Raise a toast to Iga Swiatek

If women’s tennis needed a winner, a champion, a heroine with consistency, Iga Swiatek‘s name fits the bill. In a climactic women’s singles final at the French Open in Paris on Saturday, the Pole star needed to dig deep into her reserves and repertoire to out-gun Karolina Muchova in three hard sets.

Women’s tennis has been churning for a while. In the past, when one talked of consistency and winning titles, many names came to mind. For sure, tennis fans thought Naomi Osaka, now pregnant, would rule the roost for a long period. She was the ascendant in women’s tennis, just a few years ago. But then, a combination of factors, mental health included, Osaka became a mystery to many. And at the start of this year when Osaka said she was going to have a baby and would be away from the tennis courts, it was a familiar pattern.

Maternity breaks in tennis are common. Many have taken it in the past, whether before marriage or having a love child. Perhaps, Serena Williams grabbed eyeballs when after winning the Australian Open in Melbourne in 2018, she confirmed pregnancy. Osaka has promised to return at the end of 2023. That may be premature, though.

Women’s tennis has seen variety, variation, and a clutch of pretenders ready to win the big titles. Names of many Russians and Ukrainians come readily to the mind, with Grand Slam-winning talent and potential. Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, and Ons Jabeur are names that ring a bell. The bell which has rung the loudest is Iga Swiatek, now the proud owner of four Grand Slam titles. To be winning back-to-back trophies at the French Open is drawing needless comparisons with Rafael Nadal, who won ‘just’ 14 in Paris.

There is no comparing men’s and women’s tennis. Rafa’s legacy will always be there, even if he gets stuck at a tally of 22 Grand Slam titles and Novak Djokovic surges ahead. Talking of women’s tennis, Iga is being compared to Monica Seles, Venus Williams, and Naomi Osaka for her exploits in Paris. Comparing different eras is not right. Yes, the tennis surface is the same but these days there is a lack of consistency among winners in the women’s section.

Related: Iga Swiatek matches Rafael Nadal record with 3rd French Open title

Iga Swiatek has been steamrolling opponents for a while now

Iga has been the No.1 for weeks in a row and justified it. She is very different from the No.1 in men’s tennis, Carlos Alcaraz, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals two days back. At 22, Iga Swiatek is the champion from Poland, not really a nation known for a rich history in tennis. These days, when Russians and Ukrainians make news on and off the tennis courts, Iga has kept quiet. The players from the two warring nations have refused handshakes and press conferences as well.

In the case of Iga, she had been steam-rolling the opposition through two weeks in Paris. To win six matches with bagel scores was defining. Yet, that was not going to count in the final analysis. It’s a bit like this, you can score well on weekly tests in academics. The big deal is how you do in the term final or annual final. Grand Slams are like fortnightly tests, where you have to master seven matches.

The last six, till the final, were easy for Iga. Then came the big one on Saturday, where she faced resistance and resilience from Muchova. The two girls fought hard, there was enough to cheer both players for. In the end, Iga’s swagger, experience, and pedigree stood out. This was the difference between a winner and a champion, so to say. This was the difference between smooth blends which you drink, depending on your poison.

What’s a trifle strange is Iga hails from Poland, not exactly a country with great tennis history. Europe is a strong tennis nation, no doubting that. Yet, for a young girl, just 22, to stamp her class has been refreshing. She knows, people will expect more from her, like they did in 2022, when her winning streak was ruthless. That it snapped before The Championship at Wimbledon was bizarre.

In 2023, Iga is in better control of her game, mind, and many other aspects. She has been honest in admitting being away from home in the clay swing was not easy. She needs a break for sure and then come to the grass-court season with batteries recharged.

Iga’s thoughts after winning her fourth Grand Slam title?

“I don’t know what I felt. It’s hard to describe. But a lot of happiness. I felt suddenly tired of these three weeks. Maybe my matches weren’t like physically exhausting, but it’s pretty hard to kind of keep your focus for these almost three weeks,” she said.

“Since Stuttgart I haven’t been home. So I’m happy that I finished the whole clay court swing so well, and that I kind of survived. “I guess I’m never going to kind of doubt my strength again maybe because of that.”

What an honest assessment, nobody doubts this cherubic lass from Poland.

In case you missed it:

Patrick Mouratoglou denies association with Coco Gauff, calls French Open stint as a ‘one-off’

List of records broken by Iga Swiatek after winning the 2023 French Open

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