Aryna Sabalenka shuffles into first Roland Garros semifinal over inspired Elina Svitolina

WATCH: Sabalenka improved to 5-0 in Grand Slam quarterfinals at Roland Garros on Tuesday against former No. 3 Elina Svitolina.

PARIS—Less than 48 hours after a rowdy evening against Sloane Stephens, Aryna Sabalenka was back on Court Philippe-Chatrier in a mood that wasn’t quite annoyed but certainly less than satisfied. With each miss, Sabalenka saunters to the mark that ostensibly caused the error and wipes it away with her sneaker, perhaps looking to flatten out the court in her favor.

Playing an inspired Elina Svitolina, Sabalenka ultimately smooths out her game when she needs to most and clinches a first Roland Garros semifinal, 6-4, 6-4, extending her Grand Slam winning streak to 12 in a row.

The reigning Australian Open champion has looked far more tense on court than she did earlier in the year, a marked difference from how she rode the wave of good vibes through an undefeated start to 2023 and a first major victory in Melbourne. Still, the vein of consistency she first found last summer with a revamped service motion continued to pay dividends on Tuesday as she faced Svitolina, who was playing her first major tournament since giving birth to daughter Skaï in October.

Hailing from Ukraine and married to French star Gaël Monfils, Svitolina has become a sentimental favorite in all ways through an incredible run to the quarterfinals, earning upsets over No. 26 seed Martina Trevisan and No. 9 seed Daria Kasatkina to book only her third meeting with the Belarusian Sabalenka.

Under fire in her first two press conference to speak out against the Russian and Belarusian invasion into Ukraine, Sabalenka has retreated from non-tennis obligations in her last two rounds, looking to preserve her mental health as she remains in the hunt for a Calendar Year Grand Slam. She returned to press on Tuesday with an apology for isolating from the media for almost a full week.

“I just needed to step back and just bring focus on my tennis and on my game," she said. Yeah, and I feel good that I did it and I feel sorry for you guys that you didn't have chance to chat with me. But I'm here today, and I am ready to give answers for every question you have.”

Svitolina, by contrast, has been a media darling through her four victories in Paris, speaking with confidence and conviction about her stance towards Russian and Belarusian players, whose hands she and the other Ukrainians have refused to shake as the war persists.

That clarity was on display early as Svitolina drew multiple errors from the ever-aggressive Sabalenka, who appeared off-balance for much of the first set. But when Svitolina led 4-3, 0-15, the former No. 3 missed a forehand putaway and the match quickly turned towards Sabalenka, who tightened her tennis and rolled through the next three games.

Svitolina nonetheless threatened a comeback early in the second, saving a break point and edging ahead 2-0, but despite opportunities for a 3-0 lead, Sabalenka once more turned the tables, winning the next four games and ultimately securing victory with a forehand into the open court.

Sabalenka leaned on the net where the match was won and Svitolina, on cue, bypassed her completely.

“I don't know, to be fair, what she was waiting,” Svitolina said after the match, “because my statements were clear enough about the handshake.”

Boos reigned down from the crowd, but though the mood turned to give Svitolina a happy send-off, she questioned whether Sabalenka's lingering at the net was intentional.

“My initial reaction, don't know, was like, ‘What are you doing?’ Because, yeah, all my press conference I say my clear position.

“Maybe she's not on social media during the tournaments, but it is pretty clear. I made multiple statements that I'm not shaking hands, and she played obviously Marta as well the first round. So is quite simple, you know.”

Karolina Muchova now awaits the world No. 2, who struck 30 winners to 37 unforced errors and won an impressive 72% of points behind her second serve. Satisfaction may be slow in coming for Sabalenka. It may only come with a second Grand Slam title—and a possible accession to world No. 1.