‘ Dream come true’ for teenager Swiatek on reaching French final
TWO of the biggest young talents in women’s tennis will clash for the French Open title on Saturday when Sofia Kenin takes on Iga Swiatek.
Australian Open champion Kenin has the chance to claim her second grand slam title of the year after beating Petra Kvitova 6- 4 7- 5 while Swiatek continued a brilliant breakthrough tournament by racing past surprise package Nadia Podoroska 6- 2 6- 1.
The 19- year- old Pole has lost just 23 games in six matches and, after swatting aside top seed Simona Halep in the fourth round, has also handled the mantle of favourite with aplomb.
Swiatek travels with a psychologist and said: “I’m dealing with my nerves pretty good. I feel like I’ve been so efficient and so focused for whole matches that I put a lot of pressure on my opponents.
I’m not even nervous in second sets because I know it’s going to probably go my way.
“It’s easy to say that you’re not going to think that you’re playing a semi- final, but it is somewhere in the back of your head. The thing is you don’t have to focus on that thought, you just have to let it go and focus on the things that are really making a difference, like technique or tactics.
“On one hand I know that I can play great tennis. On the other hand, it’s kind of surprising for me. I never would have thought that I’m going to be in the final. It’s crazy. I just kept believing in myself. It’s like a dream come true.”
Whoever wins on Saturday will continue a series of grand slam victories for young players, with Halep the only player over the age of 23 among the winners of the last seven titles.
Indeed, Swiatek and Kenin’s only previous meeting came in the junior event at Roland Garros four years ago, when the Pole won in two tight sets.
Kenin said: “I remember I lost. I don’t remember how I played.”