Iga Swiatek will draw inspiration from last year's Madrid Open triumph when she takes on Aryna Sabalenka in a blockbuster semi-final at the French Open on Thursday.

Swiatek's bid for a fourth successive title at Roland-Garros continued on Tuesday, as she beat Elina Svitolina 6-1 7-5 in the quarter-finals.

She has now won 26 straight matches at the French Open, the joint-longest winning streak at a single grand slam this century among female players.

Serena Williams also won 26 in a row at the US Open between 2012 and 2015.

Swiatek faces a stern test as she looks to make that record her own outright, however.

She will face world number one Sabalenka in the last four, after the Belarusian overcame Zheng Qinwen in straight sets.

For Swiatek, the match conjures memories of the 2024 Madrid Open showpiece, which she won 7-5 4-6 7-6 (9-7) in three hours and 11 minutes. She also beat Sabalenka in straight sets to win the Italian Open in Rome last year.

"The Madrid final against her is one of the best and most exciting finals that I have played," Swiatek said in her on-court interview after beating Svitolina. 

"It is always a challenge against Aryna. She really has a game for every surface, so I just need to focus on myself, do the work, be brave in my shots and just go for it.

"I'm going to prepare tactically tomorrow for sure. She has been having a great season so I'm not going to lie, it is going to be a tough match. But I'm happy for the challenge."

100 - Only Chris Evert, Margaret Court (109 each) and Monica Seles (113) have played fewer WTA clay court matches than Iga Swiatek (114) to claim 100 wins on the surface in the Open Era. Centennial.#RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/JTCzJpDA9P

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 3, 2025

Swiatek has only dropped one set through five matches at this year's tournament, with Sabalenka, who is yet to reach a Roland-Garros final, yet to give up one.

Speaking after her own win, the top seed said: "I think we are all here for one reason: everyone wants that beautiful trophy. 

"I'm really glad that I have another opportunity, another semi-final, to do better than I did last time. I'm ready to go out there and fight and compete for every point.

"I really hope that by the end of the clay-court season this year, I will be very proud of myself."