Iga Swiatek favourite to tighten grip at Roland Garros with fourth title

NEW DELHI: Iga Swiatek's dominance at the French Open has been unparalleled in recent years, with the Polish star aiming for her fourth title in five years as she faces Jasmine Paolini in Saturday's final.
Swiatek's path to the final has been nearly flawless, with only a close call against Naomi Osaka in the second round, where she saved a match point to advance.
The top seed's all-court game has been too much for her opponents to handle, and 12th seed Paolini will need to produce an exceptional performance to prevent Swiatek from claiming her third consecutive French Open trophy.
Swiatek's current streak at Roland Garros stands at an impressive 20 matches, dating back to her maiden Grand Slam victory in Paris four years ago.
Having already secured titles in Madrid and Rome this season, Swiatek is on the verge of extending her winning streak on clay to 19 matches.
Her remarkable consistency and prowess on the surface have led fans and analysts to draw comparisons with Rafael Nadal, the 14-time French Open champion, suggesting that Swiatek is well on her way to becoming a claycourt legend in her own right.
"We'll see in 14 years if the journey is similar," four-times Grand Slam champion Swiatek told reporters after thumping third seed Coco Gauff in the semi-finals on Thursday.
"That's obviously really nice. I'd never expect anybody to compare me to Rafa because for me he's above everybody, and he's a total legend.
"We'll see... but I'm proud of myself that I'm playing consistently here and that I'm mentioned in the same sentence as Rafa. That's cool."
ELITE COMPANY
Swiatek's victory in the semi-final secured her a remarkable achievement, joining a select group of players who have reached three consecutive French Open finals since the turn of the millennium. This exclusive club includes Justine Henin (2005-07) and Maria Sharapova (2012-14).
Despite her young age of 23, Swiatek has already established herself as one of the most promising talents in the Open era. She stands as the second-youngest player to reach four championship matches, surpassed only by the legendary Steffi Graf, who accomplished this feat in 1990.
"After the tournament it usually hits me what I achieved, but during it, I feel like I just need to play another match," said Swiatek.
"Sometimes, it's hard not to see what's at stake and what the atmosphere is around these matches. I'm not used to it. It's not the routine. On the other hand, when I'm focused on work, I can make it a routine because that's easier to do."
Facing the tall task of toppling Swiatek at her favourite hunting ground is Paolini, the diminutive Italian with Polish roots who is in the midst of her most impressive season and eyeing a maiden Grand Slam trophy.
The tenacious 28-year-old has enjoyed a favourable draw in Paris but showed she could pack a punch when needed by stunning fourth seed Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals before beating 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva in the semi-finals.
"Iga is an unbelievable player. So young, but so many achievements and Grand Slams," Dubai champion Paolini said.
"She's doing well week by week and that's not easy. So I have huge respect for her but my goal is to step onto the court on Saturday and try to enjoy the match, enjoy that moment and try to play a good match."
With Jannik Sinner assured of the men's top ranking next week, Paolini will look to add the icing on the cake in what has already been a hugely successful tournament for Italy.
(With Reuters inputs)