For the majority of Iga Swiatek’s life, the French Open has been dominated by one player. There is a statue of Rafael Nadal outside Court Philippe-Chatrier, the scene of the Spaniard’s 14 singles titles. It’s a record that will surely never be surpassed or repeated in the sport, but it’s a reminder of the levels of greatness that can be achieved.
But with Nadal absent from this year’s Roland Garros and set to bow out in 2024, a new dynasty is rising in Paris. At 22, Swiatek is already a three-time French Open champion, her victory over Karolina Muchova extending her record in grand slam finals to four wins out of four. The world No 1 is the first woman to win back-to-back French Opens since Justine Henin won three in a row between 2005 and 2007, and her three titles in four years means she has shot up the winner’s charts: Chris Evert’s record of seven titles at Roland Garros appears to be under threat.
