“We’ll see in 14 years if the journey is similar,” Iga Swiatek ready to emulate idol Rafael Nadal’s historic feat at French Open

Iga Swiatek has asserted her dominance at Roland Garros over the years.

“We’ll see in 14 years if the journey is similar,” Iga Swiatek ready to emulate idol Rafael Nadal’s historic feat at French Open

Rafael Nadal and Iga Swiatek (via Imago)

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek continued her dominance at Roland Garros with a 6-2, 6-4 win over third seed Coco Gauff. This was a rematch of their 2022 final, which the Pole also won.

Swiatek has been a dominant figure on the Paris dirt for some time, drawing comparisons with 14-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal. The World No. 1 spoke to the media in the post-match press conference after her semi-final win.

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We'll see in 14 years if the journey is similar. I mean, that's obviously really nice for me. I would never expect anybody to compare me to Rafa because for me he's above everybody, and he's a total legend. We'll see in couple of years, but I'm proud of myself that I'm playing consistently here and that I'm mentioned in the same sentence as Rafa. That's cool.
Iga Swiatek said in her post-match press conference

Swiatek was seen watching the highly anticipated first-round match between Nadal and fourth seed Alexander Zverev. Unfortunately for the Polish star, she saw her idol lose 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. This was only the fourth time the Spaniard had lost in almost two decades at Roland Garros.

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The comparisons with Nadal are perhaps premature because currently, no one matches the 22-time Grand Slam champion on the Paris dirt. However, Swiatek is only 23 and has a long career ahead of her. While she may not win 14 titles, at this rate, she has a chance to reach double figures in terms of Roland Garros championships.

Does Jasmine Paolini stand a chance against Iga Swiatek in the Roland Garros final?

Before the tournament, the big question was whether anyone could prevent Iga Swiatek from becoming the third woman to win three consecutive French Open titles. The Polish superstar aims to join Monica Seles (1990-1992) and Justine Henin (2005-2007) as the only women to achieve this in the Open era.

Jasmine Paolini
Jasmine Paolini after reaching the Roland Garros final (via Imago)

Only former world number one Naomi Osaka has come close to challenging her. The four-time Grand Slam champion had a match point in the final set, but eventually came out on the losing side.

In the fourth round, she dominated Anastasia Potapova, winning without dropping a game in just 40 minutes, and easily defeated 2019 finalist Marketa Vondrousova in the quarter-finals. Now, Jasmine Paolini stands as the last obstacle for Swiatek after reaching her first major singles final with a strong performance against Andreeva.

The Italian’s surprising run at Roland Garros adds to a season full of milestones, including her first WTA 1,000 title in Dubai and notable victories over top-20 players. Previously, she had never advanced beyond the second round in Paris but built on her success by defeating third seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals. Paolini is living a dream in Paris but has another mountain to climb in the final against Swiatek.

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