutive Grand Slams since American great Serena Williams between 2014 and 2017.

To reach her first French Open final, she will have to find a way to end Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak on the Paris clay.

“The most important thing for Aryna – against anybody in the world – is whether she can control the first two to three shots. That’s where she makes the difference,” said Petkovic.

“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.”

Sabalenka, whose also reached the 2023 semi-finals, is becoming more than just a ball crusher as she looks to evolve her game.

She is playing with increasing variety and has used the drop-shot effectively in Paris, although the speed of Swiatek may be able to neutralise that option.

“I’m going to play with my power, because this is something where I feel the most comfortable,” said Sabalenka.

To paraphrase an old saying, Swiatek and Sabalenka appear to have decided it is better to keep your rivals even closer than your friends.

The pair practised together in the off-season and shared a court again at Roland Garros before the tournament started.

Swiatek played down the significance of the session, which took place as she looked to rediscover her game.

“It’s great always to practice with Aryna. She gives a great rhythm and the practice will have quality,” said Swiatek, who has dropped just one set in the tournament so far.

Swiatek believes the rivalry is “pushing” both players to greater heights, while Sabalenka says they have also bonded more away from the court.

On the face of it, the pair have little in common. Swiatek is the bookish introvert, Sabalenka is the Tiger-monikered extrovert.

Doing a TikTok video together at last year’s WTA Finals has helped forge what Sabalenka described as a “better relationship”.

But, on Thursday, it will be strictly business.

“I love these challenges. I am always excited to face someone strong who can challenge me,” said Sabalenka.

The prospective arrival of AC Milan and Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders marks the start of a summer rebuild for Manchester City.

Deposed as Premier League champions by Liverpool, City finished third last term and spent much of the second half of the campaign in a five-way fight for a Champions League berth – which was only secured on the final day.

A knee injury left them without Ballon d’Or winner and midfield enforcer Rodri for much of 2024-25, while the departure of talisman Kevin de Bruyne, 33, has long been confirmed.

It appears to be a changing-of-the-guard moment for City and their manager Pep Guardiola, who spent £180m in the winter transfer window to reinforce his squad.

Wolves left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri has also been targeted and, with a number of players turning or moving towards the wrong side of 30, there are question marks over the future of about a dozen senior stars at the club – given Guardiola’s desire to reduce the size of his squad.

Reijnders joins City in a period which feels like a revolution rather than a renewal, and one that may require a revolving door at the Etihad over the next few months.

Midfielders Kalvin Phillips, James McAtee and Jack Grealish have all been tipped to leave the club, along with the likes of Kyle Walker.

Then you have Ederson, Stefan Ortega, Nathan Ake and John Stones, whose futures have also been the topic of much media speculation.

Finding the right time to replace ageing stars like Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva and the injured Mateo Kovacic in City’s midfield will also surely be in Guardiola’s thinking.

Despite the £50m acquisition of Nico Gonzalez in February, the lack of running power and physicality in City’s engine room was exposed on domestic and European stages as they failed to win a major trophy for the first time in eight years.

And Reijnders, who turns 27 in July and is reaching the peak of his powers, is viewed as the man to help alter that dynamic.

A powerful box-to-box midfielder, Reijnders ended last season with 10 goals and four assists in Serie A, with only one player in his position, Napoli’s Scott McTominay (16), having more goal involvements.

His performances were also considered one of the few positives in a disappointing season for Milan, who finished eighth in Serie A and missed out on European qualification.

Reijnders was ranked ninth for forward passes in Italy’s top flight last term and was fifth for through balls and carrying the ball, which underlines his qualities in progressing play.

“He will slot in very well at City, he runs a lot, he’s very willing to improve and he will love working with Guardiola,” said Italian football journalist Daniele Verri.

While Reijnders has shown he is adept playing at the base of a midfield three or in a double pivot, his versatility makes him an ideal candidate to contribute positively to City’s possession-based game.

But whether the man who worked at a local supermarket while learning his trade at PEC Zwolle is the heir to De Bruyne remains to be seen.

His former boss at AZ Alkmaar, Pascal Jansen, has previously spoken about how he believed Reijnders was better deployed in a central midfield position, rather than a more attacking number 10 role.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, who City showed a keen interest in before the German expressed a wish to head to Anfield, would have seemed a more natural successor in style to the Belgian.

And City are also being linked with Lyon attacker Rayan Cherki, who would arguably be a better positional match to De Bruyne than Reijnders.

De Bruyne averaged more assists, shots on target, created more chances and played considerably more passes into opposition penalty areas per game (11.8 to 3.6) than Reijnders last season.

However, since moving to the San Siro in 2023 Reijnders has shown the ability to perform well in different roles under the management of Stefano Pioli, Paulo Fonseca and Sergio Conceicao.

He flourished when given a license to roam forward, can shoot effectively from distance and is also not afraid to put his foot in and mix it when required – not a quality that De Bruyne is particularly noted for.

“He has played in different systems at AC Milan, but in my opinion he’s at his best when he doesn’t play too far from the opponent’s penalty area, because he really has good runs and can enter the area easily,” added Verri.

“City can expect goals, he has a powerful shot from distance. He can take free-kicks too. He seems to be a nice guy, as he was very loved in the dressing room.