The French Open, a rigorous test of skill and endurance, has drawn to a close. Champions were crowned, newcomers emerged and underdogs made a name for themselves.
What does it all mean? What lasting impressions were etched into the fabric of the sport? In an unpredictable world of tennis, we attempt to make sense of it all.
What did Iga Swiatek’s ability to walk away as the champion in such a hard-fought battle during the French Open final demonstrate to you?
Alex Macpherson: It marked another step toward creating a versatile champion’s legacy. The challenge for the game’s greats isn’t just about winning once, but showing they can do it again, in different places and on different surfaces — and in different ways. Swiatek proved she could overwhelm quality opponents in one-sided title matches, but she had never previously dealt with being down a break in the third set of a Slam final, where she also lost a break lead in the second set. In fact, she had lost three of her previous four three-set finals. Faced with adversity and a surging Karolina Muchova, Swiatek rose to the occasion, showing she could fight as well as dominate.
Jason Juzwiak: The pressure of being a Grand Slam favorite is immense, particularly at Roland Garros, which has recently been a challenging venue for title defenses (the last woman before this year to win back-to-back in Paris was Justine Henin in 2007). Down a break twice in the final set, it seemed Swiatek might be the latest to crumble under the expectations. But the top seed demonstrated her ability to remain calm and focused at critical moments, especially in the last two games of the match, where she maintained her cool, even when facing a break point at 4-4. “Stressful moments and coming back, you know,” Swiatek said after the final. “I’m pretty happy that I could be solid in those last few games and finish it.”
French Open finals reaction
Courtney Nguyen: For the foreseeable future, Roland Garros is Iga Swiatek’s to lose. Yes, that’s hyperbolic, but her back-to-back victories in Paris were each defined with distinct forms of pressure. Last year, she was the overwhelming favorite amid a historic win streak. This year, while playing her cards close to her chest, she was contending with injury doubts and the weight of other players eyeing her No.1 ranking. She still lost just one set. It’s worth highlighting that besides her management of the third set in the final, she also had to save…