Last modified on Sat 4 Jun 2022 05.26 BST
In the last notable tournament before the French Open began, Iga Swiatek won her fifth title in as many tournaments at the Italian Open. It was a result expected by all, but even so as Ons Jabeur’s final backhand struck the net Swiatek fell to her knees and sobbed into the clay.
The tears from Swiatek were no dramatic expression of her joy, but rather the instant release of nerves, of tension, of being reminded a dozen times each day of her winning streak, all on top of her own lofty expectations. If that is what it took out of her to win Italian Open, it is hard to imagine the effort it has taken to remain composed for six matches under grand slam pressure and move to the French Open final again.Swiatek’s 34-match winning streak is remarkable in itself, the joint second-highest of the 21st century alongside Serena Williams and one behind Venus Williams’s count of 35 in 2000. While the others faced more difficult rivals, the circumstances are particularly awkward given its timing.
Arriving at the French Open with all her 28 wins coming at WTA tournaments seemed like such an extra burden that some believed a loss in Rome might have helped her manage the pressure.
As she has navigated the draw, Swiatek has handled the occasion in different ways. She has talked about the value of maintaining low expectations, taking things day by day, even though her ambitions make it so difficult. She has been frank about the possible outcomes here, including the fact that losing is an option that should be prepared for, one that would not be a tragedy.
Essentially, she has kept herself honest, and the result is that she has played her best tennis of the tournament deep into the event, arming herself with an incredible opportunity to set down a historic marker in the final. At 21, it is clear that her second French Open title after her breakout win in 2020 could herald an era of dominance in Paris.
Under most other circumstances, the main story of this final would be Coco Gauff. She was widely hyped as a prodigy throughout her childhood, then she broke out to international stardom at Wimbledon in 2019, the hype deafening. Even then, there were no guarantees of her future success.
It is deeply impressive that as the youngest grand slam finalist since 2004, she is still taking these steps at such a young age.
