Published: Publish Date – 08:37 PM, Sat – 4 June 22
Image Source: AFP
Paris: Inga Swietec has been unbeaten since February and certainly looks unbeatable at the moment, now a two-time champion at the French Open.
Coco Gauff, only appearing in her first Grand Slam final at the age of 18, never stood much of a chance, like most recent opponents against Sweety.
Top-ranked Sweetek added to her 2020 trophy and extended her winning streak to 35 matches by defeating Gauff 6-1, 6-3 in the final at Roland Garros on Saturday.
Sweetek’s unbeaten run is equal to the longest run of this century by Venus Williams in 2000.
Sweetek have now won their last six tournaments and are 42-3 this season.
She has emerged as a key figure in tennis alongside 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, who has been out of action for nearly a year, and three-time major champion Ash Barty, who announced in March that she was turning 25. Will retire in age and leave the No. 1 ranking. ,
This allowed Sweetek to rise to the top of the WTA and showed that she was a worthy resident there. Her last defeat came from February to 2017 at Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Sweetek has a game that works on all surfaces, but his biggest win to date has come on red clay.
On the hottest day of the tournament, the temperature was 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius), and thunderstorms were forecast as predicted, initially with only a few puffs of white in the blue sky over Court Philippe Chartier.
Gauff didn’t get off to a great start, little in the opening setbacks that are understandable with the arrival of any player on this stage on debut.
The player on the other side of the net certainly had a lot to do with the way things went.
Sweetek broke the serve from the get-go, with much help from Gough, who put the forehand into the net, double-faulted – eliciting a few sighs of “Awwwww” from a supporting crowd – throwing a forehand into the net Gave it, and pushed another forehand longer.
When Gauff’s work-in-progress betrayed her again, she went 3–0 after only 15 minutes of action. Soon, the score went 4-0 in Sweetek’s favour.
Not in all cases, of course, but often, Roland Garros spectators offer their support to the underdog and the player who is behind in a particular match. Both applied to Gauff. So “Aleez, Coco!” Slogans were being raised. His chant-ready, two-syllable first name began to cry over and over. And one fan shouted “Coco, you can do it!”
When Gauff came on board with a 4-1 catch, the applause and roar were apt to capture a set, not just a game.
As things seemed to move away from him, Gough slapped his thigh or covered his eyes, shook his head or looked at his parents in the stands.
What he never did was admit to wobble or anything.
Gauff started the second set only breaking Swietec, and then took a 2-0 lead. Could it be a very close contest now? Can Gauff push Swietek into the third set?
No, Sweetek quickly recalculated and reestablished himself, breaking back for 2-all as Gauff’s tendency to miscue returned.
Sweetek is not only winning, but winning with ease, having already achieved 16 sets from a 6-0 scoreline in 2022 – and that’s only in early June.
The only Polish player to win a Grand Slam singles trophy, Swietek does it with a mix of heavy forehands filled with topspin – just like someone she admires a lot, 13-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal, who plays Casper Roode in men’s. will face. Final Sunday – and an all-court game, full of variety and the appreciation of making a premature move during a point. Like a chess player, that is.
Sweetek has other qualities as well, such as strong footwork that allows him to play defense when needed.
The key to Sweetek’s presence and rapidly growing aura is his calmness on the court. She has traveled on tour with a sports psychologist, who was at Sweetek’s guest box on Saturdays, and works on various elements of her professional and personal life.
This includes an emphasis on maintaining focus and setting priorities, such as the determination that she is still too new in this whole business of attempting to win a Grand Slam title, deciding that last weekend’s Champions League soccer final in Paris It’s best not to participate. , something Nadal did.