Iga Swiatek, the world No. 1, won her third French Open title on Saturday after a grueling match against Karolina Muchova. The match lasted for 2 hours and 46 minutes and was filled with intense moments. Swiatek led by a set and 3-0 before Muchova made a comeback, leading 2-0 in the deciding set. However, Swiatek showed her resolve and fought back, finally clinching victory when Muchova double-faulted to give Swiatek a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win.
This win cemented Swiatek’s status as the world No. 1 and her fourth Grand Slam title overall. Although she dropped a set in this final, it was the first time she’s done so in her four finals. Swiatek is now the third woman in the Open era to win her first four Slam finals, joining Monica Seles and Naomi Osaka.
Muchova played well and tried to become part of a long list of Czech women who have won Grand Slams, including Jana Novotna, Petra Kvitova, and Barbora Krejcikova. Her variety and use of rushing the net in the style of players past lit up this year’s French Open.
At 4-4 in the third set, Muchova looked like she might get the break to lead, but at the last moment, her forehand deserted her, and a double-fault, her third of the match, handed Swiatek victory. After the match, Swiatek said, “It’s pretty surreal, everything. But the match was really intense, a lot of ups and downs. Stressful moments and coming back. So I’m pretty happy that at the end I could be solid in those few last games and finish it. But Karolina really played well. It was a big challenge.”
The tension was obvious when Swiatek double-faulted to go down 1-0 in the third set. However, as champions do, she dug deep and became more aggressive again, as she had in the opening set when Muchova struggled to impose her game on the final.
What’s Next for the Four-Time Slam Champion?
Swiatek has the world at her feet at only 22 years old. Winning the US Open last year showed she can win big titles on hard courts, so the Australian Open is well within her grasp. Wimbledon, however, remains the biggest stretch. Last year, she went into Wimbledon as the favorite but ran out of steam early on. This time, she has managed her schedule well, so once she has recovered, it will come down to confidence and belief.
The worrying thing for her rivals is that there are areas of her game yet to be mastered, especially her net game. When she begins to feel more comfortable moving forward, the Slam titles could really begin to rack up.
Swiatek said, “I’m not really looking that far [ahead]. I’m just happy with what happened during these past few weeks. I don’t know what I’m kind of capable of. So I will work day by day to play [my] best game possible and to develop as a player. I’m not setting any crazy records or goals for myself. I know that keeping it cool is the best way to do it for me. I’m trying more to do that.”
Swiatek won her third French Open title after a hard-fought match against Muchova. She is now the world No. 1 and has won four Grand Slam titles overall. Swiatek has the potential to win more Slam titles, especially with areas of her game yet to be mastered. She remains modest and focused and takes it day by day, which has served her well so far.
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