4 times Aryna Sabalenka snapped win streaks for opponents ft. Iga Swiatek's 26-match run at French Open 2025
Aryna Sabalenka's evolution has been incredible to witness. An incredible talent since her arrival on the WTA Tour, she struggled to put her best foot forward during her early days on a consistent basis despite some success.
Sabalenka put in the work to be a better player and the results are there for everyone to see. Her resilience and adaptability have helped her beat some of the best names of her generation, even when they were on a hot streak.
To put a dent in a player's purple patch once is a big deal but to do it multiple times displays the conqueror's own greatness. On that note, here are four occasions when Sabalenka stopped her rivals dead in their tracks when they were on a winning streak:
#1. Aryna Sabalenka snaps Anett Kontaveit's 22-match winning streak
Kontaveit went through the best stretch of her career towards the end of the 2021 season, thriving on indoor hardcourts. Three of her four titles won since August 2021 were under those conditions and it helped her qualify for the WTA Finals as well, where she finished as the runner-up.
Kontaveit continued her hot streak the following year with a title at St. Petersburg, another tournament held indoors. The next tournament to be held indoors was the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. She beat Angelique Kerber and Ekaterina Alexandrova to extend her unbeaten run to 22 matches.
The Estonian was the hot favorite to win against Sabalenka, who was going through her service woes that year. However, the latter fought past her rival in three sets to snap her 22-match winning streak. Despite not being at her best, her tenacity helped her one-up an in-form opponent.
#2. Aryna Sabalenka snaps a resurgent Danielle Collins' 15-match winning streak
Following her second-round exit from the Australian Open 2024, Collins stated the current season would be her final one on the WTA Tour. Intending to enjoy her final year on the circuit, she started playing more freely. This newfound freedom led to her maiden WTA 1000 title in Miami.
Collins didn't stop there and bagged the Charleston Open title a week later. She arrived at the Madrid Open having won her last 13 matches. Following tough three-set wins over Olga Danilovic and Jaqueline Cristian, she set up a fourth-round showdown against Sabalenka.
The American had lost her previous four matches against Sabalenka but given her form, one expected things to be a little different this time. When Collins took the first set, it appeared as if she would finally score her first win in this rivalry.
However, Sabalenka rallied from a set down to remain unbeaten against Collins and brought an end to her winning ways, curtailing her win streak at 15 matches. The Belarusian would beat her once again a couple of weeks later at the Italian Open as well.
#3. Aryna Sabalenka avenges her Australian Open loss to Madison Keys by ending her 16-match winning streak
Keys started the 2025 season on a high note with a title at the Adelaide International. She carried this momentum into the Australian Open and saved a match point against Iga Swiatek in the semifinals to reach the summit clash, her second at a Major.
Keys was up against Sabalenka for the title, who was the two-time defending champion. She put an end to the Belarusian's reign to capture her maiden Major title. Her next tournament after her triumph Down Under was the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells.
The American's focus and intensity didn't waver after a few weeks off and she advanced to the semifinal, setting up a rematch with Sabalenka. While their Australian Open contest was a three-set battle, this one was a blowout.
Sabalenka handed Keys a 6-0, 6-1 beatdown to not only avenge her loss in Melbourne but also to snap her rival's 16-match winning streak. The World No. 1 was dialled in from the start and called it a "much-needed revenge" after the match.
#4. Aryna Sabalenka snaps Iga Swiatek's 26-match winning streak at the French Open
The French Open became Swiatek's fortress over the years. She claimed her maiden Major title in Paris in 2020. While she couldn't defend her title the following year, she returned with a vengeance in 2022. She hadn't lost a match since mid-February in the lead-up to the French Open and had clinched the No. 1 ranking as well.
Swiatek won the title and remained unbeaten at the venue over the next two years. She even saved a match point against Naomi Osaka in the second round last year. However, since her triumph at the clay court Major in 2024, she hadn't even reached a final.
There were questions surrounding her form when she arrived in Paris as the three-time defending champion this year. She answered those with routine wins in the first three rounds, followed by an impressive comeback win over Elena Rybakina in the fourth round. She beat Elina Svitolina in straight sets to reach the semifinals.
Swiatek's win over Svitolina marked her 26th consecutive win at the venue, second only to Chris Evert's 29 straight wins in Paris in the Open Era. She took on Sabalenka for a spot in the final. Despite the Belarusian's dominance this year, she was still the underdog.
Swiatek led their head-to-head 8-4 and had a 5-1 advantage on clay. This was their first meeting in Paris and beating the Pole on her own turf was a mammoth task. Sabalenka came out swinging but struggled to hold on to her lead, though she eventually captured the first set via the tie-break.
Swiatek responded by taking the second set but Sabalenka took her game to a whole new level in the decider. She didn't hit a single unforced error in the third set to beat the three-time defending champion 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0, thus bringing an end to her lengthy reign and her 26-match winning streak.