The 19-year-old broke Kenin at love in the sixth game with a succession of acute angles and winners, and by this point she had won 15 of the last 16 points. Swiatek, meanwhile, continued to thump her forehand and dominate rallies, dragging the American all over the court and feasting on defensive replies. She required an off-court medical timeout to treat an upper left leg injury when trailing 1-2, but two games later, down 1-4, Kenin summoned the trainer to remove a layer of strapping.
When Kenin broke immediately to lead 1-0 in the second set, few could have predicted it would be the last game she would win.
Kenin answered with a service break of her own – saving a set point along the way – thanks to a ripping backhand return winner, but Swiatek broke again to take the opening set. Kenin levelled the set at 3-3 with a big “come on!” two games later, Swiatek emerged on top in a high-quality, intense eighth game that lasted more than nine minutes, belting a forehand winner before breaking for a 5-3 lead. What unfolded was a compelling set that spanned 49 minutes, pitting Swiatek’s power and heavy topspin forehand against the more linear, counterpunching style of Kenin, built around her backhand. She showed few signs of nerves as she surged to a 3-0 lead, only for Kenin, the fourth seed and world No.6, to sink her teeth into some more rallies in the fourth game and get on the board at 1-3. I don’t know actually what made the difference – I won a match point and that’s important. I felt like today was really stressful for me, so it was kind of hard. “I think I was just mentally consistent and … I just wanted to play aggressive as in previous rounds. Two years ago I won junior Grand Slam and right now I’m here – it feels like such a short time," the 19-year-old said. On Saturday at Court Philippe Chatrier, the world No.54 produced an astonishingly assured performance. Youngest champion since Monica Seles in 1992. Swiatek’s Roland Garros triumph marks her first tour-level title and, incredibly, was achieved without the loss of a set.Ģ8 games dropped to win #RolandGarros, fewest since Steffi Graf in 1988.Ĭhampion without losing the set, first time since Henin in 2007. The teenager became the first player from Poland, man or woman, to win a Grand Slam singles title following her 6-4 6-1 upset of the reigning Australian Open champion. Tennis has a new star with the arrival of Iga Swiatek, who completed a stunning fortnight in Paris with victory over Sofia Kenin in the Roland Garros final.
0 kommentar(er)
