Aryna Sabalenka battles into semi-finals in bid for first French Open crown

World number one Aryna Sabalenka remains on course for a maiden French Open title after battling past Qinwen Zheng to reach the semi-finals.

Sabalenka, looking to add a Roland Garros to her two Australian and one US Open crowns, won a hard-fought, near two-hour contest 7-6 (3) 6-3.

Zheng, the eighth seed from China, was the last woman to win a title here having claimed Olympic gold in August.

She went a break up in the first set and gave Sabalenka her biggest test of the tournament so far, but was unable to prevent her from making the last four for the second time in three years.

The 27-year-old said: “That was a true battle. Honestly I have no idea how I was able to break her back and get back in the first set.

“I was just trying to fight and I was just trying to put as many balls as I could back in. I didn’t start well but I’m really glad I found my rhythm and won this match. It was a tough one.”

Zheng had defeated Sabalenka in Rome last month, but that probably did the Belarusian a favour.

“I have to say that in the last tournament I was pretty exhausted,” she added.

“Honestly, I was actually glad that I lost that match because I needed a little break before Roland Garros.

“I was just more fresh today and I was ready to battle, to fight and to leave everything that I have on court to get this win.”