As if Iga Swiatek could not be more dominant on clay, she found a way to do just that at the 2024 French Open.
The Pole has been the standout player on the WTA Tour for the past two years but she is an unstoppable force on the dirt.
She has lost one match on the surface in 2024 so far and is aiming for a third successive French Open and fourth overall this Saturday.
If the 23-year-old were to lift the title in Paris once again, she would become the second player after Serena Williams to win the Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros titles in the same season.
How did Iga Swiatek improve her serve over the last year?
Especially on the clay, it is very difficult to pinpoint any weaknesses in Swiatek’s game. She possesses arguably the best footwork on tour and her groundstrokes off both the forehand and backhand are incredibly accurate and precise.
But the best players are never satisfied and always find ways to improve, and the World number one did just that with her serve.
During her run to the 2023 Roland Garros title, Swiatek averaged a first serve speed of 102 miles per hour. A year later, the speed has increased and she has averaged 110 miles per hour on her first serve during the 2024 clay court season.
Having a serve that is allowing her to win more free points is vital, especially in tight matches such as the Madrid final against Aryna Sabalenka and the French Open second round against Naomi Osaka, in which she was down match point.
Who will Iga Swiatek face in the 2024 French Open final?
After suffering a huge scare against Osaka in round two, Swiatek has been ruthless with her opponents at Roland Garros.
In the following three matches she lost just eight games before beating Coco Gauff for the 11th time in 12 meetings to reach the final.
Swiatek will take on Jasmine Paolini in Saturday’s championship match after she defeated teenager Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-1.
This will be their third career meeting after Swiatek claimed their first two encounters at the 2018 Prague Open and 2022 US Open.
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