Iga Swiatek began her quest for a third consecutive French Open title with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Leolia Jeanjean Monday, marking her 15th straight win at Roland Garros. Swiatek extended her overall winning streak at the tournament to 13 matches.
Reflecting on her victory, Swiatek expressed her comfort and confidence on the clay courts of Paris.
“It feels like home here,” she said, per ESPN. “I'm really happy to be back. Just feel like I can play really good tennis, so hopefully I'm going to be here as long as possible.”
Swiatek, ranked No. 1 in the world since April 2022, overpowered Jeanjean with a staggering 26-2 advantage in winners. Despite a minor hiccup in the second set, where she was broken to trail 1-0, Swiatek quickly regained control, committing only two unforced errors after an initial nine in the first two games of the set. This performance underscores her dominance at Roland Garros, where she has already claimed three Grand Slam titles in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Iga Swiatek set to face Naomi Osaka
Swiatek’s next challenge will be against four-time major champion and former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka, who marked her return to the French Open with a hard-fought win over Lucia Bronzetti.
Osaka’s journey back to the French Open was marked by several challenges. Returning after a 15-month maternity break, she secured her first win at Roland Garros in three years by defeating Bronzetti 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
Osaka admitted to experiencing nerves and tension during the match, particularly in the second set.
“There were moments I played pretty well, but I was pretty nervous and got really tight,” she said.
Despite her recent struggles, including a first-round exit at the Australian Open earlier this year, Osaka showed resilience in her match against Bronzetti. She acknowledged that her thoughts about previous losses affected her performance.
“I was kind of, in my head, thinking I didn't win a match in Australia, so I'd really love to win one here,” Osaka said.
Osaka’s matchup against Swiatek promises to be a highlight of the tournament.
Expressing her excitement, Osaka said, “I'm honestly really excited (about likely playing Swiatek). I watched her a lot when I was pregnant and honestly, I think it's an honor to play her in the French Open, because she's won more than once here. For sure, it's a very big honor and challenge for me.”
In other early action at Roland Garros, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova eliminated Rebeka Masarova 6-1, 6-3, and two-time major finalist Ons Jabeur defeated Sachia Vickery of the U.S. 6-3, 6-2.
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