She is indisputably the best women’s tennis player in the world right now. After claiming her fourth French Open trophy, Iga Swiatek (UTR Rating 13.30) is on her way to the status of becoming a bona fide all-time great.
The Pole firmly exerted her clay prowess in the championship match in Paris on Saturday, defeating first-time finalist Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1.
UTR Sports INSIGHTS: Women's Draw
The result confirmed UTR Sports Insights’ pre-match prediction, which gave Swiatek an 84 percent win probability. Swiatek has now defeated the Italian three times with the loss of just three games in each match-up.
Predicted Winner: (1) Iga Swiatek (13.30)
Best Performer: Varvara Gracheva (11.96), performed like 12.33 (+0.37) over 4 matches
Biggest Upset: (Q) Olga Danilovic (12.02) d. (11) Danielle Collins (12.89)
UTR Accuracy: 96/ 127 (75.6%)
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Going into the tournament, Swiatek was a 34% leading favorite.
With the victory, the Polish superstar became the first woman in a decade to win the same Slam for three consecutive years, after Serena Williams at the US Open from 2012 to 2014. And she’s still only 23 years old. As the 2020 French Open and 2022 US Open champion, Swiatek now holds five Slam trophies.
Swiatek’s toughest challenge of the fortnight was Naomi Osaka (UTR 12.62) in the second round. A 7-6(1), 1-6, 7-5 battle, Swiatek needed to save a match point against Osaka, a four-time Slam champion in the midst of her comeback season.
The world No. 1 Swiatek heads into the grass season on a 19-match streak, winning the three biggest clay tournaments in a row – Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros.
Coco Gauff Leaves Paris with Hardware
In the Roland Garros semifinals, Swiatek eliminated world No. 3 Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4. Gauff, the 2022 runner-up in Paris, has now reached the semifinals of both Slams this year, following her US Open crown last season. The 20-year-old American’s best win in Paris came against No. 9-ranked Ons Jabeur 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the quarters.
Gauff (UTR 12.79) did leave the tournament with a trophy in hand however, claiming the women’s doubles title alongside Katerina Siniakova. The duo bested none other than Paolini and partner Sara Errani in a blockbuster final.
Jasmine Paolini Cracks WTA Top 10
For Paolini (UTR 12.61), the French Open was the best major of her career so far, adding to what has been a phenomenal 2024 season. Prior to Paris, the 28-year-old’s best Slam finish in 17 appearances was the fourth round – and that was in January.
She ousted Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-1 in the semifinals and world No. 4 Elena Rybakina 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. After starting the year at No. 29, her career-high at that point, Paolini has now made her WTA Top 10 debut at No. 7 thanks to her remarkable Roland Garros run.
Teenage Sensation Makes First Major Semifinal
Andreeva (UTR 12.64) has been another breakout performer this year, following up her fourth-round finish at the Australian Open with her maiden Slam semifinal in Paris. The 17-year-old became the youngest women’s singles semifinalist at Roland Garros since Martina Hingis in 1997 with an impressive comeback 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-4 victory over world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals.
Mirra Andreeva dancing to ‘Teenage Dream’ after reaching the Roland Garros Semifinals 😂
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 5, 2024
The youngest player to reach a Slam Semifinal since 1997.
She really is living her teenage dream. ❤️
pic.twitter.com/8Lj6qEzAxO
With five Slam champions featuring in the singles quarterfinals – Swiatek, Gauff, Sabalenka, Rybakina, and Marketa Vondrousova — Roland Garros was definitely a showcase for the best tennis has to offer.
There is a lot more to come as the WTA Tour next takes on the grass-court season – where Swiatek, who has yet to advance past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, will hope to maintain her form and secure her best finish yet.
