Roland Garros Semifinal Previews: Aryna Sabalenka vs. Karolina Muchova, Iga Swiatek vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia

There’s a vast difference in the amount of drama that has surrounded these two players as they’ve made their way to the semifinals in Paris. Sabalenka has been spurned at the net by her Ukrainian opponents, and she has in turn spurned the media by skipping post-match press conferences.

By contrast, you had to pay close attention to the tournament just to know that Muchova was in it. After upsetting No. 8 seed Maria Sakkari in the first round, the Czech has made her quiet way through the draw, beating three non-seeded opponents and surrendering just one set.

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After upsetting No. 8 seed Maria Sakkari in the first round, Muchova has defeated three non-seeded opponents and surrendered just one set.

Those two paths mirror the way these two women play the game. Sabalenka launches herself into virtually every ball with abandon, and is one of the sport’s premier grunters and facial expressionists; you always know what she’s thinking. Muchova is more of the silent assassin type, placidly killing you with finesse, positioning, and a variety of measured weapons. Sabalenka makes everything look fierce; Muchova makes everything look smooth.

They’ve played once, on hard courts in 2019, and Sabalenka won in two close sets. Muchova is a talent who could frustrate Sabalenka with different spins and speeds, and with her all-court facility.

But Sabalenka hasn’t stayed frustrated for long this season. She also just came through a tense test against an inspired Elina Svitolina. This match might feel like a relief after that. Winner: Sabalenka

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Sabalenka won their only previous meeting, on hard courts in 2019, in two close sets.

Iga Swiatek vs. Beatriz Haddad Maia

Something will have to give between these two. In her last three matches, Haddad Maia has lost the first set before coming back to win the next two. Swiatek, meanwhile, has won the first set in each of her matches, and then won the second by a more lopsided score. Haddad Maia may want to try to get off to a faster start when they meet on Thursday; dropping the opener is not a recipe for success against the world No. 1.

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Haddad Maia is one of the rare players who has had nothing but success against Swiatek in the past. (Granted, they’ve only played once.)

But Haddad Maia is one of the rare players who has had nothing but success against Swiatek in the past. Granted, they’ve only played once, last summer on hard courts in Toronto, but Haddad Maia won 7-5 in the third. She also won the first set that day, and then hung on through the expected Swiatek comeback.

How did she do it? Haddad Maia has a good lefty serve and forehand, which naturally move toward Swiatek’s backhand; she has the power to slug with her from the baseline and take advantage of second serves; and she doesn’t mind pace.

The question may be, what does the Brazilian have left? She’s played more than twice as much tennis as Swiatek during this tournament, and will have to make a quick turnaround on Thursday after a long quarterfinal win. That’s not a recipe for success against the world No. 1, either. Winner: Swiatek

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