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Sofia Kenin and Iga Swiatek are the last women standing at a French Open tournament unlike any other, full of surprises and held in the autumnal Paris chill after it was delayed four months by the coronavirus pandemic. Australian Open champion Kenin is targeting a second Grand Slam of the season while the 19-year-old Swiatek has her sights set on becoming Poland’s first major singles champion. Sofia Kenin (USA x4) v Iga Swiatek (POL) Head-to-head: First meeting Kenin arrived at Roland Garros having suffered an embarrassing double-bagel defeat by Victoria Azarenka in Rome, her lone warm-up match on clay, a surface she used to despise. The American had never advanced as far the quarter-finals on clay before this fortnight, but now stands a win away from becoming the first woman to capture two Slams in the same season since Angelique Kerber won the Australian and US Open in 2016. “I want to make the next step. I would love to take the title,” she said. The 21-year-old is hoping her Melbourne experience will give her an edge over Swiatek, who has blasted through to the final for the loss of just 23 games. “I’ve been there, done that. I know what the emotions are getting into your first Grand Slam final. I’m hoping she’s going to be a little bit nervous,” said Kenin. Kenin’s hunger and desire ranks among the best, as does her ability to adjust and counter an opponent armed with greater power as witnessed in her victory over Petra Kvitova. A five-month shutdown of the season due to the Covid-19 outbreak threatened to check the momentum of her triumph Down Under, and Kenin admitted it was hard at first to adapt. “With the whole pandemic, things kind of got on hold,” she recounted. “I didn’t have really motivation when I knew that everything is shut down. “It took some time for me to get my motivation back. I finally got it. I feel like I’m playing the best tennis right now, as well.” Kenin has gone to three sets in four of her six matches and will need to be at her uncompromising best to subdue an opponent who has ruthlessly swept aside the competition, including top seed and favourite Simona Halep. At 19, Swiatek is the youngest player to reach the women’s French Open final since Kim Clijsters in 2001, and the second lowest-ranked (54) since computer rankings were introduced in 1975. She has matched the run of compatriot Jadwiga Jedrzejowska – the most outstanding Polish player of the interwar period – who finished runner-up at Roland Garros in 1939. Swiatek is only the second Polish woman to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era after Agnieszka Radwanska at Wimbledon in 2012. She had never previously been beyond the last 16. The latest in a line of teen stars, Swiatek is the seventh unseeded women’s finalist at Roland Garros. Of the previous six, only Jelena Ostapenko in 2017 went on to lift the trophy. “I will need to be on a different level, the higher level, even though I’m winning easily right now,” said Swiatek. “I’m going to be, like, an underdog.” Swiatek, then barely 15, beat Kenin 6-4, 7-5 in the French Open junior tournament in 2016, but like Ostapenko three years ago she goes into the final hunting her first title of any sort at tour level. Not that Swiatek, whose work with a psychologist has helped immeasurably with her laser-like focus, expects to be overawed by the occasion. “I feel like I’m ready. I also feel like I don’t have to win. I’m pretty okay with both scenarios,” said Swiatek, who was beaten Friday along with partner Nicole Melichar in the doubles semi-finals. “Of course it’s going to be sad because I would be so close if I’m going to lose. “I think if I’m going to win, it’s going to be crazy and super overwhelming for me.” Victory would make Swiatek the youngest women’s champion at Roland Garros since Monica Seles in 1992. With inputs from AFP.
French Open 2020, Iga Swiatek vs Sofia Kenin Highlights, Women's Singles Final: Swiatek wins maiden Grand Slam title
Iga Swiatek beat Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-1 to win the French Open for her maiden Grand Slam title. She went without dropping a set in the tournament.
 "French Open 2020, Iga Swiatek vs Sofia Kenin Highlights, Women's Singles Final: Swiatek wins maiden Grand Slam title")
That’s it from us folks!
It was an incredible match of tennis for the most part, and Iga Swiatek wins her first Grand Slam title without dropping a single set! Tune back in tomorrow, as king of clay Rafael Nadal takes on longtime rival Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles final! We’ll be right here, covering that match, so make sure to head on over to Firstpost.com for all the latest updates and score from that thriller of a match.
Picture perfect
That winning feeling!
Iga Swiatek speaks after her landmark victory:
I don’t know what’s going on, I’m just so happy. I’m so glad that my family was here to watch. I don’t know, it’s so overwhelming, a few years ago I’d not even played in a Grand Slam and now I’m here and I’ve won. It feels like such a short time passed between now and then. Thank you to everyone who cheered for me, it was an amazing final.
