For such a large proportion of Iga Swiatek’s career, Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros has been her fortress. No matter the résumé of the opponent in front of her, the significance of the occasion or even how badly she might have been feeling on court, she always found a way through. By the time she won her fourth French Open title in five years – her third in succession – the Pole seemed invincible here.
It has been only two years since the six-time grand slam champion last tasted success in Paris, yet on a mercifully cool Sunday afternoon, it felt as if that version of Swiatek was from an alternate universe as she put together the most difficult performance of her career in Paris. She endured a miserable 7-5, 6-1 defeat on her 25th birthday to the 15th seed, Marta Kostyuk, ending her run in the fourth round.
