No tennis player on the planet is better than Iga Swiatek. The Pole defended her title at the Rome tournament by a score of 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday. At just 20 years old, she is already the queen of world tennis.
Posted at 9:05 a.m.
With this win in Rome, she gets her hands on a fifth consecutive title after victories in Stuttgart, Miami, Indian Wells and Doha. This victory in the final against Ons Jabeur is also his 28and consecutive victory. She has also won 42 of her last 43 rounds. It thus maintains and widens its lead in the world ranking. All this at only 20 years old.
“I don’t know how I did all that, quite honestly,” explained the champion after her match.
Swiatek was untouchable before arriving in Italy. She had given herself a break and skipped the Madrid tournament last week. At the beginning of the week, it was relevant to ask whether it was going to be able to stay the course and continue this historic momentum.
She defeated Victoria Azarenka, Bianca Andreescu and Aryna Sabalenka to reach the final. Three customers who could have hurt her, but she finally came out unscathed, not losing any rounds.
There was only one player who could hope to knock Swiatek off her pedestal: the seventh player in the world Ons Jabeur, who had won the Madrid tournament, in the absence of the Pole.
PHOTO ALESSANDRA TARANTINO, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ons Jabeur
However, Swiatek made short work of the Tunisian. She was never worried, never threatened. This shows how exceptional the domination of the best player in the world is.
“It was not easy to play all the matches, she conceded, but the support of the crowd helped me, so thank you! I plan to celebrate by eating lots of tiramisus. »
One way game
Swiatek easily won the first set 6-2. Like his matches since February, there was no flaw in his game. A sharp serve, a biting forehand, a consistent backhand, a breathtaking variety of shots and the necessary intensity to maintain such a sequence.
The second round was similar to the first. Under the hot Rome sun, in front of a surprisingly small crowd, Swiatek was a shadow of her former self, but Jabeur, who is a fighter, had a burst of energy in the mid-set. At 4-2, serving Swiatek, she took a 40-0 lead. For the first time in the match, and in the tournament, the Polish was in the cables. She emerged unblemished, saving four break points to take a 5-2 lead and then smashing her opponent to win the championship.
When the match point was acquired, Swiatek collapsed in tears on the red sand, shaking. Obviously in shock. Most likely overtaken by events.
PHOTO TIZIANA FABI, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Iga Swiatek
“I hope this victory brings you joy and proves to you that we can play without imposing limits,” she said, looking at her team members in the stands.
Iga Swiatek now has all the pressure in the world on her shoulders a few days before starting the Roland-Garros tournament, the second grand slam of the season. Tournament, moreover, which she won in 2020.
When Ashleigh Barty announced her retirement in March, everyone wondered if, and when, someone would take her place on the throne. The response was not long in coming. The new queen of tennis has a name and her name is Iga Swiatek.