I really hope Sofia is okay, I don’t know if she’s injured badly, but she’s played so well this tournament. I don’t know, maybe there’s a chance that she would have played better if she didn’t have that injury. Mentally, I think I just wanted to be aggressive, like I have been in previous rounds. I feel like today was very stressful for me, so it was kinda hard to do so, I don’t really know what made the difference tonight. Maybe it just had to be that another underdog would win in a Grand Slam final, I mean, women’s tennis is just so crazy right now.
My father taught me how to be a professional. It’s hard to describe, but he raised me in a way that I feel confident on court. He gave me everything, I love him. It’s really hard to speak right now.
By the numbers: Set 2
Game, Set, Match and Championship: Iga Swiatek wins 6-4, 6-1!
Swiatek will serve for the match! Kenin tries valiantly to do something different by approaching the net on the first point, but she’s a bit flat-footed and Swiatek hits a passing shot beyond her reach. Kenin does manage to bag the next point though, with a powerful winner. She didn’t have to move much there. Swiatek moves up 30-15, but Kenin levels the game again with a backhand winner that’s hit down the line. She’s trying to end rallies as quick as possible. Kenin can’t make a return on the next point, and Swiatek is on championship point! She’s done it! The 19-year-old has her first Grand Slam singles title! Poland has its first Grand Slam champion! What a performance!
Iga Swiatek* 6-4, 5-1 Sofia Kenin (* denotes next server)
Sofia Kenin’s rapid movement from the first set is just about gone, and whatever’s left of it is being tested to the limit by Iga Swiatek. The Polish teenager sprays shots all over court, forcing the American to chase after them fruitlessly, and she breaks Kenin’s serve. She’s a game away from her first Grand Slam title!
Iga Swiatek 6-4, 4-1 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Two winners from Swiatek to start off her service game, one a clever drop shot and the other a rapid cross court backhand. The third point she picks up is an ace. Kenin then misses a simple forehand, and Swiatek holds serve to love. The trainer’s back out now, and it looks like they’re going to be taking off the bandages now.
Iga Swiatek* 6-4, 3-1 Sofia Kenin (* denotes next server)
Kenin’s back out, and the taping on her upper thigh looks a little thicker. She’s struggling though, she’s lost her last four service games and she loses this one as well. Swiatek seems to have the upper edge now.
Trailing 3-5 with Swiatek serving for the set, Kenin deliver a stunner on break point.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/oEAbogY3vt
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 10, 2020
Kenin’s been playing with a heavily taped-up left thigh, and that appears to be the problem area. She leaves the court to receive treatment and it appears we have a bit of a break before we resume.
Iga Swiatek 6-4, 2-1 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Swiatek gives away the first point, but is helped out hugely by Kenin, who makes back-to-back unforced errors. Swiatek wins the next two points with ease to complete the first service hold in six games. Signs of trouble for Kenin, she appears to call for a trainer.
Iga Swiatek* 6-4, 1-1 Sofia Kenin (* denotes next server)
Four breaks in a row we’ve had here. Can we get a hold now? Kenin would surely hope so. Both players start off with mistakes, as the game is levelled at 15-15. Swiatek wins the next point though, with a wonderfully placed backhand winner down the line. Double fault from Kenin at the worst possible time! Swiatek has two break points. Make that one break point, she’s hit a forehand wide. Swiatek breaks! It’s a backhand up the line that is hit from a ridiculous angle! We’re back on serve.
Iga Swiatek 6-4, 0-1 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Both players take a bit of an extended bathroom break between sets, and it’s Kenin who needed it most. Can she get that first set out of her mind and come back into this match? Yes she can! She plays some excellent tennis, covering the court with real speed to put pressure on Swiatek and get the break. This is the best possible start to the second set for the American.
By the numbers: Set 1
First Set: Iga Swiatek 6-4
Can Swiatek recover from this setback? She’s broken Kenin twice already, so it’s not inconceivable for her to do it a third time. Both players miss a shot apiece on the first two points, it’s 15-15. After seemingly appearing to be in control of a rally on the third point, Kenin hits a forehand wide, and again, she’s under pressure. Swiatek wins the next point as well, after Kenin finds the net with a backhand. Two set points for Swiatek here! Can she use them? Yes she can! Sofia Kenin hits wide and Swiatek takes the opening set!
