Iga Swiatek leaves Rome as the most popular participant in tennis, having reeled off 12 consecutive victories and within the course of turn out to be the third girl in historical past to have claimed the distinguished Madrid and Rome titles back-to-back.
The 22-year-old will head to Paris to attempt to turn out to be the second girl in historical past to say a uncommon clay-court triple by profitable Madrid, Rome and Paris in the identical season. Solely 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, in 2013, has beforehand achieved the feat.
Although Swiatek would be the overwhelming favourite, the three-time Roland Garros champion prefers to maintain her give attention to the controllables. She talks repeatedly about course of, about staying humble, and she or he backs up her phrases by by no means underestimating an opponent.
Sounds quite a bit like 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal in some ways, doesn’t it?
“Clearly I’m assured. I really feel like I am enjoying nice tennis,” Swiatek mentioned on Saturday after taking out Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-3. “Nevertheless it does not change the truth that I actually wish to keep humble and actually targeted on getting every thing step-by-step. Grand Slams are completely different. There’s completely different stress on the court docket and off the court docket.”
Now 36-4 on the season, and 14-1 on clay (77-10 lifetime), Swiatek says the work she has put in to enhance her serve helps her win matches on the most important levels this spring.
She solely misplaced 18 factors on serve in opposition to Sabalenka and saved every of the seven break factors she confronted. It’s an indication that she is ready to play a better share of service factors on her phrases, which permits her to dictate and dominate early and infrequently.
“General I attempt to deal with these factors as another level. I am not feeling like I am below a lot stress,” she mentioned of the break factors she saved in opposition to Sabalenka as she claimed her twenty first profession title. “Possibly additionally as a result of I do know I am a fantastic returner, even when I’ll get damaged, I can work it out.
“I believe on this event, my serve was type of actually serving to me. All this work that we have been placing really paid off in these essential moments. I am actually proud of that as a result of that is what we have been working for.”
Swiatek will attempt to carry the identical vibe into Paris, the place she has gained 25 of 26 matches for the reason that begin of her title run in 2020. The Pole is on a 14-match Paris profitable streak and can bid to turn out to be the primary girl to win three straight Roland Garros titles since Justine Henin in 2007.
She says she is much less pressured this 12 months as a result of she is pondering much less about rankings and extra about staying locked into the method.
“I am chilled out as a result of I type of knew that if I’ll work laborious and if I’ll be in the proper mindset, that is achievable,” she mentioned. “I am joyful I used to be so targeted and disciplined all through the event to do this. I really feel like I am in the proper place.”
All of it provides as much as an incredible alternative for Swiatek, and a particularly tall activity for anybody with designs on stopping her in Paris…
