Iga Swiatek leaves Rome as the most well liked participant in tennis, having reeled off 12 consecutive victories and within the course of change into the third lady in historical past to have claimed the celebrated Madrid and Rome titles back-to-back.
The 22-year-old will head to Paris to attempt to change into the second lady in historical past to assert a uncommon clay-court triple by profitable Madrid, Rome and Paris in the identical season. Solely 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, in 2013, has beforehand achieved the feat.
Although Swiatek would be the overwhelming favourite, the three-time Roland Garros champion prefers to maintain her concentrate on the controllables. She talks repeatedly about course of, about staying humble, and she or he backs up her phrases by by no means underestimating an opponent.
Sounds rather a lot like 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in some ways, doesn’t it?
“Clearly I’m assured. I really feel like I am taking part in nice tennis,” Swiatek stated on Saturday after taking out Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3. “Nevertheless it does not change the truth that I actually wish to keep humble and actually targeted on getting all the things step-by-step. Grand Slams are totally different. There’s totally different strain on the courtroom and off the courtroom.”
Now 36-4 on the season, and 14-1 on clay (77-10 lifetime), Swiatek says the work she has put in to enhance her serve helps her win matches on the most important levels this spring.
She solely misplaced 18 factors on serve towards Sabalenka and saved every of the seven break factors she confronted. It’s an indication that she is ready to play a better share of service factors on her phrases, which permits her to dictate and dominate early and sometimes.
“Total I attempt to deal with these factors as some other level. I am not feeling like I am below a lot strain,” she stated of the break factors she saved towards Sabalenka as she claimed her twenty first profession title. “Possibly additionally as a result of I do know I am an awesome returner, even when I’ll get damaged, I can work it out.
“I believe on this match, my serve was sort of actually serving to me. All this work that we have been placing truly paid off in these essential moments. I am actually proud of that as a result of that is what we have been working for.”
Swiatek will attempt to carry the identical vibe into Paris, the place she has gained 25 of 26 matches for the reason that begin of her title run in 2020. The Pole is on a 14-match Paris profitable streak and can bid to change into the primary lady to win three straight Roland Garros titles since Justine Henin in 2007.
She says she is much less confused this 12 months as a result of she is pondering much less about rankings and extra about staying locked into the method.
“I am chilled out as a result of I sort of knew that if I’ll work onerous and if I’ll be in the appropriate mindset, that is achievable,” she stated. “I am completely happy I used to be so targeted and disciplined all through the match to do this. I really feel like I am in the appropriate place.”
All of it provides as much as an amazing alternative for Swiatek, and a particularly tall process for anybody with designs on stopping her in Paris…
