PARIS — For Iga Swiatek, her recent challenges required a significant triumph, and that’s exactly what she achieved at the French Open. After an unsettling start in the fourth round against Elena Rybakina, where Swiatek found herself trailing heavily, she staged a dramatic comeback to win 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. This victory extended her impressive tournament-winning streak to 25 matches and kept alive her quest for a record fourth successive French Open championship.
Upon sealing the match with a forehand winner, Swiatek expressed her elation by shouting, leaning back, and placing a fist to her chest. “I needed that kind of win to feel these feelings that I’m able to win under pressure,” Swiatek remarked. “It’s a great confirmation for me. I’m happy that I fought, and I also problem-solved.”
Rybakina initially dominated with her powerful serve, jumping to a 5-0 lead within 20 minutes and clinching 24 of the first 32 points, alongside 10 of the first 12 winners. “I knew that continuing like that is not going to be easy,” stated Rybakina.
As the second set commenced, Swiatek’s form wavered as she double-faulted in the opening game, expressing frustration to her team in the stands. She soon found herself down 2-0, and at one point, Swiatek even double-faulted three times in a single game. She noted, “I don’t think that happened before.” This marked a turning point, as Swiatek then regained her form to become the dominant clay-court player she’s been known to be, boasting a 39-2 career record at the French Open.
Despite recent difficulties, including not reaching a final in the past year and dropping to No. 5 in the rankings, Swiatek has shown resilience. Last year’s semi-final at the 2024 Olympics held in Paris saw her clinch a bronze, though a subsequent ban for testing positive for a banned substance marred her season. The substance was later explained to be from a contaminated medicine, and she served a one-month suspension.
Up next for Swiatek is a match against No. 13 Elina Svitolina, who has yet to win in four French Open quarterfinal appearances. The day will also see No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka facing No. 8 Zheng Qinwen. In her last match, Svitolina showcased determination by overcoming three match points to defeat Jasmine Paolini in a grueling encounter.
Swiatek was almost ousted from the tournament herself. One pivotal moment for Rybakina came in the second set when she had the opportunity to break Swiatek again but instead directed a forehand right at her opponent, failing to capitalize. Swiatek soon took charge, reversing the momentum of groundstroke rallies. Rybakina’s significant dip in first-serve percentages—from 56% in the first set to 45% in the second and 43% in the last—played into Swiatek’s favor. Swiatek seized five games in a row during the second set, at one point collecting 10 consecutive points.
However, the third set was fraught with tension. Swiatek faced three break points when down 3-2 but managed to hold on. After pulling ahead with a break for 4-3, Swiatek found herself even again at 4-all due to a double fault. A critical call by chair umpire Kader Nouni regarding Rybakina’s serve could have swung the set, but Swiatek calmly refocused. “I just refocused immediately. It wasn’t such a big deal for me,” Swiatek commented after the match.