Roland-Garros reinforces its reputation as a welcoming land that sees champions blooming and surprises flourish.
Iga Swiatek, 54th in the world, follows in the footsteps of the Croatian Iva Majoli, winner in 1997, at 19, or the Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, 47th in the world and crowned in 2017. Fist regularly raised towards her box, the Polish woman advances confidently .
Headphones on, she always enters the court to the sound of the Gun N 'Roses hit, Welcome to the Jungle, a song from their legendary album Appetite for Destruction (thirst for destruction).
It's understood, the 19-year-old has been eating the competition raw since the start of the tournament.
She thus conceded only 23 games and did not let slip a round.
After having swallowed the obstacle Simona Halep in the round of 16, the favorite of the tournament, she then devoured two players from the qualifications.
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Place, in the final this Saturday (3 p.m.) for the winner of the Australian Open, the American Sofia Kenin, a No. 4 seed more experienced than her, but only 21 years old.
“It's hard to believe.
I think I will realize after the tournament, relishes Iga Swiatek.
For now, I am living the dream to the end.
I'm still full of adrenaline.
But I know the final will be a tough game.
I will be the challenger.
It will be a close match.
"
A hard-hitting forehand and ability to chain winning points, his arms and legs work wonderfully on Parisian ocher.
His head too.
She excels for the moment in the famous management of emotions, she who has been working for two years with a mental trainer.
“She made me smarter.
Thanks to her, my confidence level is at its highest.
»Swiatek continues his accelerated learning of the top level on the courts of the Porte d'Auteuil.
A Wimbledon junior winner in 2018, she is set to play only her second final on the circuit after the Lugano tournament last season, just over a year after making her Grand Slam debut at the Open from Australia.
"At the moment, I really want to focus on tennis to become the best possible"
Iga Swiatek
Still in contention also in doubles on Friday (she lost in the semi-final), she has already played eleven matches since the start of the Parisian tournament, single and double combined!
“It's pretty crazy, because I play every day, but it keeps me going.
I like being able to keep the same routine, so I don't mind not having a rest.
"
Slowed in her progress by an ankle injury, which had kept her away from the courts for seven months, she was not yet 100% devoted to her sport, not long ago.
“Tennis was not the main part of his life.
It was hard.
Imagine: we had to do some practice at 7 a.m. because she had to go to school afterwards.
And she arrived tired, because she had to study at night, ”says her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.
From ancient history, a priori.
During her confinement in Warsaw, the young woman thus completed her final high school exams.
This Roland Garros should whet his appetite a little more.
“Right now I really want to focus on tennis to be the best I can be.
»Ready to eat the competition.
Studies at the university will wait.
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