French Open 2022: Iga Swiatek records longest win streak on clay since Serena Williams in 2015-16
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek collected her 33rd consecutive match win by beating Jessica Pegula in straight sets to reach the semifinals of the 2022 French Open. Of those 33 wins, 14 have come on clay, making her the first player since Serena Williams in 2015-16 to win at least 14 consecutive matches on the surface.
The American tennis legend won 20 consecutive matches on clay, a run that began at the 2015 French Open and ended at the same event the following year.
14 - Iga #Swiatek has won 14 matches in a row on clay courts: the last player with more consecutive wins in this surface has been Serena #Williams between the Roland Garros 2015 and the Roland Garros 2016 (20). Inexorable.
@WTA @WTA_insider @rolandgarros https://t.co/iAA6jKosoh
No player other than Swiatek has won as many as 14 straight matches on clay since Williams' incredible run. The Pole now has a chance to extend her streak to 16 matches and get even closer to Williams' record by winning the French Open.
The World No. 1 won both the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and the Italian Open in the lead-up to Roland Garros. She has dropped just two sets in the 14 matches she has played during the claycourt season. One of those was against Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen in her fourth-round match at the French Open.
Her 33rd straight match win (across surfaces) also puts her third on the list of most consecutive matches won on the women's tour this century. She broke a tie with Justine Henin, who won 32 consecutive matches between 2007 and 2008.
players to enjoy longer winning streaks than @iga_swiatek since 2000.
The only 2⃣ players to enjoy longer winning streaks than @iga_swiatek since 2000.
@serenawilliams | @Venuseswilliams
#RolandGarros https://t.co/uC0PbWWqny
If Iga Swiatek goes on to win the French Open title, she will break Serena Williams' tally of 34 consecutive WTA match wins and stand level with Serena's older sister Venus Williams. The 41-year-old holds the all-time record for most consecutive matches won on the women's circuit (35) in the 21st century.
Swiatek faces 20th seed Daria Kasatkina, who is yet to drop a set in the tournament, in the last four.
"I know her game style pretty well" - Iga Swiatek on her 2022 French Open SF opponent Daria Kasatkina
Iga Swiatek, who celebrated her 21st birthday on Tuesday, has played her semifinal opponent Daria Kasatkina four times before, winning three of those matches. All three of those wins came earlier this year and Swiatek dropped a combined 11 games.
Speaking in an interview after her quarterfinal win against Jessica Pegula, the Pole said she will take a lot of confidence from her previous results against Kasatkina into their Roland Garros last-four match.
"I want to use the experience that I have and also I know her game style pretty well and I know how her strokes how I feel them on my racquet, so that's pretty positive," Iga Swiatek expressed.
Having said that, Swiatek does not want to get too ahead of herself, recognizing that Kasatkina is a tough opponent to face.
"I don't really want to become overconfident. I don't think it's going to happen because still it's semifinal of a Grand Slam and she really deserves with her game to be here," she said on the same.
Solid 💥
#RolandGarros | @iga_swiatek https://t.co/6ZG2UvHoQ4