By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Saturday, June 8, 2024
Photo credit: Corleve/Mark Peterson
A swarming Iga Swiatek hugged history today.
Jasmine Paolini sees Swiatek embracing a record Roland Garros run.
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Moments after Swiatek stormed through 11 of the last 12 games pounding Paolini 6-2, 6-1 to capture her fourth Roland Garros crown, the world No. 1 hugged seven-time French Open champion Chris Evert, who joined fellow former No. 1 Martina Navratilova for the trophy presentation.
Asked afterward if the 23-year-old Swiatek will break Evert’s women’s record for most Roland Garros titles, Paolini replied “definitely.”
“I mean, she’s 22 years old. She has already four,” Paolini told the media in Paris. “I think, yes, she can win three more, but I don’t know. Let’s see.
“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.”
It’s tough to find fault with that logic.
Consider, Swiatek won her third straight French Open title, scored her 10th consecutive finals win, raised her Grand Slam finals record to 5-0 and she’s now tied with Justine Henin for third place on the Open Era Roland Garros titles list behind seven-time champion Evert and six-time winner Steffi Graf.
Paolini says time is on Swiatek’s side and points to her 84-10 career clay-court record, including a 35-2 mark at Roland Garros to support that stance.
“She’s playing unbelievable here,” Paolini said “She’s taking the balls early, taking time to you, but also using rotation. She can defend really, really well. On clay, she’s unbelievable. Also on hard court, come on, she won so many tournaments this year.
“But I think to play her here, it’s something different. She won already four titles, and she’s still [23] years old…
“These numbers are not, let’s say, normal, are something unbelievable. Yeah, I think she’s unbelievable player.”
Photo credit: Corleve/Mark Peterson
