Coco Gauff advanced to the French Open quarterfinals for the third consecutive year with a straight-sets win over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

With the win, the 19-year-old reaches her fourth career Grand Slam quarterfinal, where she will face No. 1 Iga Swiatek. Swiatek earned a 6-3, 6-1 win over Gauff in the 2022 championship match at Roland-Garros.

In Monday’s match against Schmiedlova, Gauff overcame a scraped knee during a tense first set and went on to claim a 7-5, 6-2 victory.

While Gauff came out on top in her fourth-round match, fellow U.S. star Sloane Stephens fell to No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, on Sunday.

Sabalenka raced out to a 5-0 lead in the first set, and while Stephens battled back to force a tiebreak, the 25-year-old Belarusian still prevailed to reach her first French Open quarterfinal.

“I think it was just a few key moments which I didn’t finish right, and then she started to believe in herself a little bit more,” Sabalenka said. “People started to support her more. She kind of played with that crush and was like going for the shots. I think she played unbelievable tennis.”

The Belarusian isn’t the only one to make her first trip to the quarterfinals. Beatriz Haddad Maia advanced to her first quarterfinals by taking down Sara Sorribes Tormo, becoming the first Brazilian to reach the French Open quarterfinals since 1968.

The three-set match between Haddad Maia and Sorribes Tormo lasted 3 hours and 41 minutes, the longest of the season and third-longest women’s match ever at Roland-Garros.

Ons Jabeur is also making her first French Open quarterfinal after defeating Bernarda Pera in the fourth round. Including this tournament, Jabeur has made the quarterfinals in each Grand Slam in her career. And Karolína Muchová is also appearing her first French Open quarterfinal.

2023 French Open: Quarterfinals

  • Tuesday, June 6
    • Karolína Muchová vs. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova — 5 a.m. ET
    • Elina Svitolina vs. Aryna Sabalenka — 6:30 a.m. ET
  • Wednesday, June 7
    • Coco Gauff vs. Iga Swiatek — TBD
    • Beatriz Haddad Maia vs. Ons Jabeur — TBD
  • All matches will be televised on the Tennis Channel.

TIME has named its 100 most influential people of 2023, a list which includes skier Mikaela Shiffrin, WNBA star Brittney Griner and No. 1 tennis player Iga Swiatek.

Fellow Team USA player Sue Bird wrote the tribute to Griner as part of the list. Bird had been a vocal component of the campaign to bring the Phoenix Mercury center home while she was detained in Russia for 10 months in 2022.

“Underneath this story of inner strength is so much more,” writes Bird. “BG’s wrongful detainment brought attention to issues like the inequities in pay for women athletes, which sometimes compel us to put ourselves in dangerous situations to maximize our financial worth. It brought to light the dozens of Americans wrongfully detained around the world, and BG continues to use her platform as a sports superstar to advocate for their release.

“It speaks to the power of the women who rallied around her—Black women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, our WNBA community—and who made certain her name was never forgotten, that she’d return home.”

Shiffrin, meanwhile, is recognized for her record-breaking runs on the slopes this season that helped her break Ingemar Stenmark’s all-time wins record.

Written by fellow skiing legend Lindsey Vonn, she calls Shiffrin the next “female global sports superstar” with Serena Williams stepping away from tennis.

“She’s really stepped into the spotlight and done a great job moving the needle for our sport,” she writes. “She’s competing against herself at this point—she could reach 100 wins. It’s just a matter of how long Mikaela Shiffrin wants to keep at it. The sky’s the limit for her.”

Swiatek’s excerpt, meanwhile, is written by Shiffrin. The two are known friends and supported one another throughout their recent runs of success.

“Throughout her rise to the top of tennis—and the top of sport—Iga has shown vulnerability and courage. She strives relentlessly to improve her game. She gives credit to those who have supported her, without discounting her own skills and work. She has advocated for mental health and supported Ukrainians in their fight to protect their home,” writes Shiffrin. “As an athlete, and more importantly as a human, she embodies the kind of confidence that everyone should emulate—the confidence of action over mere talk.

“When Iga walks out on the court, she puts her eye on the ball, and she doesn’t let it stray.”

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek believes that tennis authorities missed an opportunity to take a strong stand against the Russian invasion of Ukraine when they failed to ban Russian and Belarusian players in the immediate aftermath.

Following the invasion in February 2022, players from Russia and Belarus were banned from Wimbledon, but they were allowed to compete in other ATP and WTA Tour events under a neutral flag. Wimbledon has since said that it will reverse its ban for its 2023 tournament.

Speaking with the BBC, Swiatek said that her sport could have done better “from the beginning” to censure Russia’s actions, including banning players from the country and its ally Belarus.

