On a bright yet calm evening at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, Poland’s Iga Swiatek floated to her fourth French Open title, overcoming twelfth seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-2, 6-1. In just 68 minutes, the match was over.
With her triumph, Swiatek – who entered the present last on a hot streak, having won 18 continuous matches on mud and 20 successive matches at Roland-Garros – has become just the fourth lady ever, after Chris Evert, Steffi Graff, and Justine Henin, to win the French multiple times.
She likewise turns into the main lady to win any significant multiple times in succession since Serena Williams’ 2012-2014 run at the US Open.
World number one Swiatek, 23, and Paolini, 28, had played each other two times previously – most as of late, in the principal round of the 2022 US Open – with Swiatek winning the twice.
“We played quite a while in the past, so I really want to plan strategically and find out where her game is presently,” Swiatek told columnists before the last.
In fact, Paolini had a strong tournament in Paris, winning the semifinals against Mirra Andreeva of Russia 6-3, 6-1 to advance to her first major final.
From the get-go in the principal set of the last, it seemed like we could have a match: after Swiatek held her initial game, Paolini got up a break, taking a 2-1 lead.
However, it wasn’t to endure; Swiatek would dominate the following five matches, finishing that set in only 35 minutes, prior to demonstrating completely unyielding in the match’s 30-minute second set.
At the prize show, which additionally praised the traditions of Evert (who won the first of her seven French Open singles titles quite a while back) and Martina Navratilova (who, in 1984, destroyed Evert here 6-3, 6-1, turning into the primary lady to come out on top for four continuous significant championships since Margaret Court in 1970), both Swiatek and Paolini offered brief comments.
Paolini was up first, and he readily admitted that playing Swiatek at the French “is the toughest challenge in this sport.”
She proceeded to say thanks to her family, say thanks to her group, and refer to the most recent fourteen days as “the greatest days of my life”.
Swiatek then took control of the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen. “Congratulations for an astonishing competition,” she told Paolini.
“With your game I figure you can do a great deal on dirt. I believe we will have a lot more matches in conclusive rounds.”
She then, at that point, said thanks to her own family and group prior to recognizing the fans in the stands, who remained behind her even after Naomi Osaka almost took Swiatek out in the subsequent round.
Swiatek stated, “It’s been a really emotional tournament, so thank you for supporting me.”
