French Open: Iga Swiatek reaches third round; likely to run into Ostapenko next
Paris, May 27
Four-time former winner Iga Swiatek moved into the women's singles third round at the French Open on Wednesday. with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Sara Bejlek in a match in which she held the upper hand throughout.
Swiatek overcame an uneven serving performance and 38 unforced errors to beat Bejlek and move to the third round, setting up a possible meeting against Jelena Ostapenko.
In their second round clash, the first set alone lasted 46 minutes. The No. 3-seeded Swiatek was broken twice. The former World No.1, who won the French Open in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024, landed just 37 percent of her first serves.
In the second set, the opening game dragged close to 10 minutes by itself, and by the time Swiatek finally held for 1-0, the pair had already crossed the one-hour mark.
In the end, though, Swiatek still found more than enough answers. It was hardly spotless -- she finished with 38 unforced errors against 17 winners -- but she also broke the No. 35-ranked Bejlek seven times and won eight of 11 points at the net in the 1-hour, 31-minute victory.
The 24-year-old from Poland has now reached the third round at all 24 Grand Slam events played this decade. In the Open Era, only Novak Djokovic produced a longer streak to start a decade, reaching the third round at the first 25 majors of the 2010s.
Swiatek is scheduled to face either fellow Polish player Magda Linette or Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 Roland Garros champion.
And while Ostapenko's breakthrough title came in Paris nearly a decade ago, the number more recently attached to this potential matchup is the head-to-head record: She is 6-0 against Swiatek, including a clay-court win in Stuttgart last year.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Honestly, 38 unforced errors from Swiatek is not ideal. Yes, she won, but against a top player like Ostapenko, those errors will cost her dearly. As an Indian tennis fan, I've seen our players struggle with similar issues (remember Sania's early days?). Consistency is key. Let's see if she can tighten up. 🤔
That stat about Swiatek reaching the third round in every Grand Slam this decade is incredible! Only Djokovic has done better. It's like the Indian cricket team's consistency in World Cup knockouts—almost always there. But the real test is Ostapenko. Have a feeling Swiatek will break the jinx this time; she's matured a lot. 👍
I'm not convinced Swiatek is playing her best tennis. 17 winners vs 38 unforced errors is a red flag. But the heart she shows—fighting through breaks and long games—is champion stuff. Reminds me of how Mahesh Bhupathi used to grind through tough matches. Ostapenko will be a different beast altogether. 😬
Swiatek's record on clay is phenomenal—four French Opens already! But let's not forget Ostapenko's win here in 2017. That head-to-head is brutal. As an Indian, I know how crowd support can lift a player (think of our home games). Paris crowd loves Swiatek, but can that offset a 0-6 record? I think it's time for a new chapter. 🙌
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