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Iga Swiatek to win & under 17.5 games v Beatriz Haddad Maia
2pts 20-21 bet365

Aryna Sabalenka to win 2-0 v Karolina Muchova
1pt 5-6 general

French Open women’s semi-final preview 

The women’s clay-court season has largely been dominated by Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka so it would be only fitting if the world’s two leading lights fight it out for French Open glory.

Swiatek defeated Sabalenka to claim silverware in Stuttgart in April before the Belarusian got some revenge in Madrid a fortnight later and it is long odds-on that the top two seeds renew their rivalry in the Roland Garros title decider on Saturday.

But first Polish world number one Swiatek must overcome semi-final opponent Beatriz Haddad Maia while world number two Sabalenka has to navigate her way past Karolina Muchova.

Iga Swiatek v Beatriz Haddad Maia predictions

Defending her title has been easy work so far for Swiatek, who has recorded four straight-sets successes, while her fourth-round opponent Lesia Tsurenko retired when trailing 5-1 in their opener.

The world number one was served up her sternest test by quarter-final challenger Coco Gauff, who had been the Pole’s final victim in Paris last year, but eventually had too much in reserve as she obliged 6-4 6-2.

Swiatek often looks in a world of her own on this surface and this doesn’t look any tougher than her last-eight duel with Gauff, suggesting it could be one-way traffic despite being a semi-final of a Major.

That’s not to say Haddad Maia doesn’t merit her place in the final four, especially after she came from a set down to see off seventh seed Ons Jabeur last time out.

But that was the Brazilian’s fourth straight match to be settled in a decider and she has spent almost 13 hours on court, which is more than double the playing time of Swiatek.

Any fatigue will be punished by Swiatek so the clay-loving Pole is taken to wrap up her semi-final showdown in a total 17 games or fewer.

Swiatek’s four completed matches in Paris have lasted 16, 16, 12 and 18 games, but Haddad Maia may be an easier obstacle to pass than Gauff was.

Karolina Muchova v Aryna Sabalenka predictions

Just like Swiatek, Sabalenka has sauntered into the semi-final without dropping a set and the Belarusian’s unblemished record in Paris can continue against Muchova.

Sabalenka dealt particularly well with the challenge of in-form duo Sloane Stephens and Elina Svitolina in the last two rounds and when the world number two plays well, her all-out attacking style is almost impossible to contain.

Consistency no longer looks a problem for Sabalenka either as she has triumphed in 34 of her 39 matches this season and has transformed herself into a winning machine, whatever the conditions.

Muchova has enjoyed a resurgence, making her first Grand Slam semi-final since the 2021 Australian Open, but she needs a career-best performance and the big-hitting Belarusian is expected to prove too powerful in another straight-sets success.

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