“I heard that after World War II, German players were not allowed as well as Japanese and Italian, and I feel like this kind of thing would show the Russian government that maybe it’s not worth it,” Swiatek told the BBC. “I know it’s a small thing because we are just athletes, a little piece in the world but I feel like sport is pretty important and sport has always been used in propaganda.

“This is something that was considered at the beginning, tennis didn’t really go that way, but now it would be pretty unfair for Russian and Belarusian players to do that because this decision was supposed to be made a year ago.”

Players continue to approach Swiatek to ask for help and advice regarding the issue, she said. According to the 21-year-old from Poland, there was a “lack of leadership” from the WTA and ATP that left tennis in a “chaotic place.”

“I feel like tennis, from the beginning, could do a bit better in showing everybody that tennis players are against the war,” she said. “I feel they could do more to make that point and tell their views, and help us cope a bit better in the locker room because the atmosphere there is pretty tense.”

Belarusian player Aryna Sabalenka, who won the 2023 Australian Open, has described her struggle to understand the “hate” directed toward her in the locker room.

“It’s not their fault they have a passport like that but, on the other hand, we all have some kind of impact and I feel like anything that would help stop the Russian aggression, we should go that way in terms of the decisions the federations are making,” Swiatek said. “It’s easy to say that but when you’re facing people face to face it’s a little bit different. I did shake hands, for example, with Daria Kasatkina — she openly said that she’s against the war at the beginning and it would be her dream for the war to finish.

“I really respect that because I feel it’s brave for Russian athletes to say that because their situation is pretty complicated and sometimes it’s hard for them to speak out loud about it.”

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek continued her run of dominance at the Dubai Tennis Championships in Friday’s semifinal round, besting American teenager Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2. 

The win marked Swiatek’s sixth against Gauff in six meetings, and the 21-year-old Polish star advances to her 15th career final.

The straight-sets win was nonetheless the closest Swiatek has had at this tournament. She has dropped just 14 games through six matches. The semifinal match is the only one so far in which she has not won a set 6-0 or 6-1.

Still, Swiatek believes she still has room for improvement in her game, even as she stands at the peak of the tennis world.

“I feel I have many things to improve on the court. Sometimes it’s not going to be visible by results or the way I play,” she said.

“It’s more about how I want to approach the tournaments mentally, my attitude, and developing as a player because I feel I have many things to improve on the court. Sometimes it’s not going to be visible by results or the way I play. I think I can have more options on court. These are my goals.”

Swiatek is coming off a career year in 2022, in which she won the French Open and the US Open. She lost in the fourth round of the Australian Open to start 2023 but won the Qatar Open over Jessica Pegula on Feb. 18.

Two of the biggest names at the Australian Open are out after Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek each lost in straight sets in the round of 16.

The usually dominant Swiatek was upended by Wimbledon champion and No. 22 seed Elena Rybakina 6-4, 6-4. Prior to that match, Rybakina had never beaten a current world No. 1.

“I kind of knew what to expect on these big courts, and I just tried to do my best and tried to focus on my serve,” Rybakina said. “A few games were not really successful on my serve, but in the end I think I did a good job.

“It’s a big win and I’m just happy to get to another round.”

She went up 2-0 in the first set before Swiatek pulled back level, but the world No. 1 never seemed to take control of the match.

“I knew that I had to be aggressive from the first ball because she’s a great mover, and she defends really well,” Rybakina said. “So I was trying to just attack her from the first ball, and it really worked well.”

At the same time, 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko was brewing an upset of her own, taking out Gauff 7-5, 6-3. She clocked 30 winners, and the win marked her first over a top 10 player at a Grand Slam in three years.

It’s also her first quarterfinal appearance at a Grand Slam since 2018 and continues a career-best run at the Australian Open.

“My life changed a lot [after winning Roland Garros], so I needed a few years to really get used to what happened because I was really young,” Ostapenko said. “I was 19 and then turned 20.

“I always knew and believed in my game. If I play well, I can beat almost anyone. I was trying to work more on my consistency, especially in the preseason. Yeah, just to step on the court and play my game.

“I think I’m doing it quite well this week.”

Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the Madrid Open due to a right shoulder injury, the World No. 1 announced Wednesday via social media.

The Polish star told her followers on Twitter that she would miss the Madrid Open, which kicked off its qualifying matches Tuesday, citing a tired arm.

“After intense last weeks and winning four titles in a row it’s time to take care of my arm that has been fatigued since the Miami Open and I haven’t had a chance to handle it properly,” Swiatek wrote. “I need a break from playing so intensively in order to treat my arm well and that’s why, unfortunately, I have to withdraw from the Mutua Madrid Open. My body needs rest.”

Swiatek has had a stellar start to the year, notching 23 straight wins to clinch four straight titles, including the Stuttgart Open, Indian Wells, Miami Open and Qatar Open.

Round of 64 play begins in Madrid on Thursday, with No. 4 Maria Sakkari and American Madison Keys headlining the first-round matchups.

