(Tennis news) Iga Swiatek who has been in top form in Paris defeated Cristina Bucsa by scores of 6-4, 6-0 to open the clay-court Major. After defeating Claire Liu by the same margin, she advanced to the third round.The Pole got a walkover against Lesia Tsurenko in the fourth round when the Ukrainian was forced to retire due to illness.
In the next round she thrashed Wang Xinyu, 6-0, 6-0. Swiatek defeated Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals 6-4, 6-2 to go to a match against Beatriz Haddad Maia in the semifinals. Haddad Maia battled hard in the second set after Swiatek’s 6-2 victory in the first. Swiatek saved a set point in the second set tiebreak and won it 7-6(7) to advance to the championship match.
Perhaps the biggest unexpected player at the 2023 French Open has been Karolina Muchova. She defeated Nadia Podoroska to get to the third round after defeating eighth seed Maria Sakkari 7-6(5), 7-5, in her opening match. To advance to the quarterfinals, Muchova defeated Elina Avanesyan 6-4, 6-3 after defeating Irina-Camelia Begu 6-3, 6-2. Aryna Sabalenka will be her opponent in the semifinals as she defeated Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5, 6-2.
The first set of the final four match was admirably won by On Saturday, Iga Swiatek, the top seed, will compete against Karolina Muchova in the French Open finalOn Saturday, Iga Swiatek, the top seed, will compete against Karolina Muchova in the French Open final but Aryna Sabalenka claimed the second. The 26-year-old defeated the opponent 7-5 after saving a match point in the third set to get to her first Grand Slam final.
Head-to-Head
Muchova currently holds a 1-0 advantage in their head-to-head matchup after defeating Swiatek 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the opening round of the 2019 Prague Open.
Predictions
The overwhelming favourite to win the match will be Swiatek, but Muchova will be feeling confident after upsetting Aryna Sabalenka in the semi finals and is capable of challenging the Pole. In her matchup with Haddad Maia, Swiatek outscored her opponent 33 to 46 on first serves. She only won 13 out of 30 points on her second serve, though, and she also committed four double faults.
Despite making 26 unforced errors, the Polish player against Haddad Maia delivered some fantastic winners. Swiatek’s aggressive play helps her exert pressure on her opponents, but she must use caution to maintain control of her shots. Swiatek’s ability to change her playing style when necessary and her ability to manoeuvre around the court should be helpful in the championship game.
In her semifinal matchup with Sabalenka, Muchova won 49 of 79 points (62.03%) on her first serve while dishing out six aces. Even better, she won 31 out of 48 points (64.6%) on her second serve. Muchova had a far higher winning total of 38 while making 27 unforced errors. Muchova will need to use every shot she has available to her in the championship match. While seeking the occasional crucial break, she will aim to dominate her service games.
To win on Saturday, Muchova will have to play her best game ever. Swiatek, though, is the clear favourite due to her current form and should be able to claim her fourth Grand Slam victory.
Iga Swiatek to win in sets 2-1
Also read: Karolina Muchova stuns Aryna Sabalenka to advance to the French Open final
