Iga Swiatek, the top seed and defending champion, started her French Open campaign with a convincing victory over qualifier Leolia Jeanjean. Swiatek, who has already won the French Open three times in the last four years, arrived in Paris in stellar form, riding a 12-match winning streak on clay from the tournaments in Madrid and Rome. She comfortably defeated Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2 and expressed her satisfaction with her performance, setting up a second-round match with former world number one Naomi Osaka.
Swiatek showcased her dominance early in the match by breaking Jeanjean in the first game. A stunning forehand down the line helped her take a commanding 4-1 lead before she wrapped up the first set in just half an hour. Despite Jeanjean’s efforts to stage a comeback by breaking Swiatek early in the second set, the Pole quickly regained control and sealed the victory with a 6-2 scoreline. Swiatek’s impressive performance included hitting 24 winners compared to her opponent’s two, highlighting her strong presence on the court.
The 22-year-old has now won her last 15 matches in Paris after claiming consecutive victories in 2022 and 2023. With a total of 29 wins in 31 matches at the French Open, Swiatek has established herself as a force to be reckoned with on the clay courts. Her remarkable success has drawn comparisons to Rafael Nadal, the 14-time men’s French Open champion known for his dominance on clay. However, Swiatek remains humble about the comparisons, acknowledging that she still has much to prove and is just at the beginning of her career.
For Swiatek, clay has always been her favorite surface, where she derives the most pleasure from playing tennis. Despite her achievements and growing reputation as a clay-court specialist, she believes it is premature to equate her status with that of Nadal. Swiatek remains focused on continuing to improve and strive for greater success in her career. Her impressive run of form and consistent performances at the French Open have solidified her position as one of the top players in women’s tennis, with the potential for many more titles in the future.