Iga Swiatek Misses Out on Massive All-Time Steffi Graf Record Despite Spectacular Double Bagel Win at French Open 2024
After surviving a tough second-round clash of the French Open 2024 against Naomi Osaka, Iga Swiatek has been on a rampage. Swiatek silenced everybody who doubted her following the three-set thriller. In the fourth round, the World No.1 demolished Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0. While it was expected that Swiatek would smash many records with that win, it isn’t the case.
As impressive as the double bagel was, Iga Swiatek wasn’t able to better Steffi Graf’s one long-time record. Swiatek took merely 40 minutes to wrap up her encounter against Anastasia Potapova. However, Graf still holds the record for the shortest match at Roland Garros.
Back in 1988, Graf seemed to be in some sort of hurry as she destroyed Natasha Zvereva 6-0, 6-0 in the French Open finals. While the official time on the scoresheet was recorded as 34 minutes, the time spent by both players on the court was merely 32 minutes.
Taking no credit away from Swiatek, a double bagel is an incredibly rare feat. Since 1968, there have been merely 25 occasions (at the French Open) when a player on the WTA Tour has won 6-0, 6-0. Further, over the past seven years, the double bagel has occurred merely twice. Quite impressively, Iga was the winner in both instances – against Anatasia Potapova in 2024 & Wang Xinyu in 2023.
Considering that Iga has already replicated an outstanding feat from the Roland Garros 2023, the Warsaw native will hope that she can defend her title as well.
Iga Swiatek Could Achieve Record Last Accomplished by Justine Henin in 2007
Iga Swiatek is in the form of her life. After winning the Madrid Open 2024 and the Italian Open 2024, Swiatek has only dropped one set across the first four matches of the French Open 2024. Undoubtedly, she is the clear favorite to win her 4th Grand Slam on clay.
A potential win on June 8 could witness Swiatek become the first female player to achieve the three-peat at the French Open since Justine Henin (2004-2007) and only the third player in the tournament’s history to do so.
Following the double bagel win, Iga will definitely have a psychological advantage over her next opponent – Marketa Vondrousova. Following a win over the Czech international, potential matchups against Coco Gauff and either Aryna Sabalenka or Elena Rybakina, stand in Iga’s way to winning her 5th Grand Slam title.