Swiatek v Sabalenka live: tennis French Open semi-final score and updates

She dials up the aggression and wallops in a forehand winner for deuce.

But Swiatek has the edge in terms of movement and hangs patiently in a rally to give herself another chance to break.

Once again she finds the width in the court and with Sabalenka scrambling, she seals it!

After one of Swiatek’s trademark long bathroom breaks, both players are back on court and ready to resume.

Sabalenka has a couple of wobbles on serve and, from way out in the tramlines, blasts wide to gift Swiatek an early chance to break.

Another error from Swiatek and Sabalenka wraps up a mammoth first set. She’ll be annoyed at how close it was, but she’s halfway into the final.

Both players leave the court at the break.

Set points Sabalenka as Swiatek misses big on a second serve.

Fully in control, Sabalenka tries to mix things up with a drop shot, but Swiatek is so quick and makes it with ease, sealing the point with a nifty cross-court volley.

A second time, though, she hits it wide.

Sabalenka builds on her lead with a venomous ace. She’s 5-1 up at the change of ends.

First blood Sabalenka as Swiatek can’t get to a thumping backhand return.

The Belarusian is having a lot more luck trying to redirect Swiatek in the centre of the court and planting the ball in behind her; it’s a pattern that works again here.

She takes a 3-0 lead as Swiatek nets.

A brilliant serve saves it – but Swiatek has another chance as Sabalenka thumps into the net again. Just not at her fluent best today.

The fifth seed has a look-in on a second serve, gets the ball back in play, and Sabalenka goes long! To a tie-break we go.

Sabalenka misses a chance to stamp her authority on this service game, shanking the ball into the net with Swiatek pinned out wide.

Neither player has been serving at their best: until that remarkable sixth-game turnaround Swiatek was only winning 11% of points on her second serve.

Now it’s Sabalenka’s turn to tighten up again, and the errors are creeping in. She goes 30-0 down but a Swiatek error and a violent cross-court strike by the Belarusian dig her out of trouble.

But Swiatek lets rip on a forehand return, right into her strike zone, and has another break point!

And she only needs one! A venomous return out wide flies off Swiatek’s frame and into the stands. Sabalenka will serve for the set.

A huge roar from Sabalenka as she finds a brilliant winner at full stretch that just curves beyond the post into the open court. Six points on the trot…

But she puts too much power on a second serve return. How costly will that missed chance be? 15-30.

Swiatek sends a looping ball long and Sabalenka has two break points.