In a rain-soaked start to the Olympic tennis tournament on July 27, world number one Iga Świątek demonstrated her resilience and skill by defeating Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu 6-2, 7-5 to secure her place in the second round. Despite her familiarity with the Roland Garros grounds and her dominance on clay, the four-time French Open champion had to dig deep to come through this challenging match.
Playing under the roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier due to her top-seed status, Świątek was unfazed by the adverse weather conditions that disrupted play on the outdoor courts. This venue has become a fortress for the Polish star, who extended her winning streak on the Paris clay to 22 matches and her overall clay-court winning streak to 20 matches.
However, the 23-year-old acknowledged the difficulties she faced during the match. “My level was a bit fluctuating and there was more tension than usual,” Świątek told Polish media. “The first rounds are never easy, so in a sense, I’m giving myself credit for getting into the right rhythm in the end. I made a lot of mistakes, but the most important thing is that in the last three games I improved my level and concentration and I won in two sets.”
The match statistics revealed areas for improvement, with Świątek hitting more unforced errors (30) than winners (22) during her 1 hour and 45 minutes on the court. After cruising through the first set with two breaks, she found herself a break down in the second set. However, she rallied to level the score at 5-5 before winning the next two games, clinching the match on a double fault from Begu.
Świątek’s determination and ability to raise her game at crucial moments highlight why she is considered the best in the world. With her eyes set on Olympic gold, she now prepares to face either France’s Diane Parry or Argentina’s Nadia Podoroska in the next round, aiming to build on her impressive form and continue her journey toward Olympic glory.
Stay tuned as the Polish sensation navigates the challenges ahead and strives to add an Olympic medal to her growing list of achievements.
