Just one win separates Polish “winning machine” Iga Swiventek and rising American aspiring American Coco Gauff from the French title of Roland Garros, tennis’s second major championship, as they clashed in the final match on Saturday.
Šventek, the world No. 1 in women’s tennis, reached the second final at Roland Garros, beating Russia’s Daria Kasatkina, who finished 20th, 6-2, 6-1.
The 21-year-old Pole, who won the Roland Garros in 2020, extended her beautiful streak to 34 matches without defeat.
Shviontik aims to equalize Venus Williams’ American streak, the longest in the third millennium (35 consecutive wins), if she beats Gough in the final.
This year, Shviontik has won five titles in a row, including four in the WTA championships.
Swiontik has been dominating women’s tennis this season, especially since the sudden retirement of former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty.
After tournaments in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart and Rome, the polka is just one win away from a sixth successive crown and her chances look huge as her last defeat dates back more than a hundred days on February 16th. .
– Gou has nothing to cling to –
But there will be no competition. That’s because Gough revealed herself three years ago when she was 15 and beat Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon in 2019 to reach the round of 16.
The 18-year-old once again gained attention in January 2020 when she eliminated then-champion Naomi Osaka of Japan in the third round of the Australian Open.
Gough qualified for the final at the expense of Italy’s Martina Trevisan (world 59) after a match that lasted one hour and 28 minutes, and became the youngest American player to reach the final on clay since Belgium’s Kim Clijsters in 2001. and the youngest in a major tournament final since Russia’s Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004.
Dove’s career came to a halt last year in Paris against defending Czech Barbora Krajciková before she finally succeeded in her quest by not losing a group this year in the French capital.
After the match, she said, “I think I’m a bit in shock right now. I didn’t know how to behave after the match. I have no words”.
So Schwentek knows his rival well: “She was constantly pressured to be“ always younger ”, a person who should have a future. It must have been difficult. ” she said.
“She is consistent in her game and in her results. She gets better every year. When I see her, I usually forget that she’s 18.”
Source: El Iktisad