Roland Garros: Will Iga Swiatek emulate Serena Williams’ 2013 feat?

Women’s No. 1 Iga Swiatek is the favourite to win this year’s Roland Garros title to claim a third straight success at the Slam and fourth overall. 

The Polish tennis player's earliest exit was in her first appearance in 2019 before claiming her maiden Slam in 2020. She suffered a quarter-final elimination to Maria Sakkari in 2021 but has since gone on to notch the 2022 and 2023 editions, defeating Coco Gauff in the former and Karolina Muchova last year. 

She has been in outstanding form in the clay season and could emulate one Serena Williams achievement by reigning supreme at Roland Garros this year. 

Swiatek could become the first women’s player since Williams in 2013 to win the Madrid Open, Italian Open and the French Open in a single season.

Williams beat Maria Sharapova in Madrid and Victoria Azarenka in Italy before getting the better of Sharapova in the Slam to win all three titles. 

The current No. 1 defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final of both WTA 1000 events and is the undoubted favourite heading into the second Slam of the year. 

Swiatek begins her search for a fifth Grand Slam against Leolia Jeanjean on Monday and will meet Naomi Osaka in the second round if the competition’s top seed beats the Frenchwoman in her tournament opener.