World No. 1 and two-time defending champion Iga Swiatek battled through an intense second-round match to defeat Naomi Osaka at the French Open Wednesday. Swiatek saved a match point and won the last five games to secure a 7-6 (1), 1-6, 7-5 victory, extending her Roland Garros winning streak to 16 matches.
Swiatek admitted the match was more challenging than she anticipated
.“For sure, this match was really intense. Much more intense for the second round than I ever expected. For sure, I’ll be more ready next time,” she said, as reported by Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press.
Swiatek also praised Osaka, adding, “Naomi played amazing tennis. … I’m happy that she’s back and she’s playing well.”
The nearly three-hour match saw both players exchanging powerful strokes under the closed roof of Court Philippe Chatrier.
Osaka, serving for the match at 5-3 in the final set, faltered at a crucial moment, hitting a backhand into the net and then another long. Swiatek capitalized on her 10th break point opportunity of the set, and the momentum shifted decisively in her favor. Osaka’s errors mounted, including a critical double-fault that allowed Swiatek to take a 6-5 lead before closing out the match.
Naomi Osaka ‘dreamed' of playing Iga Swiatek
Reflecting on her performance, Osaka remained optimistic.
“I don’t necessarily feel like I regret anything,” she said.
Returning to the tour after a 15-month hiatus to become a mother, Osaka displayed flashes of her top form, hammering big serves and powerful groundstrokes.
“I was watching Iga win this tournament last year, and I was pregnant. It was just my dream to be able to play her,” she said. “When I kind of think of it like that, I think I’m doing pretty well. And I’m also just trying not to be too hard on myself. I feel like I played her on her better surface. I’m a hard-court kid, so I would love to play her on my surface and see what happens.”
Despite the loss, Osaka’s return to elite competition is noteworthy. Her presence at Roland Garros was accompanied by her 10-month-old daughter. Osaka’s powerful serves and quick-strike capabilities were also evident as she won 82 of the 139 points that lasted four strokes or fewer.
Spectators distracting during match
The match had its share of interruptions, with spectators occasionally calling out during points, drawing admonishments from chair umpire Aurélie Tourte and frustration from Swiatek.
“Sometimes, under a lot of pressure, when you scream something during the rally or right before the return, it’s really, really hard to be focused,” Swiatek said.
Her victory keeps her on track to become the first woman to win three consecutive French Open titles since Justine Henin (2007-09). Her focus now shifts to maintaining her dominant form as the tournament progresses. Meanwhile, Osaka’s return signals her potential resurgence.
Wednesday's rain-affected schedule saw only nine matches completed, with notable wins from players like Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur, Sofia Kenin, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev. The challenging weather conditions added another layer to an already intense day at Roland Garros.
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