Poland’s “Queen of Clay” Iga Świątek claimed her third straight French Open title with a crushing 6-2 6-1 victory over 12th seeded Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in Saturday’s final.
The world number one, who is now a four-time Roland Garros champion, has also added the fifth Grand Slam title to her name.
Lift it up high Iga 🧡#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/0gMxuXAhiv
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2024
Świątek came out all guns blazing early in the contest but after narrowly missing the chance to break from 0-40 down in the second game, the top-seeded Pole made heavy weather of the next to surrender her serve, before bouncing right back.
The diminutive Paolini, only the third Italian woman after Francesca Schiavone and Sara Errani to reach the Roland Garros final since the sport turned professional in 1968, went toe to toe with Świątek from there but cracked in the sixth game.
With the momentum shifting, claycourt specialist Świątek began to dominate the exchanges from the baseline, superbly working the angles and sealing the opening set in 37 minutes after winning 20 out of 24 points since going down a break.
A shell-shocked Paolini smiled and soaked up the support and applause from the crowd on the main showcourt when she won the odd point early in the next set, but her challenge faded in the afternoon sun as Świątek broke twice to build a 4-0 lead.
Świątek, who dropped only one set throughout the tournament in a second-round epic with Japan’s Naomi Osaka, won 10 successive games before Paolini got on the scoreboard, but there was to be no late comeback drama and the knockout blow was not long in coming.
The Polish superstar closed out the victory when Paolini sent a shot long and rejoiced by dropping to her knees and pumping her fists, letting out a huge roar, before joining her entourage in the stands for another round of celebrations.
With her Saturday win, Świątek became the first woman in 10 years to win three consecutive titles at any of the sport’s four Grand Slam tournaments.
She joins the prestigious company of Serena Williams who won the U.S. Open from 2012-14. Swiatek has also become the first woman to win three consecutive titles at Roland Garros since Justine Henin did so in 2005-07, and just the third to do it ever.
Improving her record to 5-0 in major finals, Swiatek becomes the third player in the Open Era to win her first five (or more) major finals, joining Margaret Court and Monica Seles.
The diminutive Paolini, only the third Italian woman after Francesca Schiavone and Sara Errani to reach the Roland Garros final since the sport turned professional in 1968, went toe to toe with Świątek from there but cracked in the sixth game.
With the momentum shifting, claycourt specialist Świątek began to dominate the exchanges from the baseline, superbly working the angles and sealing the opening set in 37 minutes after winning 20 out of 24 points since going down a break.
A shell-shocked Paolini smiled and soaked up the support and applause from the crowd on the main showcourt when she won the odd point early in the next set, but her challenge faded in the afternoon sun as Świątek broke twice to build a 4-0 lead.
Świątek, who dropped only one set throughout the tournament in a second-round epic with Japan’s Naomi Osaka, won 10 successive games before Paolini got on the scoreboard, but there was to be no late comeback drama and the knockout blow was not long in coming.
The Polish superstar closed out the victory when Paolini sent a shot long and rejoiced by dropping to her knees and pumping her fists, letting out a huge roar, before joining her entourage in the stands for another round of celebrations.
Świątek makes history🏆🏆 Queen of Paris 🏆🏆@iga_swiatek captures a fourth Roland-Garros title defeating Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/T0ASUptTw3
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2024
With her Saturday win, Świątek became the first woman in 10 years to win three consecutive titles at any of the sport’s four Grand Slam tournaments.
She joins the prestigious company of Serena Williams who won the U.S. Open from 2012-14. Swiatek has also become the first woman to win three consecutive titles at Roland Garros since Justine Henin did so in 2005-07, and just the third to do it ever.
Her 21 consecutive victories at Roland Garros place her fourth on the list of the longest winning streaks at the tournament in the Open Era (the current era of professional tennis that began in 1968), behind Chris Evert (29), Monica Seles (25), and Justine Henin (24).The first women’s player to win three consecutive titles at Roland-Garros since Justine Henin.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/WzOXaCRtsr
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2024
Improving her record to 5-0 in major finals, Swiatek becomes the third player in the Open Era to win her first five (or more) major finals, joining Margaret Court and Monica Seles.
Source: WTA, Reuters, TVP World
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