Raducanu Faces Reality Against Swiatek at Roland Garros
British tennis player Emma Raducanu admitted to feeling “exposed” after her defeat in the second round of the French Open against Iga Swiatek. The difference in the score reflected the distance that separates her from the best players in the world on clay.
Raducanu, 22, fell to Swiatek, four-time Roland Garros champion, with a score of 6-1, 6-2. This match marked the first time Raducanu played on the tournament’s main court, the Philippe-Chatrier, an intimidating experience.
Swiatek, who has won five Grand Slam titles, including the 2022 US Open, arrived at the tournament with a mixed level by her own standards. However, once again, she elevated her game at Roland Garros, where she has won the last three tournaments and has not suffered defeats since 2021, accumulating 23 consecutive victories.“It was a very difficult match. Iga played really well. I felt a bit exposed. It’s a valuable experience for the future,” Raducanu commented.
Emma Raducanu
Raducanu, who won her first-round match against Wang Xinyu with a score of 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, struggled against pain and illness. She suffered a back spasm the previous week and felt unwell on the morning of her first match. Despite arriving at Roland Garros with decent form on clay, she was outplayed by Swiatek.
Analyzing her clay court season, Raducanu pointed out positive aspects, such as winning some matches on this surface, considering it her first full clay court season since 2022. However, she acknowledged the need to improve certain aspects of her game to compete with the best in the world.
Emma Raducanu at the French Open.
Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, had never beaten Swiatek in their four previous encounters. In their most recent meeting, Swiatek dominated, winning at the Australian Open this year with a score of 6-1, 6-0.
Swiatek repeated the score of the first set and took control of the match, breaking Raducanu’s serve twice and winning the first set in 35 minutes. The Polish player maintained her dominance in the second set, breaking Raducanu’s serve in the third game and securing the victory in 1 hour and 19 minutes.Swiatek will face the winner of the match between Sara Bejlek and Jaqueline Cristian in the third round. Raducanu will now focus on the grass season, looking to maintain momentum and prepare for Wimbledon. “I don’t feel demotivated. I feel that since Miami I have started to gain momentum and I want to move forward. I feel comfortable at home and I hope to have a good atmosphere at Wimbledon,” concluded Raducanu.“I knew what I wanted to do, so I did it. I felt good on the court and played well,” stated Swiatek.
Iga Swiatek
