Iga Swiatek is gearing up with confidence for her bid to become only the fourth woman to win four Roland Garros singles titles in the Open era.
The world number one could also achieve a milestone by becoming the first player to clinch three consecutive women's titles in Paris since Justine Henin in 2007 when the French Open begins on Sunday.
Swiatek enters the tournament as the strong favourite, having dominated the clay court season with WTA 1000 victories in Madrid and Rome. Achieving a rare Madrid-Rome-Roland Garros treble, accomplished only by Serena Williams, is within reach for the 22-year-old Pole, who is set to face French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean in the first round.
Despite acknowledging the pressure and nerves, Swiatek remains confident in her current form and preparation. "There is a lot of pressure...but I wouldn't say I'm more nervous than usual. I'm also pretty confident with how I'm playing right now and with the work we have been doing," she told reporters.
Swiatek’s impressive season includes four WTA 1000 titles, bringing her career total to 10, and putting her on a fast track towards record achievements. With four Grand Slam titles under her belt, Swiatek aims to join the elite group of Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, and Justine Henin, who have each won the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen four times in the Open era.
However, Aryna Sabalenka, the biggest obstacle in Swiatek's path, will be seeking redemption after a narrow loss in Madrid and a decisive defeat in Rome. The Belarusian, a two-time reigning Australian Open champion, has consistently reached at least the semi-finals in recent Grand Slam events and is the only woman to beat Swiatek in a final on clay in the past year.
Both Swiatek and Sabalenka downplay their rivalry's distraction but acknowledge its role in pushing them to improve. "For sure, this rivalry is exciting for the fans. I think we both kind of need each other to grow," Swiatek noted. Sabalenka echoed this sentiment, admitting Swiatek motivates her to enhance her game.
Adding to the competitive mix are Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff. Rybakina, though not consistent recently, remains a formidable opponent, while Gauff, aiming for a better run after her 2022 French Open final loss to Swiatek, begins her campaign against Russian qualifier Julia Avdeeva.
