This is how Iga Świątek fights! The Polish champion has achieved the impossible
The match between Iga Świątek and Jelena Rybakina promised to be a real hit at this stage of the women's tournament. Roland Garros and the Pole are a very good combination, but the Kazakh also has her sporting arguments. She has shown them more than once, although the fact is that if we were to look at the predictions for the favorite of Sunday's match, the Pole was given slightly more chances.
Świątek came to Paris to rebuild morale. It was hard to be particularly optimistic after the Polish player's performances on clay courts (her favorites) in Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome.
Roland Garros: Iga Świątek – Jelena Rybakina. Battle for the quarterfinals!Świątek introduced herself to the whole world on the Grand Slam courts of Roland Garros. It took place in the 2020 edition, when the Pole won in an unusual competition at the time, right during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some could say then that the young Pole had a one-time outing, but the player from Raszyn near Warsaw has made Paris her tennis fortress.
Świątek won Roland Garros in the aforementioned 2020, and then in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Pole broke more records, becoming an expert on the game on clay. There is no need to write much about Świątek's further history, the times of number 1 in the WTA ranking came, and in addition, a total of 22 tournament wins in her career.
The Polish woman turned 24 on May 31st. Świątek has had difficult, demanding months behind her. In the middle of the previous season, a positive anti-doping test result – ultimately explained in the Polish woman's favor (the accidental use of a contaminated batch of a permitted drug) – in addition to this, a change of coach and increasing pressure on the sports result. Already in the 2025 season, with a new coach on staff, Świątek is trying to get back on the winning track. The facts are, however, that Wim Fissette did not make the Polish woman start winning tournaments. Świątek, with number 5 in the WTA ranking and tournament ladder, came to defend her title in Paris.
The Pole defeated Rebecca Sramkova in the first round, then Emma Raducanu in the second round, and Jaqueline Cristan in the third round . Importantly, the defending champion reached the match with Jelena Rybakina without losing a set. However, it was known that the match with the Kazakh would be the most serious sports exam.
The opening of Sunday's quarterfinal clash was shocking. Rybakina was one step away from victory... 6:0. Ultimately, there were no three breaks at the beginning, but the Pole only managed to slightly smooth the result, losing clearly 1:6.
It seemed that the Pole had nothing to cling to, looking at her opponent's form. Rybakina won against Świątek after 35 minutes. The Pole clearly entered the game that the Kazakh preferred, unable to find a way to find some mini-series of good moves. The effect was devastating.
Tennis, however, has this element of madness in it, that every set, and sometimes even a game, can be the beginning of a completely new story. Kazaszek achieved her third break at the beginning of the second set (1:0). What's more, after a while Rybakina improved to 2:0, in both games without losing a single point. With 1:6 and 0:2, the Pole found herself against the wall. However, such a difficult situation caused Świątek to start a real struggle to get back on track. It seems that game number 5 was crucial. A moment earlier Świątek came back with a break for 2:2, and then - after almost 10 minutes of play - defended her serve and took the lead 3:2, for the first time in the entire match.
It ended 6:3 for Świątek, which shows the scale of the change in emphasis, looking at the fate of the competition. From 2:0 for Kazaszko to 3:6 to Rybakina's disadvantage. The set lasted 48 minutes and gave new hope to the defending champion.
The third set had literally everything. From long, interesting exchanges, through strong, finishing hits. But also mistakes resulting from the stakes of the match.
After one of the actions, in the fifth game, with the score at 2:2 and Rybakina serving, Świątek furiously hit the net with her racket, having previously wasted a good chance to win a point.
A moment later, the Pole had to defend herself from three breaks (15:40 and 40:A), with 2:3 on the board. However, Świątek managed to withstand the pressure of the Kazakh. And as is often the case in equal tennis matches, missed opportunities in the previous game affect the next one. The Pole knew this well, breaking Rybakina in the seventh game of the third set for 4:3. At that moment, exactly two hours of play had passed on the center court in Paris.
How unpredictable is tennis? So that after a few more minutes it was 4:4, and the Kazakh recorded a return break. One, Rybakina's offensive, aggressive play. The other? A few mistakes by the Pole, such as... a double service fault at 30:40.
Świątek, however, did not intend to give anything to the Kazakh. In the next game, the Pole took the lead 40:15. What's more, Rybakina made - of course - a double service fault, just like Świątek did. However, it turned out that the linesman made a mistake, which was rightly corrected by the chief arbiter.
With Rybakin’s “second life” at an advantage, she closed the game, taking the lead to 5:4.
Świątek's response? Very important, a game won to zero on her serve (5:5). And what's more, another attempt to break in the next set (40:15), this time fully effective. With 6:5, the Pole had a second chance to serve herself a place in the quarterfinals.
And that's exactly what happened! It was a battle worthy of the Roland Garros final, in which Świątek endured the tension. Especially coming out of a disastrous 1:6 in the opening set. And yet, she won. The opponent in the quarterfinals? Elina Svitolina, a very experienced tennis player from Ukraine. It looks like another great battle will be played by the Polish champion.
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