Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
PARIS, June 10 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 Iga Swiatek captured her third French Open singles title and second in a row at Roland Garros following a roller-coaster victory over Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic here on Saturday.
It was the fourth Grand Slam trophy for Swiatek. The Pole sealed a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 victory after two hours and 46 minutes in a match that ended with an unexpected double fault from her Czech opponent.
Thus Swiatek became the first woman to finish back-to-back in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007.
"I don't know what I felt," Swiatek told a crowded press room. "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.
"And also the whole (clay court) swing. 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."
Reaching the final yet to drop a set in the previous six matches, the top seed had to dig deep to withstand a strong fightback from Muchova.
Muchova broke twice for a lead in a back-and-forth decider, only to see the defending champion break back before holding a crucial service in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead. The 22-year-old then surged to 40-15 in the 10th game when Muchova served, and the latter committed a double fault to hand the victory to Swiatek.
"Honestly, this match was like so long, with so many ups and downs," Swiatek said. "I kind of stopped thinking about the score. I wanted to use my intuition more, because I knew that I can play a little bit better if I'm going to get a little bit more loosened up."
It was Swiatek's toughest Grand Slam final to date as she prevailed in her previous three with straight-set victories. The Warsaw-born Swiatek burst into tears when the match finished at Muchova's double fault.
"Members of my team are witnesses that even since we first played I knew that we're going to play tough matches, play these finals because I was really struck with (Muchova's) variety on court," Swiatek said in the award ceremony. "I really hope we're going to have many more finals."
In their only previous meeting before the final, Muchova triumphed 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the round of 32 of Prague Open in 2019,
Despite her loss at the final hurdle, Muchova had already made a career breakthrough in Paris, as the world No. 43 stunned second seed Aryna Sabalenka to secure her debut in a Grand Slam final. The 26-year-old Czech had shown her resilience in the epic semifinal when she rallied from 5-2 down in the decider to turn the tide and dispatch the reigning Australian Open champion.
"I gave my everything on the court today, so I have nothing to regret," said Muchova after the final.
"The feeling is a little bitter because I felt it was very close. But overall, to call myself a Grand Slam finalist, it's an amazing achievement, and for sure big motivation.
"Iga is world No.1 and I was so close. I think now that I can do it. It's a lot of work and effort to do, but I'm willing to take that. I'll try my best in the other two Slams this year and next year, and I hope I will again get a chance to play for the title again."
Swiatek went into her third Roland Garros final in style, winning 12 of the first 15 points in the match to surge to a 3-0 lead, before breaking again in the eighth game to clinch the opening set.
It was almost the same start to the second set, Swiatek again broke early to lead by 3-0 - leaving everyone wondering if the final was going to be a one-sided match just like three years ago when Swiatek swept Sofia Kenin, and last year she hammered Coco Gauff.
But Muchova recovered and managed a powerful fight-back.
The Czech broke to level the second set 3-3, before winning the set 7-5. Then it was Swiatek had to solve the problem.
"In the third set I didn't want to have any regrets about the second," Swiatek said.
The defending champion was under huge pressure as Muchova twice broke for a lead in the decider, but she managed to break back before saving a crucial break point in the 9th game to hold her service for a 5-4 lead. Ultimately, Muchova's double fault, only her third of the match, was the difference.
Swiatek will stay in the world No.1 place with this brilliant French Open title, while Muchova will return to the top 20 following her exceptional fortnight in Paris. ■
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek kisses the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek kisses the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
Poland's Iga Swiatek poses during a photocall a day after winning the women's singles final against the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, June 11, 2023. (Photo by Julien Mattia/Xinhua)
