When Ashleigh Barty of Australia shocked the tennis world with her sudden retirement earlier this year, many had every reason to wonder who would be the game’s new superstar. Well folks, we have our answer. The year that Poland’s Iga Swiatek has put together, has clearly made her the world number one.
In 2022, Swiatek has put together a sensational 34-match winning streak. On Thursday in the semifinals of the French Open, Swiatek steamrolled past 20th ranked Daria Kasatkina of Russia, 6-2, 6-1 in the first of two final four matches on the ladies side.
Swiatek now has the second longest winning streak in women’s tennis since 2000. The longest women’s winning streak in the last 22 years belongs to Venus Williams, who had a 35 match winning streak in 2000. The longest women’s winning streak in tennis belongs to Martina Navratilova, who had a stunning 74 match winning streak in 1984.
In her semifinal win, Swiatek was simply not tested. Kasatkina stayed behind the baseline and allowed Swiatek to dominate. After the first four games were split, Swiatek won 10 of the last 11 games.
Swiatek, who won the 2020 French Open, has only lost twice in 2021. She was beaten by Danielle Collins 6-4, 6-1 in the semifinals of the Australian Open, and then 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 to 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia in the second round of Dubai in February. Since then Swiatek has won Qatar, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart and the Italian Open.
Now Swiatek is one win away from a streak of six straight tournament title victories. Swiatek’s opponent in Saturday’s final will be Coco Gauff, the 18th seed, from the United States. In the other semi-final, Gauff defeated unseeded Italian Martina Trevisan 6-3, 6-1. Swiatek has beaten Gauff twice in the past, with her wins coming in the semifinals of the 2021 Italian Open and fourth round of the 2022 Miami Open.
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