World number one Swiatek seeks greatness with fourth French Open title

Iga Swiatek (22) acknowledges she is the favorite and feels “confident” as she aims to become only the fourth woman to win four Roland Garros singles titles in the Open era. The world number one could also be the first player to secure three consecutive women’s titles in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007.

Swiatek is highly favored after another dominant clay-court season, arriving in Paris following WTA 1000 victories in Madrid and Rome. Serena Williams is the only female player to have completed a Madrid-Rome-Roland Garros treble in the same season.

However, Swiatek is unfazed by the potential achievement.

“I’m number one, so I’m the favorite everywhere if you look at rankings,” she told reporters after defeating second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the Rome Open final last weekend. “But rankings don’t play, so… I’ll do everything step by step and we’ll see. I am confident. I feel like I’m playing great tennis. But it doesn’t change the fact that I really want to stay humble and focused.”

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The Polish player has many years ahead to pursue records but is not wasting time — her four WTA 1000 titles this season bring her career total to 10, only 13 short of Serena Williams’ all-time record. With four Grand Slam titles already, Swiatek has shown she can excel in major tournaments, though she acknowledges the added pressure.

“Grand Slams are different. There is different pressure on the court and off the court,” she added. “I love to come to Paris again and be there. It’s a great place for me. These are hard seven matches that you need to win, so I don’t take anything for granted.”

Swiatek aims to join Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, and Henin in winning the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen four times in the Open era. The primary challenge she faces is Sabalenka.

The Belarusian missed three match points before losing to Swiatek in a thrilling Madrid final and hopes for another chance after a one-sided loss in Rome. Sabalenka, a two-time reigning Australian Open champion, has reached at least the semi-finals in each of the past six Grand Slam events. She is also the only woman to defeat Swiatek in a clay-court final since 2019.

Sabalenka is determined to compete.

“Even though I lost these two finals, I never focus on the past,” she said. “No matter how many times I lose to a player, if I’m there, if I’m fighting and focusing on myself, I know I can get that win. I’m going there with the confidence that I can do well.”

Despite having a 1-8 record against Swiatek, Sabalenka believes she can succeed. She had never reached the second week at Roland Garros until last year, when she was knocked out by Karolina Muchova in the semis.

“I’m definitely not the favourite probably there,” she said. “But at the same time, I do feel that I can actually go for it. It’s 50/50, you know? But I prefer to be the underdog. I really hope I’m going to make it to the final and get that win, whether it’s Iga or not.”

Elena Rybakina, who beat Swiatek on clay this year, was part of a new ‘big three’ 12 months ago but has not made the last four at a Slam since losing the 2023 Australian Open final to Sabalenka. Meanwhile, US Open champion Coco Gauff, playing in a major for the first time since turning 20, aims to improve on her 2022 French Open final loss to Swiatek.