Iga Swiatek’s record of victories: she won Roland Garros and equaled Venus Williams

Unstoppable, Iga Swiatek has once again written her name in the great statistics of women’s tennis. The 21-year-old from Poland, world number one since early April, won her second Grand Slam title at Roland Garros by beating the American 6-1, 6-4 Coco Gauff and extended his unbeaten streak, to equal an all-time record. It is the one with the triumph in the final in Paris achieved 35 consecutive victoriesthe same figure that Venus Williams had achieved in 2000 and still is today the best brand of the 21st century on the WTA circuit.

Swiatek, who had already been crowned in the French “big” in 2020, also won his sixth consecutive title, one more than the one that the oldest Williams had added 22 years ago in that winning period, in which he raised the trophies. of Wimbledon, Stanford, San Diego, New Haven and the US Open. The American also won the gold medal in singles al Sydney Olympics.

The Pole started her winning streak in February after losing in the second round in Dubai Jelena Ostapenko. After that defeat, he took the titles of the Doha WTA 1000, Indian wells Y You love me; won two games in the Billie Jean King Cup series against Romania; and raised the trophies in the WTA 500 Stuttgart and the WTA 1000 Rome.

Thus, he landed in Paris with 28 straight wins. He extended that personal best to 31 with two-set wins against the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenkothe American Alison Risks and Montenegrin Danka Kovinic in the first three rounds.

In the round of 16 he overcame a scare against the Chinese qinwen zheng74th in the standings, who stole the first set at the tie break, ending up winning in three sets reaching the 32 wins in a row. Thus, he joined the Belgian Justine Heinwhich had achieved the same score in 2008, the third best of this century.

Swiatek then defeated the American Jessica Pegula (11th) in the quarterfinals and semifinals she won against the Russian Daria Kasatkina (20 °). Thus, he scored his 13th consecutive victory against rivals in the top 20 and reached the 34 games won continuouslyequaling the second 21st century record, set by Serena Williams in 2013, between Miami and Wimbledon.

“I feel like everything is doing this season click. The work I am doing on a physical, tennis and mental level. Last year I also worked a lot, but I was still gaining experience. Now I am using that experience to absorb everything and work right. I’m playing better with each passing game. I’m very proud of myself, “she said after beating Kasatkina.

Insatiable, the Pole went for more this Saturday in the final against Gauff, got another historic celebration and became one of the two players with the most streak since 2000, along with Venus, a living tennis legend.

That streak he shares today with the North American, winner of seven “great” singles, is also the eleventh longest in history. The top ten dates back to the 1970s and 1980s. The tenth, the next record Swiatek could aim for, is Martina Navratilova’s 41 consecutive victories in 1982. The longest of all time, her 74 straight wins, including the Czech one. two years later, between February and November 1984.

With his coronation at the Grand Slam of France, Swiatek became one too the first player to win more than five titles in the same season since 2014. That year, Serena added seven: Brisbane, Miami, Rome, Stanford, Cincinnati, the US Open and the WTA Finals. The Pole has six in this 2022.

The one born in Warsaw gave her first shot on the circuit two years ago, also on the Parisian brick dust, when, placed at the 54th step of the ranking, she declared herself champion at Roland Garros and won her first “big”.

After that title, many had predicted a bright future for him, although surely no one would have imagined the power he would become in such a short time. Talented, hardworking and charismatic, Swiatek, to whom the premature retirement of the Australian Ashley Barty It paved the way for him to number one: he took the women’s circuit by storm and has already entered his 2022 season in the great history of tennis. And he still has half the calendar to play …