All expected an unequal struggle. It is quite the opposite to which we were entitled. Iga Swiatek was hot in front of a tenacious Karolina Muchova on Saturday morning, but she held on to win her third career title at Roland-Garros.
Posted at 12:07 p.m.
Swiatek had the upper hand in three sets of 6-2, 5-7 and 6-4 over the Czech, 43e world.
The first set didn’t dictate the pace of the match at all. From the outset, Swiatek won the first three games; a comfortable lead that Muchova was never able to close. The Czech stood up to the Pole well thanks to her undeniable flair for getting to the net, but Swiatek cut her momentum each time.
These are the next two rounds that should not be missed. With Swiatek still taking a 3-0 lead against a needy Muchova, the tide turned. And not just a little.
PHOTO CLODOGH KILCOYNE, REUTERS Iga Swiatek and Karolina Muchova
Muchova, as revived, won a first game. She then awarded herself a first break of service, before equalizing at 3-3. Suddenly, the spectators explained better their decision to pay a small fortune to attend this confrontation.
Shaken, Swiatek began to get carried away by her emotions. At 4-4, she was broken on a double fault, her first of the match. This was the start of the real game.
Little by little, Muchova sowed doubt in the head of the world number one, who finally lost her first round of the tournament. So much so that at the start of the third set, no one could predict the outcome of the duel.
Muchova, in complete control, won the first eight runs of the third set to take a 2-0 lead. Then, suddenly, Swiatek came to his senses. In turn, she put on the games; one, then two and three until it’s 3-2. Muchova came from behind again, but Swiatek wasn’t going to let the win slip away.
At 22, Iga Swiatek is now a four-time Grand Slam champion.
More details to come.
2023-06-10 16:07:38
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