Iga Swiatek has solidified her status as the Queen of Clay by winning her fourth French Open title. The 23-year-old Pole defeated Italy’s Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 in the final on Saturday. This victory places Swiatek among the top five female players with the most French Open titles, surpassing Serena Williams and Monica Seles. The current record holder is Chris Evert with seven titles.
Swiatek’s journey to the 2024 championship included a significant challenge in the second round, where she faced former Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka. Swiatek saved a match point and won in three sets. After that, she cruised through the tournament, dropping only two games in both the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, she convincingly defeated American Coco Gauff to reach her third consecutive French Open final.
During the post-match ceremony, Swiatek stood alongside tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. Evert, who holds the record for French Open titles, expressed her belief that Swiatek could eventually surpass her record of seven championships in Paris.
Swiatek will carry her momentum to Wimbledon, where she will be the No. 1 seed. Her best performance at Wimbledon so far was reaching the quarterfinals in 2023. She did, however, win the junior Wimbledon singles title in 2018.
Paolini, who is currently ranked No. 15, will enter the top 10 when the new rankings are released. She will also compete in the doubles final with partner Sara Errani against Coco Gauff and Katerina Siniakova. The men’s singles final will feature Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev and will be broadcast live from Roland Garros.
Swiatek’s dominant performance and resilience, particularly in high-pressure situations, have cemented her as the best women’s player in the world and a formidable force on clay courts.
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