Two-time champion Iga Swiatek looks to reach a third French Open final in four years on Thursday while Aryna Sabalenka puts her 12-match Grand Slam winning run on the line in the Roland Garros semifinals.

Swiatek is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend the title in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007 after dispatching Coco Gauff in a rematch of last year's final, 6-4, 6-2.

'Obviously, surface is different, so we'll see. I've never played against her on clay.'

"I'm pretty happy to be in the semifinal again at Roland Garros. It's a great achievement no matter how the tournament is going to finish," said Swiatek, who has yet to drop a set.

Standing in her way is 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, the first Brazilian woman to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since 1968 following her upset of Ons Jabeur, last year's Wimbledon and US Open runner-up.

World No. 1 Swiatek is 26-2 in five visits to Roland Garros but lost her only previous match with Haddad Maia on the hard courts of Toronto last August.

"Obviously, surface is different, so we'll see. I've never played against her on clay. Again, as before any other match, I will kind of focus on myself and what I want to do on court," the Pole said.

Haddad Maia follows in the footsteps of seven-time major winner Maria Bueno who was the last Brazilian woman in the semifinals of a major at the US Open 55 years ago.

The 27-year-old left-hander had never got past the second round of a Grand Slam before this French Open.

"It's a very tough one," said Haddad Maia of facing Swiatek for a spot in Saturday's final.

"I'll leave everything on the court. I have nothing to lose. I will try to go for it."

Sabalenka, the second seed from Belarus, has swept aside all-comers this fortnight despite being at the center of a tense stand-off with Ukrainian players over her country's role in the ongoing war.