Tennis

Iga Swiatek frank and honest in riding streak all the way to French Open final

Victory over Coco Gauff in Saturday’s final at Roland Garros would likely herald an era of dominance

Poland's Iga Swiatek plays a forehand return to Russia's Darya Kasatkina during their women's semi-final singles match on Thursday at Roland-Garros. Photograph: Thomas Samson/Getty
Poland's Iga Swiatek plays a forehand return to Russia's Darya Kasatkina during their women's semi-final singles match on Thursday at Roland-Garros. Photograph: Thomas Samson/Getty
Tumaini Carayol
Fri Jun 03 2022 - 19:54

In the last notable tournament before the French Open began, Iga Swiatek won her fifth title in as many tournaments at the Italian Open. It was a result expected by all, but even so as Ons Jabeur’s final backhand struck the net Swiatek fell to her knees and sobbed into the clay.

The tears from Swiatek were no dramatic expression of her joy, but rather the instant release of nerves, of tension, of being reminded a dozen times each day of her winning streak, all on top of her own lofty expectations. If that is what it took out of her to win Italian Open, it is hard to imagine the effort it has taken to remain composed for six matches under grand slam pressure and move to the French Open final again.

Swiatek’s 34-match winning streak is remarkable in itself, the joint second-highest of the 21st century alongside Serena Williams and one behind Venus Williams’s count of 35 in 2000. While the others faced more difficult rivals, the circumstances are particularly awkward given its timing. Arriving at the French Open with all her 28 wins coming at WTA tournaments seemed like such an extra burden that some believed a loss in Rome might have helped her manage the pressure.

As she has navigated the draw, Swiatek has handled the occasion in different ways. She has talked about the value of maintaining low expectations, taking things day by day, even though her ambitions make it so difficult. She has been frank about the possible outcomes here, including the fact that losing is an option that should be prepared for, one that would not be a tragedy.

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Essentially, she has kept herself honest, and the result is that she has played her best tennis of the tournament deep into the event, arming herself with an incredible opportunity to set down a historic marker in the final. At 21, it is clear that her second French Open title after her breakout win in 2020 could herald an era of dominance in Paris.

Under most other circumstances, the main story of this final would be Coco Gauff. She was widely hyped as a prodigy throughout her childhood, then she broke out to international stardom at Wimbledon in 2019, the hype deafening. Even then, there were no guarantees of her future success. It is deeply impressive that as the youngest grand slam finalist since 2004, she is still taking these steps at such a young age.

Gauff has enjoyed a nice draw, her highest-ranked opponent the number 31 seed Elise Mertens, but she has dealt with it brilliantly and without dropping a set. On Friday, she also reached the doubles final alongside Jessica Pegula. As the world number 10 in doubles compared to number 23 in singles, and in her second final, she is technically a more successful doubles player.

But the most important aspect of her run has been the growth she has demonstrated after three years on the tour. Gauff has talked about how her perspective has shifted, and now she understands that winning or losing tennis matches is not the end of the world. Her more relaxed outlook has clearly been liberating.

Gauff is in the process of moulding an accomplished game and she has numerous abilities to put forward against Swiatek, who leads the head-to-head 2-0. She possesses a huge and increasingly precise first serve, a top-quality backhand, some of the best defence in the game and the ability to play with variety off both sides. Her game is still a work in progress, though, particularly her hitchy forehand that Swiatek will batter with her own. If Swiatek manages her nerves, Gauff will have to play at a level she has not yet reached just to compete, but she has at least given herself the best chance of doing so.

More than anything though, this will be a final played in great spirits with the belief that there are many more such duels to come. Four years ago, Gauff reached the 2018 French Open junior final and then watched as Swiatek lost from match point up in the semi-final to her doubles partner, Caty McNally. Gauff won the title that year, and a few weeks later Swiatek won the junior singles title at Wimbledon.

“I don’t know her well-well, but I have known her since she was probably ranked lower, and now that she’s number one, and I will say that, nothing has really changed other than her tennis,” said Gauff. “But behind the scenes, she’s as nice as I think you guys see in the press conferences. I think that’s really important and rare to see, so I definitely congratulate her on that aspect.”