‘Queen of clay’ Iga Swiatek looking untouchable in Paris

PARIS – The big question ahead of the start of the French Open on May 26 is not whether Iga Swiatek will win again, but exactly how many times the Pole will lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen before she calls time on her career.

It looks almost impossible for any player to come near Rafael Nadal’s record 14 titles, but such is Swiatek’s domination on clay that she already looks on course to threaten the women’s title record at a single Grand Slam.

Still only 22, she is a massive favourite for this tournament, where she could join a select group of women’s singles players to have won the same Slam at least four times in the professional era – Chris Evert (7), Steffi Graf (7), Serena Williams (7), Venus Williams (5), Monica Seles (4), Justine Henin (4) Evonne Goolagong (4) and Margaret Court (4).

Martina Navratilova holds the women’s Open record for most wins at one of the four Slams with nine Wimbledon titles.

With age on her side, and an all-round game that matches up on clay as well as Navratilova’s did on grass, Swiatek certainly looks like dominating the Parisian dirt for years to come.

She arrives in the French capital on the back of a 12-match winning streak on the surface, having rolled through Madrid and Rome. Some are even suggesting the Roland Garros engraver might already start etching her name on the trophy.

But the world No. 1, bidding for a hat-trick of French Open titles to go along with her maiden success in 2020, is not getting ahead of herself as she prepares for the year’s second Grand Slam.

“I am confident, I feel like I’m playing great tennis,” said the four-time Slam champion, who also won the 2022 US Open. “But it doesn’t change the fact that I really want to stay humble and focused on getting everything step by step. Grand Slams are different.

“There are seven hard matches that you need to win, so I don’t take anything for granted. I’ll just work hard as I did in Madrid and Rome. I’m No. 1 but rankings don’t play the matches.”

Also on the line will be pulling off a rare “Triple Crown” – with Swiatek bidding to become the first player since Serena Williams in 2013 to win the Madrid-Rome-Paris titles in the same season.

Navratilova, meanwhile, summed up why the Polish star is such a formidable force on red dirt.

“That topspin drives you nuts and I think she moves as good as anybody,” the 18-time Slam singles champion said.

“Clay, she’s got that down to perfection, the sliding and the movement and recovery. Just wears you out from the baseline, playing aggressive. She’s got the consistency. That’s why she’s been No. 1 for so long.”

The list of those with the capabilities to stop Swiatek is not a long one.

Two-time Australian Open champion and world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka has emerged as her natural rival and held three match points against her in the Madrid final before being outclassed in Rome.

While the Belarusian’s power tennis is not as effective on the slippery dust, she certainly has the weapons to blast through any opponent on any surface.

She is also the only woman to beat Swiatek in a final on clay – in Madrid last season – since the Pole lost her first WTA title decider as a teenager in 2019 at a low-key event in Switzerland.

“Even though I lost these two finals (Madrid and Rome), I never focus on the past,” said Sabalenka.

“No matter how many times I lose to the player, I know if I’m fighting, I can get that win.”

The 26-year-old had never even reached the second week at Roland Garros until last season, when she was knocked out by Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals.

“I’m definitely not the favourite (here),” she added. “But at the same time, I do feel that I can actually go for it.”

US Open champion Coco Gauff reached the French Open final in 2022 and lost to Swiatek, while former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina has also showed form on clay and will expect to go deep in the draw.

Muchova is sidelined this time after undergoing wrist surgery, so it is difficult to see who can really challenge Swiatek.

At the end of the day, all roads will eventually point to another march to victory for the Pole. REUTERS, AFP