Iga Swiatek beats Sofia Kenin for French Open Title
(October 10, 2020) It was a perfect fortnight for the unseeded and 54th-ranked 19-year-old Iga Swiatek. The teenage woman from Poland did not drop a set on the way to winning the French Open title on Saturday defeating Australian Open winner and 4th seed Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-1 for not only her first major title, but her first tour-level trophy. The last woman to win the French Open without dropping a set was in 2007 when Justine Henin did it.
She’s also the first teen to capture the title since Iva Majoli did it in 1997.
She’s the first Polish player ever to win a major singles title. The win vaults her ranking into the Top 20, to No. 17.
Just two years ago, she won the junior title. “It’s crazy. Two years ago, I won a junior Grand Slam, and right now I’m here. It feels like such a short time,” Swiatek said on court. “I’m just overwhelmed.”
Kenin came into Roland Garros 16-1 in majors, but just could not keep up with Swiatek. “A great tournament. A great match,” Kenin said Swiatek during the trophy ceremony.
“It’s quite unfortunate, but I’m gonna take the positives I had these past two weeks.” @SofiaKenin speaks with @jon_wertheim following her loss to Iga Swiatek at @rolandgarros 2020.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/a36FxGVcsH
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) October 10, 2020
Swiatek credited her mental consistency.
“I felt like today was really stressful for me, so it was kind of hard.”
Both women were playing in their first French open final.
Dreams do come true…
What a moment for @iga_swiatek ?#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/FSBIUZZj4j
— Billie Jean King Cup (@BJKCup) October 10, 2020
“I don’t know what’s going on. I’m so happy. It’s crazy. Thank you all for cheering. It was an amazing final,” Swiatek said on-court after the match.
Teen Queen ?@iga_swiatek #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/0dAae8uzdh
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 10, 2020
Your 2020 #RolandGarros Champion
? @iga_swiatek ? pic.twitter.com/iViVJQs3VI
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 10, 2020
“I hope cat watching, but she’s not here. Hope she’s watching at home.”
Your 2020 champion, @iga_swiatek#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/0zdQU3YM6O
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 10, 2020
On NBC, Swiatek tells John McEnroe and Mary Carillo that she felt she was playing well enough to win a Slam but it took a change in mindset to get it done. #RG20 pic.twitter.com/v5fu8aGTTW
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 10, 2020
?? A piece of Polish history ??@iga_swiatek #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/UG57PJcyID
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 10, 2020
“First of all, obviously a little bit disappointed and upset,” Kenin said in her news conference. “She obviously played a really good match. She’s, like, really hot right now, playing some really great tennis. I’m not going to use this as an excuse, but my leg obviously was not the best. It’s obviously disappointing”
“Today obviously after the first set I just felt it was so tight, I couldn’t move. That’s why I had to call the trainer. It just got worse. Yeah, it’s quite unfortunate it had to happen in this match. Like I said, she played really well. All credit to her.”
“I feel like she served really well,” said the American. “She dictated really well with her forehand. Especially in the first set, a few shots here and there just didn’t go my way. She played some great tennis. She’s got the really good forehand, the spinny forehand up the line. Really good backhand down the line. I feel like sometimes just a few things didn’t go my way in the first set. Kind of started off a bit slow, which I guess it was nerves or something. But I found my groove. We had a long 3-All game. A really long 3-4 game on my serve. I had a few chances. 5-3 I was able to save a set point. 5-4 I started, up 15-Love in the game. A few things just didn’t go my way.
“Obviously I’m playing some really good tennis at the slams,” said the 21-year-old. “In Australia I won. US Open I got to the fourth round. Had a tough one against Elise Mertens. Here getting to the finals. Overall it’s a good ratio in the Grand Slams. I feel like I’m playing some really good tennis. Yeah, it sucks the season is over for us. I really wish there were more tournaments. I’m going to use this time to get my leg rested and everything, and, yeah, start pre-season.”
“Well, I’m just proud of myself,” Swiatek said in her news conference. “I’ve done a great job past two weeks. I wasn’t expecting to win this trophy. It’s obviously amazing for me. It’s, like, life-changing experience. Yeah, I just feel like I kind of made history. But I still think that Radwanska, she achieved, like, a lot because she played on the top level of WTA for, I don’t know, 12 years. I don’t even know the number. I know there’s going to be a lot of people who is going to compare us. But I think I have to be really consistent for the next couple years to everybody to name me like the best player in Poland because still I have a lot to do. Still I think that’s kind of her place.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roland Garros was postponed from May to September. The tournament limited the number of spectators to only 1000 a day.
