Roland Garros 2021: Iga Swiatek is proving that she is no one-hit wonder
Iga Swiatek's astonishing run to the French Open title last year brought her plenty of praise, but also tons of questions.
Since 2017, only two women have managed to win multiple Grand Slams. The lack of consistency from a significant number of top players left many in the tennis community questioning whether Swiatek would also turn out to be a one-hit wonder.
But the young Pole hasn't let Grand Slam success get to her head. When she took the court earlier this year at the Adelaide International - just her third tournament since Roland Garros 2020 - Swiatek made another statement of intent. She sprinted to the title without losing a set all week, in the process also showing she can excel outside clay too.
Iga Swiatek then went on to claim her third career title at the Italian Open, defeating two top-10 players en route. If she hadn't done it already, the 20-year-old well and truly cemented her credentials as one of the brightest prospects in the women's game with her Rome run.
Iga Swiatek's dynamic skill set and athleticism make her a truly versatile player. Having idolized Rafael Nadal growing up, she is able to produce heavy topspin on her forehand, much like the 20-time Grand Slam champion. Her offensive play blended with perfectly-timed dropshots make her game really difficult to counter, irrespective of surface.
Iga Swiatek has also been consulting a sports psychologist for two years now, a partnership that has proven quite fruitful. And the title in Rome last month is a testament to that.
In the third round against Barbora Krejcikova, Swiatek saved two match points before claiming a comeback win. She did not drop another set all week, and dished out a double bagel to Karolina Pliskova in the final.
Iga Swiatek's rapid rise is no accident
Iga Swiatek’s rise to the top has not been easy. Coming from a country that produced the iconic Agnieszka Radwanska, the young Pole has had big shoes to fill.
Despite winning the 2018 Junior Wimbledon, Swiatek found it difficult to earn main-draw wildcards into senior tournaments.
"It was pretty annoying at the beginning," Swiatek said during her Roland Garros run in 2020. "I just had to accept if you’re from eastern or central Europe it may be kind of harder to get wildcards because we don’t have any big tournaments in Poland. As soon as I accepted that and as soon as I realised it’s going to be even better if I’m going to earn it on my own, I was okay with that. I just kept working."
Iga Swiatek has come a long way since then, rising to World No. 9 and entering this year’s Roland Garros as the eighth seed. The defending champion has already had a commanding first week, losing just 13 games en route to the fourth round.
The withdrawals of three of the world’s top five players - Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka - have further boosted Swiatek's bid for a second title in Paris. Many believe Swiatek is now the overwhelming favorite for the trophy this year.
To book a place in the quarterfinals, the 20-year-old will need to fend off Ukrainian rising star Marta Kostyuk. And in order to do that, Iga Swiatek will need to be consistent from the baseline and impose her aggressive style of play from the get-go - just like she has been doing all week.
If she comes through the Kostyuk challenge, Swiatek will fancy her chances of making a deep run given the way the draw has panned out thus far.
From being adjudged the "Most Improved Player of the Year" by the WTA last year to firmly ensconcing herself in the world’s top 10, Iga Swiatek is showing no signs of slowing down. And if she does indeed go all the way to the title in Paris this year, she will have a legitimate claim to the 'Queen of Clay' moniker.
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