Paris, (Samajweekly) Polish teenager Iga Swiatek (19) completed her incredible run at the French Open on Saturday by winning the title after brushing aside American Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-1 in the final.
At 19, she is the youngest to win the clay court Grand Slam since 12-time men’s singles champion Rafael Nadal won his first title in 2005, also at the age of 19.
Swiatek is the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam title and the lowest ranked player to ever win at Roland Garros.
“It’s crazy for me because I was watching every year how Rafa lifts the trophy… So it’s crazy that I’m in the same place. I want to thank all the fans and the people who are watching in Poland. I know it’s pretty crazy back home,” she said in her speech after the final against Australian Open champion Kenin.
Ranked 54th, Swiatek became the lowest ranked French Open winner and is the first woman since Justin Henin in 2007 to win the clay court Grand Slam without losing a set.
“I’m so happy and glad that my family was here finally. I don’t know, it’s just overwhelming for me. Two years ago, I won the junior Grand Slam (at Roland-Garros) and now I’m here,” Swiatek said.
“It feels like such a short time. I’m just overwhelmed. Thanks for cheering, it was such an amazing final. I was just mentally consistent, and just wanted to play as aggressively as in the previous rounds. Today it was really stressful for me, so it was kind of hard. Maybe it had to be that another underdog had to win a Grand Slam in women’s tennis right now,” she signed off.
