Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek put on one hell of a show for us last night at Roland Garros, in arguably the match of the entire tournament.
The former was always going to have to bring her best to compete with the world number one, and taking it to a tiebreak in the first set indicated that she had done.
However, losing it marked a hammer blow, and led many to believe that it was over.
But in an emphatic return to form, the 26-year-old claimed the second set 6-1 to set up a grandstand finish, where she had the chance to finally dethrone Swiątek.
Failing to do so, her post-match interviews were extremely magnanimous, although she did disagree with one thing that her opponent had said.
Naomi Osaka disagrees with Iga Swiatek
Speaking after their show-stopping clash on Philippe Chatrier, Swiatek would conduct her first interview on court, as is tradition.
However, she would rather openly air her grievances with the crowd in front of them all, stating: ‘Please don’t shout during the rallies. This is serious for us. We are playing for big money and points. I hope I don’t become one of those players you don’t like and boo.’
It is an issue that has affected quite a few players, with David Goffin accusing one fan of spitting at him on Wednesday.
However, for Osaka, this kind of loud and brash support is something she is used to, and something she thinks enhances the sport.
She spoke to the French Open press after the match: ‘I thought the crowd was really cool. These are the moments for what I work for. I didn’t have a problem with the crowd at all. But I’m used to the New York crowd.’
This felt like a turning point in the women’s French Open
Before Roland Garros, nobody, fans or media alike, could look beyond Swiatek for the women’s title.
And unsurprisingly so.
The Polish superstar is the defending champion, and is currently enjoying one of the best runs of form in her career on this surface.
Since the start of Stuttgart, where she was felled in the semi-final by Elena Rybakina, she has won 16 matches, losing just once.
But last night that very nearly became twice, and probably should have been.
Osaka put in arguably the greatest performance of her life on the dirt, a surface which has troubled her in the past, and she even had a match point on her own service game to show for it.
Had she won, the entire French Open would have been blown wide open.
But instead, for Swiatek to come back and win, it almost feels like there is now nothing that will stop the 22-year-old from claiming her fourth Roland Garros title, and fifth Grand Slam.
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