1 week ago Swiatek was bestowed the rubric of 'Queen of Clay' connected her mode to the uncommon feat of winning 3 consecutive Roland Garros titles betwixt 2022 and 2024.
But, aft losing successful the semi-finals past year, the 4th effect was beaten by Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk successful the 4th round.
Poland's Swiatek, whose decision came connected her 25th birthday, remains successful a situation of confidence.
When Kostyuk started to enactment her nether pressure, and the scoreline swung away, a panicking Swiatek started buckling connected service and returning wildly.
"I cognize that I mislaid due to the fact that I was tense, and my assemblage couldn't truly bash the due things," she said. "But it's not the archetypal time, arsenic well, truthful I conscionable request to enactment connected it."
While Swiatek allowed Kostyuk to tally distant with victory, the 23-year-old Ukrainian should not beryllium done a disservice.
Kostyuk, who won the Rouen and Madrid titles coming in, played confidently and smartly to proceed to inquire questions of Swiatek from the baseline.
"Things alteration successful tennis, but I'm overmuch much consistent. I'm the astir accordant I person ever been successful my career," said the 15th seed, who has won each 16 of her clay-court matches this season.
Kostyuk inactive feels she has a "long way" to spell to ace the apical 5 oregon apical 10.
English (US)·