At the moment there is a lot of research into why Iga Swiatek plays tennis so well, why she always starts as if she had to rush to the famous Parisian restaurant Chez l’Ami Louis, because the next table there is known to be free again in three months. Swiatek himself issued a statement this Thursday. You heard Led Zeppelin. She likes to do it, walk into the stadium with headphones, “that pumps me up,” she said after her work shift, which actually lasted longer than an hour this time. It was 64 minutes before Swiatek defeated Darja Kassatkina, who had played so refreshingly before, 6-2, 6-1. The gritty music she would have soaked up before would help her be instantly “pro-active” on the court.
It’s details like these that make it clear how complex Swiatek thinks and defines its profession. She has been number one in women’s tennis since April 4. People in Paris already knew that she was one of the best, in 2020 she surprisingly won the French Open at the age of 18. Her work this year, however, is no less amazing. She has now won 34 games in a row across tournaments and enjoys the greatest respect from her opponents. Jessica Pegula, who lost to Swiatek 3-6, 2-6 in the quarter-finals, raved about Swiatek’s athleticism and his particularly aggressive style of play this season. Some of the actions of the Pole from Warsaw are reminiscent of table tennis, she sets her blows so sharply. “I don’t know how she does it,” said the American, “but she’s definitely one step ahead of all of us right now.”
Does Coco Gauff have a chance against Iga Swiatek? The American (left) beat Italy’s Martina Trevisan in the semifinals.
(Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
The latest player to make the bold attempt to confront Swiatek will be 18-year-old Atlanta resident Coco Gauff. The American also defeated the Italian Martina Trevisan 6-3, 6-1 after Swiatek’s game on Thursday. Gauff is contesting her first Grand Slam final on Saturday, and after her match she made it clear that she probably already has the right attitude for this. She approaches the game like any other, regardless of how she performs, “my parents will love me the same way”. That Gauff, the former wonder girl, has also matured in her playing system, she had already demonstrated with her five victories before, and the 28-year-old Trevisan from Florence felt it too. Gauff has discovered patience on the pitch for himself. “We Americans always learn: hit it,” said Gauff with a smile during a short interview on the Philippe Chatrier court, but she says to herself more and more often: “Not on this ball!”