Perfectionist Iga Swiatek savours managing the pressure to win fourth French Open

PARIS – Iga Swiatek described her French Open triumph on June 8 as an emotional win and said she was proud to have handled the pressure of being the favourite to win a third consecutive title on the Parisian clay.

World No. 1 Swiatek steamrolled Italian surprise finalist Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 to claim her fifth Grand Slam title, and fourth at Roland Garros, but said that being a perfectionist meant there had been an added challenge.

“I’m a perfectionist, so there’s always pressure on me. I’m fine handling my own pressure. When outside pressure hits me, it is a little bit worse. But I managed it really well at this tournament,” said the 23-year-old.

“It was an emotional win because I felt a lot of stress yesterday and today in the morning.

“And I knew if I’m going to just focus on tennis I can kind of fight through it, and at the end it all went how I wanted. So I just felt really proud of myself.”

Dubbed the “Queen of Clay” by fans and pundits for her dominance on the surface, Swiatek dropped one set throughout the tournament, in a second-round epic with Naomi Osaka where she had to save a match point.

She shrugged that off and blew away all comers, showing her might by putting Anastasia Potapova to the sword in the fourth round with a 40-minute 6-0, 6-0 victory.

Paolini, who alongside compatriot Sara Errani also lost the doubles final to Coco Gauff and Katerina Siniakova 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 on June 9, said she believed Swiatek will set a women’s record for most Roland Garros titles.

Swiatek’s win-loss record at the French Open now reads 35-2 in six appearances. Only Chris Evert (seven) and Steffi Graf (six) have lifted the trophy more times than Swiatek in the Open era.

Asked whether Swiatek could eclipse Evert’s seven French Open wins, Paolini had little doubt.

“Definitely,” replied the 28-year-old. “It’s tough, you know, it’s not easy. Every year, it’s tough to win a tournament. She already won four times, but yeah, I think she can do it.”

Swiatek, who also won the Roland Garros title in 2020, said she was fully aware that perfectionism was a double-edged sword.

“When I do anything, I want to do it 100 per cent. I think when you’re a perfectionist, you are a perfectionist everywhere,” the Pole said.

“But this is a tricky thing because it helps you to be better but sometimes it can be huge baggage as well.”

Looking ahead to the grass-court season and Wimbledon in July, Swiatek said she hoped to adapt quickly to the change of surface, like she did in 2023, when she made the quarter-finals.

“Last year’s result was pretty nice. I feel like every year it’s easier for me to adapt to grass,” she said.

“But it’s a huge challenge. If I would lose here earlier, maybe I would be able to play two more weeks on grass and then be a better grass player.

“But if I would choose, I love playing on clay, so I’m not going to give up that ever.” REUTERS, AFP