December 24, 2024

Iga Swiatek beats Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3 for 2nd French Open title

Coco #Coco

PARIS — Iga Swiatek remains unbeaten since February and sure looks unbeatable at the moment, now a two-time champion at the French Open.

Coco Gauff, appearing in her first Grand Slam final at just 18, like most opponents against Swiatek lately, never stood much of a chance.

The top-ranked Swiatek beat Gauff 6-1, 6-3 in the final at Roland Garros on Saturday, adding to her 2020 trophy there and stretching her winning streak to 35 matches.

Swiatek’s unbeaten run equals one by Venus Williams in 2000 as the longest this century.

Swiatek has now won her past six tournaments and is 42-3 this season.

She has emerged as a dominant figure in tennis, with 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams out of action for nearly a year and three-time major champ Ash Barty announcing in March she would retire at age 25 and relinquish the No. 1 ranking.

That allowed Swiatek to move up to the top of the WTA, and she’s shown she is a deserving resident there. Her last loss came in February to 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Swiatek has a game that works on all surfaces, but her greatest triumphs so far have come on red clay.

On the warmest day of the tournament, the temperature was 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 Celsius), and while the forecast predicted thunderstorms, there were just a few puffs of white in the blue sky above Court Philippe Chartrier at the outset.

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