The unseeded Czech won 7-6, 6-7, 7-5 to reach her first grand slam final, while world No 1 Iga Swiatek beat Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2, 7-6 at Roland Garros
For over three hours, Sabalenka and Muchova fought hard, producing a high-quality contest that ended with a long awaited breakthrough for one of the most naturally talented players on the tour. Muchova, a former top 20 player and 2021 Australian Open semi-finalist, has seen her career beset by a constant stream of injuries and the 26-year-old’s ranking of No 43 belies her status on the tour.
“For sure when I missed the Australian Open last year, and I was in a pretty bad state healthy-wise, I was working out a lot to try to get back. You never know. Some doctors told me: ‘Maybe you’ll not do sport any more.’ But I always kept it kind of positive in my mind and tried to work and do all the exercises to be able to come back.”
The pair battled through two brutal sets before Sabalenka finally seemed to have wrestled the match in her favour. After taking a 5-2 third-set lead and reaching match point on Muchova’s serve, however, Sabalenka crumbled even as the Czech struggled with cramp. After an incredible first half of the season, the defeat marked the Australian Open champion’s first grand slam loss this season. A downbeat Sabalenka attempted to focus on the positive aspects of her two weeks in Paris having never previously passed the fourth round. She vowed to learn from the defeat and return stronger.Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images
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