Iga Świątek took down No. 3 seed Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-2 in Stuttgart on Sunday for her fourth straight title on the WTA tour. The World No. 1 hoisted the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix trophy after an 84-minute victory, marking her 23rd consecutive win.

The 20-year-old joins an elite group of players with the longest win streaks since 2000. Świątek tied Naomi Osaka at ninth on the list, 12 wins behind leader Venus Williams.

“A few years ago, I wouldn’t even think about being in this kind of group,” Świątek said after Sunday’s match. “For sure right now, I need to work harder to keep this streak, but I’m just going to take it match by match, and I’m super proud of myself and really satisfied.”

Świątek has now won seven consecutive finals without dropping a set. The top-ranked player was utterly dominant against Sabalenka, firing 17 winners and winning 77 percent of her first-service points.

“I worked hard this week to adjust properly and to play my best tennis on the surface, so I’m really proud of myself,” she said.

Iga Świątek will not be denied, battling past Ludmilla Samsonova 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5 to clinch a spot in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final.

The grueling three-hour match snapped Świątek’s 28-set winning streak, with the Polish star dropping the opening frame before mounting a thrilling comeback to notch her 22nd straight win on tour. Samsonova overcame two breaks in the final set before the World No. 1 finally put the semifinal match away.

Świątek, 20, won more first-serve points by a narrow margin, 65 percent to Samsonova’s 58 percent. The advantage was critical for Świątek in the tight matchup.

Świątek will next meet No. 3 seed Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated No. 2 seed Paula Badosa 7-6(5), 6-4 on Saturday to punch her ticket to the final.

The victory is Sabalenka’s first against Badosa, her doubles partner and friend. She had lost to the Spaniard in their two previous meetings last year. Badosa, unable to serve out the first set at 5-3, left room for Sabalenka to claw back. The 23-year-old converted three of six break points — compared to Badosa’s two of eight — and finished with 33 total winners, overpowering Badosa from the baseline.

The Belarusian star returns to the Stuttgart final after finishing as the runner-up to Ashleigh Barty last season.

Iga Swiatek’s hot streak continues, with the World No. 1 defeating Emma Raducanu 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinal round at the Stuttgart Open on Friday for her 21st straight win.

The victory, which took one hour and 45 minutes, marks Swiatek’s tour-leading 28th win of the season and her 13th consecutive straight-set triumph.

With the win against No. 12 Raducanu of Great Britain, the Polish star has now won her last seven matches against top 20 opponents. Swiatek last registered a top-20 loss against then-No. 1 Ashleigh Barty in January.

Raducanu didn’t make it easy for Swiatek, pushing her opponent through both sets.

Ultimately, though, the World No. 1 pulled out the win, besting Raducanu in first serve points won and second serve points won, with both stats hovering around 70 percent. Swiatek also saved four of five break points, while Raducanu saved just one of four.

Friday’s win advances Swiatek to the semifinal at the German tournament, where she will face Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova in their first-ever meeting.

After downing Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final to complete the “Sunshine Double,” Iga Swiatek is now the No. 1 tennis player in the world.

It’s the first time in her career that Swiatek has reached the top ranking.

She moved up just one spot from No. 2, filling the hole that Ash Barty left when she announced her retirement from professional tennis last month. Barty spent more than two years at No. 1.

“She’s an incredible person, a great tennis player,” Barty said of Swiatek taking over the No. 1 spot. “She thoroughly deserves it. I hope that she can take it and still be her, do it her own way, and really chase what she’s after in her career and her dreams.”

Swiatek has been steadily climbing the world rankings since 2017, when she was ranked 587th in the world. In 2018, she reached a career high of 174 before breaking into the Top 50 in 2019 at 49th. She reached the top 20 for the first time in 2020, hitting No. 17 before rising to No. 4 in the world in 2021. Following her win at Indian Wells, Swiatek took over the No. 2 spot.

The 2020 French Open champion is currently on a 17-match winning streak and is the first woman to win the first three WTA 1000 events in a year.

She is just the 28th woman to top the world rankings and the first Polish player – man or woman – to top the world rankings.

“I usually don’t focus on numbers, on rankings, but this moment is huge to me as I have become the first Polish, female or male, tennis player to reach the top spot in singles,” Swiatek wrote on Twitter. “I hope maybe one day there will be more of us in Poland playing tennis at the highest possible level.

“I’m extremely grateful that my work could be an inspiration for some people. And last but not least…I love the game and appreciate every moment of these days.”

Osaka, who had fallen all the way to No. 77 after a trying year, rose to No. 35 following her run in Miami. Barbora Krejcikova rose to No. 2, equaling a career best, while Paula Badosa climbed to third. Danielle Collins found herself in the top 10 for the first time at No. 8, while Jessica Pegula rose to a career-high No. 13 in the rankings.