On a hot, windy day at the 2023 French Open, women’s world number-one Iga Swiatek—who turned 22 during the tournament—took on the unseeded Karolína Muchová, of the Czech Republic, in a thrilling three-set match, winning 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. Swiatek, of Poland, was the top-seeded player at Roland-Garros, eyeing her third win there and her fourth Grand Slam title overall. And indeed, she was on a fiery streak going into today’s final, having won in straight sets for the last few weeks—and at all of her prior appearances in finals.
Her big win in Paris today made Swiatek the first woman player to take two consecutive titles at the French since Justine Henin did it in 2006 and 2007, and only the fifth woman in the Open era to win three. (With her seven, Chris Evert still holds the record for women’s wins at Roland-Garros.) Swiatek is now also the youngest woman to win four career major titles since Serena Williams did it at 20, 21 years ago.
Swiatek’s 26-year-old opponent Muchová, however—the world number-43—played some exceptional tennis at her maiden Grand Slam final. On an astonishing 5-0 winning streak against top-three players going into this match (her semifinal victory against world number-two Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday was a highlight of the week), Muchová, who left Roland-Garros in tears last year after suffering an ankle injury, forced Swiatek to her first third set in a major final.
Swiatek had gotten things off to a strong, swift start, breaking Muchová in her first service game of the match for a 2-0 advantage and holding to reach 3-0. Swiatek ultimately took the first set 6-2. In the second, she broke Muchová’s first service game yet again, claiming another 3-0 lead. (By about this point in the match, Swiatek had six unforced errors to Muchová’s 20.) Yet after her first break, Muchová tied the set at 3-3.
Swiatek held her next game before the tables began to turn. With her powerful forehand and fearlessness at the net, Muchová dialed up the intensity in the second set’s back half, prompting Swiatek to lose her characteristic cool and do a bit of yelling at her box as Muchová broke her in three straight games. Swiatek seemed shaken, to say the least, when she finally lost her first set of the tournament, a doozy at 68 tense minutes.
At its start the third set was tough for the Pole, as Muchová earned an early break. Yet Swiatek soon took that break away to tie the set at 2-2, enjoying an easy service game (including her first ace of the match) directly thereafter. A pattern of holds and breaks would follow until the set was once again tied at 4-4. But after a scary break point in the ninth game, Swiatek held—and, after a double fault from Muchová in the match’s final game, she clinched the championship point. Swiatek covered her face as she burst into happy sobs, dropping to the orange clay.
After being handed their trophies by Evert, each player took the stand to say a few words. “It’s been an amazing three weeks in Paris for me and my team,” an emotional Muchová told the crowd. (Respected—and beloved—as Swiatek has become on the tour, many in the stands were rooting hard for the Czech underdog.) “This [match] was so close but yet so far—that’s what happens when you play one of the best.”
In her own remarks, Swiatek complimented Muchová and her “variety on court,” charmingly apologized to her team for being “such a pain in the butt,” and graciously thanked all of the organizers behind the scenes at the French Open. “I really love being here,” she said, “and basically it’s my favorite place on tour.” With three wins under her belt, no kidding!
Stay tuned for the men’s final tomorrow, where Novak Djokovic will vie for a historic 23rd Grand Slam title. Across the net from him? Casper Ruud, the Norwegian world number-four.
