ROME — If Iga Swiatek can sustain her type, it is exhausting to think about anybody stopping her from successful a fourth French Open title.
The highest-ranked Swiatek dominated in her newest assembly with No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, successful the Italian Open last 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday to earn her third trophy on Rome’s pink clay.
Swiatek did not drop a set on the Foro Italico and prolonged her tour successful streak to 12 matches. Within the semifinals, she was nearly as dominant in a 6-4, 6-3 win over No. 3 Coco Gauff.
Roland Garros begins subsequent weekend, and Swiatek will probably be aiming for a 3rd straight title in Paris and fourth total.
“Clearly I’m assured. I really feel like I am enjoying nice tennis,” Swiatek stated. “However it does not change the truth that I actually need to keep humble and actually targeted on getting all the things step-by-step. Grand Slams are completely different. There’s completely different strain on the courtroom and off the courtroom.
“These are exhausting seven matches that you might want to win, so I do not take something with no consideration. I will simply work exhausting as I did in Madrid and Rome, and we’ll see.”
After congratulating Swiatek in the course of the trophy ceremony, Sabalenka informed her rival: “I hope we’ll make it to the ultimate in Roland Garros, and I will get you there.” Then Sabalenka added, “Simply kidding. I am simply going to attempt to do higher than right this moment.”
Throughout her speech, Swiatek replied, “We’ll see about that Roland Garros last.”
Swiatek grew to become the primary lady to finish the “dust double” of successful Madrid and Rome again to again since Serena Williams in 2013.
The ultimate was fairly a distinction from when Swiatek needed to save three match factors earlier than beating Sabalenka in a third-set tiebreaker within the Madrid Open last two weeks in the past.
“Madrid, I did not really feel like I might do all the things. Right here I sort of did,” Swiatek stated. “I felt like I can actually use this floor and this sense to play even higher.”
Swiatek utilized a lot strain early on that Sabalenka slammed her racket onto the clay within the fourth recreation after which needed to seize a brand new stick from her bag.
Even on factors when the hard-hitting Sabalenka appeared in management, Swiatek used her excellent footspeed and correct groundstrokes to show the dynamics round and drive Sabalenka into errors.
“Her motion is unbelievable. You all the time know that it’s a must to construct the purpose and it’s a must to end the purpose,” Sabalenka stated. “That is why generally I attempt to overhit balls, figuring out she’s going to get to it. … She’s actually good in each side of the sport.”
Sabalenka stepped up her recreation at the beginning of the second set, however Swiatek saved seven break factors in her opening two service video games. Swiatek produced solely 11 winners to Sabalenka’s 18 but in addition had simply eight unforced errors to Sabalenka’s whopping 28.
Swiatek crushed a backhand return up the road on her second match level, and when Sabalenka’s weak reply landed within the web, Swiatek dropped her white racket to the clay and commenced leaping round in celebration after shaking palms with Sabalenka.
Including to her titles from 2021 and 2022, Swiatek improved her profession file in Rome to 20-2. At 22, the Polish participant might strategy the ladies’s file of 5 Italian Open titles held by Chris Evert. Rafael Nadal, Swiatek’s idol, holds the general file with 10 Rome trophies.
“If I win subsequent time, there may be going to be a tiramisu in right here,” Swiatek stated as she took the lid off the trophy cup.
The lads’s last on Sunday options 2017 champion Alexander Zverev towards Twenty fourth-ranked Nicolas Jarry.
Swiatek improved her profession file towards Sabalenka to 8-3. Swiatek has additionally gained 9 straight finals since she misplaced to Sabalenka in Madrid final yr.
Sabalenka was slowed by a again difficulty.
“Most likely in some factors there was moments the place I might push myself a little bit bit extra, however I did not need to get injured earlier than Roland Garros,” she stated. “It is sort of like affecting you a little bit bit simply by being there at the back of your thoughts. However I would not say I misplaced the match right this moment due to my again.”
Swiatek earned a winner’s verify of 699,690 euros (greater than $750,000).
