French Open 2024 results: Iga Swiatek edges past Naomi Osaka, Ons Jabeur through

[Pelican Press 0]

French Open 2024 results: Iga Swiatek edges past Naomi Osaka, Ons Jabeur through

Swiatek has developed into the WTA Tour’s most dominant player since Serena Williams and her record on clay is particularly formidable.

Escaping defeat against Osaka – whose four major titles all came on hard courts – means Swiatek has lost just two of her 31 matches at Roland Garros.

She has only lost once on clay this season, having won back-to-back titles in Madrid and Rome before heading to Paris.

In contrast, Osaka has never been the most comfortable on the surface and described herself last month as still being a “baby giraffe” on it.

However Osaka, who grew up playing on hard courts in New York and Florida, has been wholeheartedly embracing the challenge of adapting her game to the clay.

This was an example of how the world number 134 still possesses a hard-hitting game which can test the best.

Osaka bamboozled Swiatek with her sheer power and fearless returning, cracking winners off both wings with ease.

She was a point away from a 5-1 lead in the deciding set and, despite being unable to take that by putting a backhand into the net, still retained a commanding position as she closed in on a memorable victory.

But she became tight when serving out for the match at 5-3, missing three short ****** on the way to handing back the break with a long backhand.

The edginess continued when a double fault on break point allowed Swiatek the opportunity to serve out victory.

Swiatek ********* her shots when it mattered and was visibly relieved to avoid her first exit before the fourth round.

It preserves her bid to become only the third women to win three successive French Open titles in the Open era after Monica Seles (1990-92) and Justine Henin (2005-07).

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