Iga Swiatek 5-4 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Swiatek serves for the first set, and she wins the first point of the game with a delightful serve and forehand combo. The second point goes to Kenin though, Swiatek tries a lob but it’s long. Swiatek then double faults and Kenin has the momentum in the game. Not for long though, Swiatek puts some serious backspin on a forehand and it’s got too much pace for Sofia Kenin. Another missed backhand from Kenin after an ingenious passage of play in which Swiatek tried a variety of shots. Swiatek has set point. Oh lord, she’s missed a simple backhand! It’s deuce!
Advantage Kenin, a desperate lob from Swiatek flies straight up into the air and comes down inches outside the doubles line. Brilliant return of serve from Sofia Kenin, she breaks back and we’re back on serve!
Iga Swiatek* 5-3 Sofia Kenin (* denotes next server)
Swiatek is absolutely leaking unforced errors here. Two of them on the first two points make it 30-0 to Kenin in the American’s service game.Kenin makes a mistake of her own though, it’s 30-15 now. Another forehand flies wide from Kenin, it’s 30-30! Interesting, can Swiatek make the most of this? No, she can’t, she tries to place a backhand on the line, but it’s wide. Deuce now, Swiatek takes the point after a big rally. It’s becoming a bit of a trend in the game.
Advantage Kenin, Swiatek makes an error, but the Polish teenager makes up for it in the very next point with a lovely volley from close range that drops dead right in front of the net. Kenin then makes a double fault to give Swiatek advantage. Can she break? Nope, not yet! Another long rally ends with a Kenin forehand winner that’s hit fast across court. Deuce again. Kenin misses a backhand, advantage Swiantek, but we’re right back on serve thanks to some great serving from the American. Kenin changes it up a little, hits a high, loopy ball towards Swiatek, which Swiatek hits wide. Advantage Kenin, but not for long, she makes a mistake of her own and isn’t able to clear the net with her backhand. Swiatek advantage, that was a blistering forehand winner! A missed backhand from Kenin, and Swiatek breaks! That game was 9 minutes and 14 seconds long!
Iga Swiatek 4-3 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Decent rally on the first point, but it ends with a missed shot from Kenin. She makes up for it with a gorgeous running cross-court forehand winner though! 15-15. Swiatek makes it 30-15 after an excellent rally, she was in a lot of trouble there, but managed to wrest control of the rally and hit a winner. Another double fault for the Polish teenager, it’s 30-30. Swiatek wins the next point with a drop shot, it wasn’t exactly the best of shots, but it had enough on it to wrong foot Kenin. Deuce now, it’s yet another unforced error by Swiatek.
Advantage Swiantek, her forehand winner sweeps the line, that was bang on the money. Kenin makes it deuce again, her dropshot is absolutely dripping with backspin, and it moves out of a scampering Swiatek’s reach after bouncing. Swiatek responds with an equally deft dropshot to get advantage. It would be huge if she could hold here. And she does! Kenin tries to bludgeon a forehand into the open court, but it’s long by a foot or so.
Iga Swiatek* 3-3 Sofia Kenin (* denotes next server)
Sofia Kenin gets a bit of luck herself, as Swiatek’s return clips the net and falls back onto her side. A missed shot apiece from either player, and its 30-15. Kenin serves wide, and Swiatek can’t return, her shot is wide. 40-15! And now Kenin misses a backhand, that one was way way wide! Swiatek can’t capitalise on the lapse in concentration though, she fluffs her lines, makes an unforced error and levels the sett at 3-3.
Iga Swiatek 3-2 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Kenin gets another rare point on Swiatek’s serve after the Polish teenager hits a forehand long. Kenin then makes the exact same mistakre, and it’s 15-15. 15-30 to Kenin, she times her return to perfection and it’s a cross-court backhand winner. Swiatek hits another straightforward shot long, and Kenin now has two break points! Oh lord, that’s a double fault from Swiatek, the nerves took a while to show up, but show up they did. Her lead in this match is gone, we’re back on serve.
Iga Swiatek* 3-1 Sofia Kenin (* denotes next server)
Can Sofia Kenin hold serve second time of asking? She wins the first point, her lob sat up nicely for Swiatek, but in the Polish teenager’s attempt to hit clean through the ball, she ends up overcooking her shot and hitting it long. Kenin makes an unforced error and levels the game at 15-15, but an ace and a mistake from Swiatek see Kenin go to game point. Slight scare for the American, as Swiatek wins the next point, but she manages to hold.
