Streaking Swiatek Swamps Gauff For Second French Open Title

The first few minutes of each set were close, but otherwise it was another routine final for Iga Swiatek who dominated Coco Gauff for the French Open title 6-1, 6-3.

“I’m more aware of how it is to win a Grand Slam and what it takes and how every puzzle has to come together and basically every aspect of the game has to work,” Swiatek said.

“With that awareness, I was even more happy and even more proud of myself, because in 2020 it was all, I just felt that I’m lucky, you know. This time I felt like I really did the work.”

Swiatek’s won her last nine finals all in straight sets without breaking a sweat. Both her Slam wins have come over Americans.

“I try to treat [a final] as any other match, which is pretty hard and kind of not possible, because there are always going to be a bigger amount of stress,” Swiatek said.

“You have a feeling that the tournament is coming to an end and this is the last match, so it would be nice to just finish it properly. But I guess I’m kind of accepting that a little bit more and I try to lean on the strengths and the things that I have.”

The win was Swiatek’s 35th straight matching the Venus Williams’s 35 for best this century. Just days after her 21st birthday, Swiatek becomes the youngest to win two Grand Slam titles since Maria Sharapova at the 2006 US Open.

“It may seem pretty weird but having that 35th win and kind of doing something more than Serena did, it’s something special,” she said. “Because I always wanted to be, I don’t know, to have some kind of a record. In tennis it’s pretty hard after Serena’s career.

“So basically that really hit me, you know. Obviously winning a Grand Slam too, but this one was pretty special because I felt like I’ve done something that nobody ever done, and maybe it’s going to be even more. Yeah, this one was special.”

Swiatek broke a nervy Gauff right off the blocks but the 18-year-old American got it to deuce in the next game. Swiatek would then roll to a quick first set.

Gauff broke immediately to start the second then held to go up 2-0. But Swiatek would win six of the next seven games, dropping just three points in her last three service games, to put away the first time finalist.

Gauff hadn’t dropped a set or had ever lost a final, but falls to 0-3 against Swiatek having won just four games in each of their meetings this year. She was in tears after the win before the ceremony on the court.

“I feel like throughout my career, and even in juniors, the reason I had success so early is that I was able to see that level and then go back and practice and try to reach that level,” Gauff said.

“Now that I have seen the level, this level of No.1 and 35 matches, I know that what I have to do. I’m sure I’m going to play her in another final and hopefully it’s a different result.”

Both players now look toward the grass.

“My coach believes I can win more matches on grass,” added Swiatek. “I don’t know about that yet. But I would like to add like one or two. Honestly, grass is always tricky. I actually like the part that I have no expectations there. It’s something kind of refreshing.

“I’m going to just prepare my best and maybe with his experiences that he had with Aga Radwanska, it was her favorite surface, so maybe he’s going to give me some tips that are actually going to be really helpful, and I’m going to enjoy playing on grass a little bit more.”

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