Former No.2 Radwanska and four-time major champ Clijsters hail Swiatek's dominance
© Pauline Ballet/FFTTalk of the clinical efficiency with which Iga Swiatek is sending challengers on their way does not sit easy with the world No.1.
Such is the Pole’s modesty and respect for her peers she feels those discussions are best left to the pundits.
Still two matches shy of a third Roland-Garros crown, Swiatek has dropped just 15 games to reach the semi-final this year in Paris, where 14th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia awaits.
While humble about her chances of becoming the first woman since Justine Henin in 2007 to successfully defend her crown, two legends of the sport were more forthcoming about the 22-year-old’s dominance.
Compatriot and former world No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska told rolandgarros.com Swiatek was peaking at the right time in order to match Henin’s feat.
“I think she's showing this kind of level that you can't really see in any other players,” Radwanska said. “I don't know how the girls have to play against her to even be close to winning a set. At the moment I don't see any player playing at the same level as Iga.
© Nicolas Gouhier/FFT“I think she's very consistent. She is very focused on the first point of the match and obviously she's so strong. Her ball is really going with unbelievable power.
“With her spin on the forehand side on the clay, it is just killing the girls. That's why we can see scores like that.”
The youngest woman since Martina Hingis to reach three semi-finals in Paris, Swiatek still faces a tricky obstacle to reach Saturday’s decider in Brazilian, Haddad Maia, the 27-year-old who beat her in Toronto last year.
The threat of Australian Open champion and her Madrid Open conqueror Aryna Sabalenka and resurgent Czech Karolina Muchova still loom large on the other side of the draw.
Belgian former world No.1 Kim Clijsters feels a no-holds-barred approach is paramount for anyone attempting to challenge the top seed.
“She's been the most dominant so far but I do think there are players when they play their best and they're able to consistently play aggressive tennis, I think it's going to need that,” the four-time major champion told rolandgarros.com.
“We’ve seen Rybakina and Sabalenka do it. When you can hit through her shots and take away the time – on the slower clay it's going to be harder – that's the only kind of tactics that I see that are going to be able to break that rhythm a little bit.”
Radwanska sees only two people capable of foiling her countrywoman’s title defence.
“I think herself, the pressure on herself,” she said. “I think that’s her biggest threat and then I think Sabalenka. I don't see anyone else to be honest.”
ROLAND-GARROS
20 May - 9 June 2024