Iga Swiatek 3-0 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Excellent drop shot from Swiatek, there’s absolutely no sign of nerves here from the 19-year-old. 15-0. Make that 30-0, Kenin can’t return her serve on the next point. Swiatek unleashes a rapid serve down the T, and Kenin can’t reach it in time. Her return flies wide of the doubles line. Finally, a first point for Kenin on Swiatek’s serve, that was a great return down the line. She can’t do the same with the next one though, her return hits the net. Swiatek is up three games in just about 8 minutes.
Iga Swiatek* 2-0 Sofia Kenin (* denotes next server)
What’s Kenin got in her locker? Her serve isn’t the biggest, but she’ll need it to work for her tonight. It does on the first point, she serves out wide and Swiatek’s return hits the net. Swiatek makes it 15-15 though, with an inch perfect winner hit deep into Kenin’s backhand side of the court. Swiatek then pushes Kenin wide, and Kenin’s stretching forehand lob lands wide of the court. Kenin makes it 30-30 when Swiatek miscues a return, but Swiatek then take breakpoint after making Kenin chase down a ball unsuccessfully. Swiatek then breaks after a long rally ends with an overhit forehand from Kenin.
Iga Swiatek 1-0 Sofia Kenin* (* denotes next server)
Aaaaaand we’re underway! Swiatek gets us started with the serve! She misses her first-serve on the first point, but the second has more than enough juice to win her the point. Kenin can’t make the return on the second point either, Swiantek is up 30-0. Huge slice of luck for Swiatek on the third point, her forehand clips the top of the net and drops dead before Kenin can reach it. A forehand winner wraps up a very very comfortable love service game for Swiatek.
Alfie Hewett adds to his doubles trophy with a win in the singles final!
A second Roland-Garros title for @alfiehewett6 🙌
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) October 10, 2020
He defeats Gerard 6-4 4-6 6-3 in a match lasting two and a half hours. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/NbsmY5A2b5
Today’s a great day for the future of women’s tennis!
21-year-old Kenin and 19-year-old Swiatek comprise the first Grand Slam final between 21-and-under players since the 2008 Australian Open, where 20-year-old Maria Sharapova defeated 20-year-old Ana Ivanovic, and the first such Roland Garros final since 2003, where 21-year-old Justine Henin won her first major over 20-year-old Kim Clijsters. Swiatek is the first player born in 2001 or later to reach a Grand Slam final.
Kenin’s path to the final has been considerably rougher than her opponent’s
Sofia Kenin hopes to solve Iga Swiatek ‘problem’ for second Grand Slam title
Form is a crucial factor when assessing predictions for any sport. We look at performance at most recent tournaments to gauge how well a certain player/team could do. There are other factors, definitely, but momentum is a key aspect for players in gaining confidence and for the outside world in predictions.
And yet it doesn’t explain Sofia Kenin in Grand Slams this year. She entered 2020 with an 11-11 record at Majors, with her best finish being a fourth round appearance at the French Open in 2019 (where she beat Serena Williams). At the start of the year, she made the second round in Brisbane and Adelaide before moving to Melbourne. There she went past Ashleigh Barty and Garbine Muguruza to lift the title.
Coming into French Open, after the short turnaround from the US Open, she only played in Rome. In the first match, she went up against Victoria Azarenka and was completely swept aside: losing 0-6, 0-6.
Click **here** to check out the rest of Tanuj Lakhina’s preview of the match.
Iga Swiatek hasn’t yet dropped a set in this tournament, despite having come up against No 1 seeded Simona Halep!
Iga Swiatek and Sofia Kenin have never met as professionals, but they have crossed paths as juniors
They last time they played against one another was in the French Open junior tournament’s third round in 2016. Swiatek, who turned 15 that week and was a qualifier, playing her first junior Grand Slam, beat the No10 seed Kenin 6-4, 7-5. “We played juniors in the French Open. It was a close match,” said Kenin during an on-court interview after her semi-final win.
Hello and welcome to Firstpost.com’s coverage of the French Open women’s singles final!
Sofia Kenin, a 21-year-old from Florida, and Iga Swiatek, a 19-year-old from Poland, will face each other in the French Open 2020 women’s final. Kenin is seeded No 4 and is seeking a second Grand Slam title of the season after winning the Australian Open in February. Swiatek is ranked No 54, the lowest spot for a finalist at Roland Garros since the WTA computer rankings were introduced in 1975. Despite the discrepancies in ranking, both players have been on song in this tournament, and tonight’s match should make for an entertaining watch! Stay tuned as we bring you all the latest updates, score and much more.
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