The title was promised to her, but she still had to go and get it: this is what the Polish Iga Swiatek did without trembling, who won her fourth coronation at Roland-Garros, the third in a row, by clearly dominating the Italian Jasmine Paolini (6-2, 6-1) this Saturday June 8.
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“ I love this place ! », Launched Swiatek to begin her litany of thanks, her cap still screwed low on her head and which she did not even take off for the anthem. “ Playing against you here is truly the most difficult thing in tennis. You are number 1, you have won five Grand Slam titles, congratulations… what else can I say ? », declared for his part Paolini, who was playing his first Grand Slam final at the age of 28.
It was on this Philippe-Chatrier court that the Pole made herself known by winning her first Grand Slam title to everyone’s surprise in 2020. Since then, she has won this tournament a total of four times in five years and five Grand Slam titles. Grand Slam, also including the US Open 2022, has established itself as the undisputed world number 1 and the undisputed queen of clay.
She is thus the second player to achieve the Madrid-Rome-Roland-Garros hat-trick since Serena Williams in 2013. And her statistics on Parisian soil are starting to have a Nadalian air: since her first participation in 2019, the Pole, today aged 23, has 35 victories for two defeats.
With Hénin and Seles
With this 21st victory in a row at Roland-Garros, Swiatek overtakes Steffi Graf (20) and has only Justine Henin (24), Monica Seles (25) and Queen Chris Evert (29) ahead of her. The latter, as well as her great rival Martina Navratilova, were present on June 8 and presented the trophies to the finalists.
Swiatek also becomes the first player to win the French Open three times in a row since Justine Henin (2005 to 2007) and the third in history after Monica Seles (1990 to 92). In the list of winners, only Evert (7) and Graf (6) hold more titles than her in Paris.
Paolini tried the exchange blow for blow Ali-Frazier style. And if some of her live broadcasts hit the mark, she mostly got tired. And she did not succeed enough in entering her opponent’s defense to place devastating hooks as she did against Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. If the Italian managed the first break of the game, to lead 2-1 in the first set, this only completely awakened the Polish terror who chained ten games in a row to pocket the first set and break away 5-0 in the second.
“ The happiest days of my life »
Ultimately, Swiatek only experienced one scare in this tournament: the match point that she saved in the second round against former world number 1 Naomi Osaka. Subsequently, she only lost 17 games in five matches. In the round of 16, she even gave up only ten points and not the slightest game to dismiss the Russian Anastasia Potapova in 40 minutes. As clinical and unemotional as his journey to the title may have seemed, Swiatek nevertheless savored it while showing signs of destabilization.
Once Paolini’s final ball fell too long behind the baseline, Swiatek fell to her knees and clenched fists, shouted her joy in the direction of her clan, before running to join them in the stands. Then during the speech, the words came out as usual in a monotone and at high speed… but not always in the right order. The fact remains that after this show of force, she will begin her 107th week at the top of the world hierarchy on Monday. And will be followed for the first time by Coco Gauff who reaps the fruits of her journey to the semi-finals.
As for Paolini, she will enter the top 10, in 7th place. “ These fifteen days have been the most beautiful of my life and it continues since I play the doubles final (with her compatriot Sara Errani on Sunday),” said the Italian. “ These two weeks have been very intense and today has been hard, but I am very proud of myself “, she added before launching, in French, a “ Thank you very much Paris ! » which allowed him to end with one of his now famous smiles.
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