ROLAND-GARROS
20 May - 9 June 2024
As it happened: June 8
Follow along as we bring you updates from around the grounds at Roland-Garros 2023
© Philippe Montigny/FFT8:58pm Iga the Incredible!
She gets to play a third Roland-Garros final in four years and also gets to keep her world No.1 ranking -- Iga Swiatek needed two hours and nine minutes to move past an inspired Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2, 7-6(7) and set up a championship match against Karolina Muchova.
The 22-year-old is the first woman to reach back-to-back finals at Roland-Garros since Simona Halep (2017, 2018) and the youngest woman to achieve that feat since Ana Ivanovic (2007, 2008).
Excitement building for men's semi-finals
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz will take on 22-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the first men's semi-final tomorrow (not before 2:45pm) before last year's runner-up and world No.4 Casper Ruud will take on No.22 seed Alexander Zverev in the second semi.
Here's some preview material to check out ahead of what promises to be a blockbuster Friday at Roland-Garros.
>> ALCARAZ V DJOKOVIC: WHERE THE MATCH CAN BE WON
>> RUUD V ZVEREV: WHERE THE MATCH CAN BE WON
>> RUUD, ZVEREV PEAKING AT THE RIGHT TIME
7:29pm Swiatek takes first set
The world No.1 scoops the opening set 6-2 in 39 minutes over Haddad Maia. If Swiatek wins the match, she would be the first woman to reach back-to-back finals at Roland-Garros since Simona Halep (2017, 2018).
©Corinne Dubreuil / FFT7:14pm Swiatek-Haddad Maia under way
Polish top seed Iga Swiatek was broken at love in the first game of her semi-final against Beatriz Haddad Maia but broke back immediately and we're on serve early in the opening set.
Swiatek must reach the final to keep her No.1 ranking, otherwise, Sabalenka will become the new world No.1, despite her defeat to Muchova.
Haddad Maia won her sole previous meeting with Swiatek, a three-setter in Toronto last year.
Swiatek is making her fifth Grand Slam semi-final appearance while Haddad Maia -- the first Brazilian woman in the Open Era to reach the last four at Roland-Garros -- is playing her first major semi-final after upseting No.7 seed Ons Jabeur yesterday.
©Cédric Lecocq / FFT6:22pm A first Slam final for Muchova
Karolina Muchova has spoiled Aryna Sabalenka’s bid to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles by overcoming the world No.2 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 7-5 in a three-hour 13-minute semi-final on Court Philippe-Chatrier, saving match point along the way.
The crafty Czech, ranked 43 in the world, is through to a maiden Grand Slam final, where she awaits Iga Swiatek or Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Sabalenka had match point at 5-2, and served for the win at 5-3 but Muchova took the last five games of the contest to complete the upset and break new ground.
"I just tried to keep fighting and it worked. I don't really know what just happened. I'm so happy," says an elated Muchova.
Despite the loss, Sabalenka still has a chance to replace Iga Swiatek as world No.1. Swiatek must defeat Beatriz Haddad Maia in their upcoming semi-final (next on Chatrier) to keep her spot at the summit of the rankings.
6:00pm Boys' and girls' semis are all set
American 15-year-old lefty Darwin Blanch knocked out the No.9 seed of the boys' singles draw Cooper Williams 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-3 to set up a semi-final meeting with Croatia's Dino Prizmic.
The second semi-final will feature 18-year-old Bolivian Juan Carlos Prado Angelo against 17-year-old Californian Learner Tien.
In girls' singles, Peruvian Lucciana Perez Alarcon will take on fellow 18-year-old Anastasiia Gureva in the final four, while reigning Australian Open champion, the No.3 seed Alina Korneeva will face 14-year-old qualifier Alisa Oktiabreva.
© Andre Ferreira/FFT5:19pm Going three on Chatrier
Sabalenka has taken the second-set tiebreak to level things up against Muchova 6-7(5), 7-6(5). We're two hours and nine minutes into this semi-final and it's impossible to guess who will come out on top. It's been an incredibly high quality affair so far.
That was really impressive from Sabalenka, who twice had to serve to stay in the match. For someone who is gunning for a Grand Slam final and the No.1 ranking, that's just a masterclass in composure in a high-pressure situation.
©Nicolas Gouhier / FFT4:17pm Advantage Muchova!
Muchova takes a 68-minute first set 7-6(5) over No.2 seed Sabalenka. It was a very composed opening set from the Czech, who fired 14 winners against just 10 unforced errors.
© Philippe Montigny/FFT3:09pm First semi-final kicks off
No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka could secure the world No.1 ranking today if she advances to the final and Iga Swiatek loses to Beatriz Haddad Maia later this afternoon.
Sabalenka takes a 1-0 head-to-head lead into her clash today with crafty Czech Karolina Muchova, who is contesting the second Grand Slam semi-final of her career.
© Cédric Lecocq/FFT1:45pm We have our first champions of RG2023
The first-time pairing of Miyu Kato and Tim Puetz are the Roland-Garros 2023 mixed doubles champions. The Japanese/German duo have defeated Bianca Andreescu and Michael Venus 4-6, 6-4, [10-6] in an exciting final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
1:33pm Kato/Puetz strike back
Bianca Andreescu and Michael Venus climbed from a break down to take the opening set of the mixed doubles final but their opponents Miyu Kato and Tim Puetz have struck back to level the match at 4-6, 6-4. A super tiebreak will decide who walks away as RG champions.
Bonjour à tous!
Hello everyone and welcome to Day 12 at Roland-Garros. We're approaching finals weekend at the Parisian Slam and we've got two exciting women's singles semi-finals and a mixed doubles final scheduled for Court Philippe-Chatrier today.
Tim Puetz and Miyu Kato will take on Bianca Andreescu and Michael Venus in the mixed doubles final at 12:00pm before Karolina Muchova faces world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the first women's singles semi-final.
Defending champion and world No.1 Iga Swiatek will close out play on centre court against Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Juniors, doubles, wheelchair and legends events continue on all other courts, starting from 11:00am.
Here's some essential reading material to get you going before the matches begin.
>> AS IT HAPPENED: WEDNESDAY JUNE 7
>> DAY 11 DIARY: TEENAGER ODA CHASING NO.1 SPOT
>> MUCHOVA V SABALENKA: WHERE THE MATCH CAN BE WON
>> SWIATEK V HADDAD MAIA: WHERE THE MATCH CAN BE WON
>> GAUFF HAS UNFINISHED BUSINESS IN PARIS
>> ANDREESCU FINDS HER DOUBLES GROOVE IN PARIS
>> RADWANSKA: I DON'T SEE ANYONE PLAYING AT IGA'S LEVEL
>> SABATINI: HADDAD MAIA DESERVES TO BE HERE