How Iga Swiatek beat Jasmine Paolini to win fourth French Open title in women’s singles final at Roland Garros
Swiatek won her third successive French Open title with a 6-2, 6-1 victory against Paolini on Court Philippe-Chatrier
How Iga Swiatek beat Jasmine Paolini to win fourth French Open title in women’s singles final at Roland Garros
Swiatek wins the 2024 women’s French Open title
Iga Swiatek (1) took the first set 6-2 against Jasmine Paolini (12) after going 2-1 behind early on
The defending champion then cruised to a 6-1 second-set victory for her third straight French Open title
But, before we start to think about the grass season too much, there is a big trophy left to hand out on clay.
Tomorrow, attention turns to the 2024 men’s French Open final between Carlos Alcaraz (3) and Alexander Zverev (4).
The 21-year-old Spaniard prevailed in a brilliant five-set tussle (2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3) against Jannik Sinner yesterday while Zverev came from a set down against Casper Ruud (2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2).
Join us here at The Athletic from 12pm BST (7am ET / 4am PT) for the men’s final on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
It certainly is not unusual that a player is as good on clay as Swiatek, but without any senior success at any grass tournaments.
The same questions are being asked of Iga Swiatek that were asked of Rafa Nadal for so many years as we move into the grass season.
Grass is the only surface that the Pole has not won a Grand Slam on; she has never been to a final at any senior grass tournament. Her best finish at the senior tournament is the quarter-final defeat she suffered against Elina Svitolina last year.
Although, Swiatek does have pedigree – she won the Junior title at Wimbledon in 2018.
5-0 record in Grand Slam finals for Swiatek
Another victory for Swiatek today means she remains unbeaten in Grand Slam finals.
And, in those five finals, she has only lost one set: against Karolina Muchova in last year’s French Open final.
Swiatek is only the second female player to win all five of her first five Grand Slam finals in the Open Era after Monica Seles.
Swiatek ranks joint-sixth in all-time French Open titles
As for the French Open in isolation, there are only five female players who have won it more than Swiatek.
Perhaps most importantly, she is more than halfway to Chris Evert’s Roland Garros record.
Most women’s French Open titles
Includes pre-Open era
Seven titles – Chris Evert
Six titles – Steffi Graf, Suzanne Lenglen
Five titles – Margaret Court, Adine Masson
Four titles – Iga Swiatek, Justine Henin, Kate Gillou, Jeanne Matthey, Helen Wills
Swiatek moves onto five Grand Slam titles
We have mentioned that today brings up four French Open titles for Iga Swiatek and when added to her 2022 US Open triumph, she has five in total.
There are now 21 female players in history that have more Grand Slam titles than the Pole. And only 10 female players with more Grand Slams in the Open era.
She will certainly be hoping to add at least another one in the second half of 2024.
Women’s final stats pack
Here are the key stats from the 2024 women’s French Open final.
Swiatek 6-2, 6-1 Paolini
Aces: 1 – 1
Double faults: 0 – 2
First serve percentage: 62% – 67%
Break points converted: 5/9 – 1/1
Total points: 57 – 31
Winners: 18 – 7
Unforced errors: 13 – 17
Swiatek’s 2024 clay court clean up
And that game brings an end to a memorable season on clay for Swiatek.
The world No 1 arrived in Paris on the back of WTA-1000 triumphs in both Madrid and Rome — she becomes just the second woman after Serena Williams (2013) to win all three in the same year.
Swiatek: ‘I love this place’
Then, the champion thanked her team and spoke about what it meant to her to win again in Paris.
“I want to thank my team, my family. Without them, I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “I want to thank everyone who made this tournament possible, it’s amazing to be here. I love this place, I wait every year to come back here.
“Merci Beaucoup. I was almost out of the tournament in the second round, so thank you guys for staying behind my back and cheering me. I also needed to believe that this one was possible. It’s been a really emotional tournament, so thank you for supporting me.”
Swiatek starts with praise for Paolini
Swiatek starts with praise for Paolini
Getty Images
Swiatek started her champions’ speech with praise for Paolini and her team.
“Congrats for an amazing tournament,” she said to her opponent. “I’m really impressed with how you have been playing over these two weeks. With your game, I think you can do a lot, especially on clay.
