Iga Swiatek falls just short of Monica Seles and Chris Evert, records 23rd win at French Open in 25 matches
Iga Swiatek, the first seed at the 2023 French Open recently achieved a commendable feat. She racked up her 23rd win at Roland-Garros, falling just one win short of the record held by tennis greats Monica Seles and Chris Evert.
This victory further cements her growing reputation in the tennis world as a formidable opponent, particularly on clay courts.
In a swift progression through the tournament, the 23-year-old Swiatek has demonstrated her impressive prowess on the clay court. She has won her initial matches against Cristina Bucșa and Claire Liu, maintaining an undisputed scoreline of 6-4, 6-0 in both matches.
This performance not only speaks volumes about her skill and determination but also aligns her closely with the remarkable records held by Seles and Evert.
In Open Era history, Evert and Seles have recorded the highest number of wins in their first 25 women's singles matches at Roland-Garros, with 24 victories each. This places Iga Swiatek in an elite group, as she flaunts an impressive record of 23-2.
OptaAce acknowledged this milestone in a tweet:
"23 - Iga Swiatek now holds a record of 23-2 at Roland-Garros. In the Open Era, only two players claimed more wins in their first 25 women's singles matches at the event - Chris Evert and Monica Seles (24 each). Comfy. #RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @WTA @WTA_insider"
23 - Iga Swiatek now holds a record of 23-2 at Roland-Garros. In the Open Era, only two players claimed more wins in their first 25 women's singles matches at the event - Chris Evert and Monica Seles (24 each). Comfy.
#RolandGarros | @rolandgarros @WTA @WTA_insider https://t.co/ycTahP2lPv
Even with this notable achievement, Swiatek's journey in the 2023 French Open is far from over. As the first seed, she is poised to encounter more robust competition in the upcoming rounds. She will face Wang Xinyu in the third round on Friday, June 3.
A look back at Monica Seles and Chris Evert's historic runs at the French Open
The legacy of the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, has been carved by many greats of the sport. Among these standouts are American tennis legend Chris Evert and former Yugoslav and American player Monica Seles. They left an indelible impact on the clay courts of Roland-Garros.
Chris Evert, known for her remarkable clay-court prowess, holds an Open Era record of seven French Open titles, won between 1974 and 1986. Evert's consistency at Roland-Garros was exceptional, with a win percentage of 92.4%, the highest in women's singles.
Monica Seles, another towering figure at the French Open, made her mark in the early 1990s. Seles won the tournament thrice in her career. Her first victory in 1990 saw her become the youngest-ever champion at Roland-Garros at the age of 16.
Both Evert and Seles share the unique record of having won three consecutive French Open titles. Evert achieved this feat between 1974-1975 and 1979-1980, while Seles dominated from 1990 to 1992.