Iga Swiatek won the tennis tournament in Rome for the third time and impressively underlined her status as the world’s best player. The 22-year-old Pole beat her rival Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus 6:2, 6:3 in the final and celebrated her fourth title this year.
On the way to winning the tournament, she also beat former world number one Angelique Kerber in the round of 16. The epic final in Madrid was exactly two weeks ago, when number one (Swiatek) prevailed against number two (Sabalenka) in a dramatic match. Swiatek fended off three match points and gained momentum for the French Open in Paris (from May 26th).
After the triumph in the Eternal City, Swiatek will now finally start in Paris as the top favorite. “Of course I’m confident,” she said, “I feel like I’m playing great tennis, but that doesn’t change the fact that I just want to stay humble.” Grand Slam tournaments are “different”. There is a “different pressure on the pitch and off the pitch. It’s seven tough matches to win, so I don’t take anything for granted.”
Final victory never in danger
In the final in Rome, however, their success was never threatened. After the triumph in the Eternal City, Swiatek will now finally start in Paris as the top favorite.
Swiatek has already won the Grand Slam tournament in Roland Garros three times (2020, 2022, 2023). She is in her element on sand. In Rome she didn’t give a sentence; Serena Williams last achieved this feat at the Foro Italico in 2013. Swiatek won against Sabalenka for the eighth time in the eleventh duel.
