At Roland Garros,
Karolina Muchova is one game away from making a name for herself. In case of victory against Iga Swiatek, queen not even a little challenged at Roland-Garros – 0 set lost to reach the final – the Czech will definitely set herself up as a gravedigger of despots on the women’s circuit. Frightening statistics for the Pole: her challenger has never lost a match against a world top 3. What Muchova herself seemed to ignore before her victory against Sabalenka. “I didn’t know these statistics, it’s good to know. It shows me that I can play and compete against these players. »
A legend of elite troublemaker whose first stone laid dates back to the US Open 2020, and a victory against Venus Williams (admittedly on the decline). The second, a few months later, will have a completely different resonance, at the height of its adversary: Ashleigh Barty in person. Seeded number 1 in front of her public in Melbourne, at the top of her game, the Australian collapses in three sets after leading by one set and a break, suggesting a certain appetite, one more, from Muchova for lost causes.
“If she holds this level, she can be top 10”
Aryna Sabalenka was able to experience both inclinations of the Czech in the previous round. The Belarusian certainly thought he would hold his ticket for Saturday’s final at 5-2 and a match point on his opponent’s service, but the latter had not said his last word. “You never know, except for a ball, if you win or if you lose”, will philosophize the winner in a press conference. At the time of concluding, Muchova never trembled. The secret to his strong nerves? Don’t think too much. “I didn’t put any particular pressure on myself because it was a match point. I concentrate on the ball to come. I tried to focus on my serve. I think I served well, by the way. It helped me win this point. »
It’s said with such lightness that one might think it’s easy. But the former winner of Roland-Garros and now a consultant for France TV, Mary Pierce, is not mistaken, there is much to admire.
“Mentally, I really like his attitude on the pitch. She seems very calm, she surprises me pleasantly in the way she handles the important moments of matches. Looks like she’s very comfortable. If she holds this level of play over a year, she can be top 10.
What can consistency at the highest level be due to when you already have a champion’s mind, if not physical health, THE black point of the Czech’s career. Rather than embarking on an endless census, we will remember this stubborn knee injury on the verge of sounding the death knell of his professional career. “Last year when I couldn’t play at the Australian Open, I wasn’t in good shape. Some doctors have told me: ”maybe you won’t be able to continue doing sports”. But mentally, I stayed positive. The love of lost causes, they said.
Federer fan vs Nadal fan
The love of the beautiful game, too, anyway. One of the things that Mary Pierce would be happy to enjoy more often if Muchova’s joints stopped grinding for two seconds. “I really like her style, she’s a very complete player. She serves and returns very well, from the back of the court she is solid, she goes up to the net, she makes drop shots and changes of rhythm which disturb her opponents. »
Any resemblance to a former Swiss world number 1 is purely coincidental. Or not, in fact. “I’ve always liked to vary my game,” she confided at a press conference on Tuesday. If you watch videos of my matches when I was young, you will see that I already varied my shots. And growing up, it’s true, I watched Roger Federer a lot. I love his aggressive game, I love how he came to the net, his slices. »
Iga Swiatek is more of a fan of Rafael Nadal. “It will be a bit Rafa against Roger,” smiles Mary Pierce. A duel which, at Roland-Garros, has never succeeded in Switzerland. “It will be hard for Karolina. But we saw in the previous two games that Iga Swiatek had been disturbed by the different tactics of Coco Gauff who played higher on the backhand, and Beatriz Haddad Maia who went up a lot on the volley. She will also have to return well, play on the backhand of Swiatek and above all play long. “A whole program to seek a first Grand Slam title, and maintain this singular reputation of poison for the best players in the world.