A tennis commentator has suggested three players who can defeat Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros.
The tennis world has been treated to some excellent clay court play from the World Number One in the leadup the second Grand Slam of the 2024 season.
She became just the third player to win the Madrid and Rome WTA 1000 titles in the same season and is now bidding to become just the second player after Serena Williams to win these two trophies and Roland Garros in the same season.
But there are some players which will pose a threat to the 22-year-old in Paris, and they each play a very aggressive game.
Which three players can stop Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros?
One of Swiatek’s biggest challengers is Aryna Sabalenka, who she defeated to win the Madrid and Rome championships.
But the top two WTA players are set to be seeded on opposite sides of the French Open draw, meaning they will not be able to meet until the final.
However, The Tennis Podcast mentioned three names who could pose some trouble for the World Number One before the championship match, and they’re all very dangerous players.
“The Roland Garros draw for the women is actually fascinating because there are some players who we know can cause Iga Swiatek some problems, you know those big flat hitters,” they said.
“It’s going to be harder for them on clay but you know, Ostapenko Collins, Rybakina are probably the three if they were all to come out in Aryna Sabalenka’s half then it’s it’s kind of hard hard to see anyone stopping Swiatek before the final.
“But if they are in Swiatek’s section it’s possible that Swiatek could still have a tough draw at Roland Garros so I think that is going to be a key kind of element to the women’s draw.”
What is Iga Swiatek’s head-to-head record against these players?
Swiatek has been troubled by big hitters in the past and her varied head-to-head records against Jelena Ostapenko, Danielle Collins and Elena Rybakina reflect that.
The Pole has yet to defeat the 2017 French Open winner. In fact, she has only taken one set off the Latvian over the course of their four career meetings, the last of which came at the 2023 US Open.
On the contrary, Swiatek has won six of seven meetings against Collins and has claimed the last five. The 22-year old was the last player to beat Collins at Indian Wells before the American began her 15-match win streak.
But the four-time major winner has won just two of her six meetings with Rybakina, who claimed their last meeting in the Stuttgart semi-finals in April, the scene of Swiatek’s most recent defeat.
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