“I hope we’re going to have many more matches in final rounds. And congrats for your team as well.”
Paolini: ‘I’m really proud of myself’
Paolini continued.
“It has been very intense and I’m really happy, proud of me and my team to be here,” she said. “Today was tough but I’m really proud of myself anyway.
“Merci Beaucoup, Paris! You were cheering for me and that was unbelievable.”
Paolini: These have been the best days of my life
Two finals, with one still to come, are the yield of Paolini’s time in Paris.
“I want to thank my team, my family, everybody who is there cheering for me and believing in me,” said the Italian. “Thank you very much. Congratulations to everybody who made this tournament possible.
“It’s been 10, 15 days that I’ve been here and (they’re) the best days of my life, I think. They’re still going because tomorrow I have the doubles final.
“This is an unbelievable tournament.”
Paolini: ‘Toughest challenge in this sport’ to play Swiatek in Paris
First, Paolini addressed the crowd inside Court Phillipse-Chatrier.
“Hello everybody, thanks for coming! I really enjoyed playing on this court today,” she said.
“Congratulations to you, Iga. To play you here is the toughest challenge in this sport. Congrats to your team. You’re doing an amazing job; world No 1, many Slams.
“Just congratulations.”
Instant reaction to Swiatek’s fourth
How Iga Swiatek turned around a first-set deficit
The bakery oven switched on, but only a breadstick (baguette?) emerged
Three French Opens in a row for the world No. 1
The Athletic’s Matthew Futterman and Charlie Eccleshare were on hand to deliver immediate reaction to another famous win for Iga Swiatek — check it out at the link below.
French Open final analysis: Iga Swiatek beats Jasmine Paolini at Roland Garros
Swiatek lifts her French Open trophy high into the air!
And now it is time for the champion to step forward.
Smiling from ear to ear, she soaks in the adulation of the crowd, the appreciation of the two legends on stage and lifts the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup high into the Parisian sky.
A formidable four-time champion and one we will surely be seeing again on the winners’ podium at Roland Garros.
Jasmine Paolini is given the runner-up trophy
The crowd rise for Jasmine Paolini as she greets Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert and receives her trophy.
The Italian herself admitted that she never imagined she would have made the final at Roland Garros and what a fortnight she has had in Paris.
For some, a runners-up trophy might not be considered enough but the 28-year-old looks chuffed with her silverware, and rightly so!
The Suzanne-Lenglen Cup is on the court
With both players waiting patiently to speak after that final, the two trophies — led by the The Suzanne-Lenglen Cup — are brought out onto Court Philippe-Chatrier.
What a champion!
It is so easy to forget that Swiatek is only 23 years old when you watch a performance like that.
She gets it done in an hour and 10 minutes, winning 11 of the last 12 games of the match.
It brings up a fourth title for the world No 1 and a third in a row — she is only the third female player in the Open era to win this title in three consecutive years.
Swiatek wins a third-straight French Open title!
Swiatek 6-2 6-1 Paolini
Serving for the title, Swiatek is immediately helped by Paolini who gives her a free point chasing a winner on a second serve.
But the favor is repaid by the No 1 who sends a backhand wide for 15-15.
After two bites of the cherry, Swiatek is able to then put her opponent away at the net, smashing an overhead past Paolini and onto the advertising hoarding. But the Italian responds with great defence, forcing Swiatek to send a lob a couple of yards long for 30-30.
A narrow miss from Paolini — who was going for a broke — then brings up Championship point for the defending champion and she takes it with a fantastic serve that doesn’t come back!
Paolini gets on the board in the second set
Swiatek 6-2 *5-1 Paolini
Paolini, attempting to avoid a Grand Slam final bagel, starts well as she wins out the first baseline exchange of the game.
And she has too much power again from the baseline for Swiatek two points later, moving to 30-15. But the Italian is pegged back by her own error again, sending a backhand harmlessly long under no real pressure from her opponent.
And she avoids conceding a Championship point, firing a pass into the feet of Swiatek who had perhaps expected an easy volley having approached the net.
Paolini then comes up with arguably her point of the match, stinging a brilliant forehand winner down on the line right into the corner of the court.
