How Did Swiatek Kick Off Her French Open Defense?

Paris, May 26 (NationPress) The reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek commenced her 2025 journey with a tenacious 6-3, 6-3 win against Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova, enhancing her remarkable unbeaten streak at Roland Garros to 22 matches.

Although Rafael Nadal isn't participating this year, his presence at Court Philippe Chatrier continues to fuel inspiration.

While the score may seem straightforward, it followed a phase of unexpected challenges for the Polish athlete. In her own words, witnessing Nadal during Sunday’s tribute ceremony reignited some of her lost passion.

“Even when he’s not competing, just him being here yesterday inspired me a lot,” Swiatek expressed after her match. “Thanks, Rafa.”

Swiatek, who aspires for her fifth crown at the French Open within just six years, entered the tournament ranked fifth globally — her lowest ranking since 2020. This is also the first time in five years that she has arrived in Paris without securing a WTA title in the initial five months of the season.

However, as she stepped onto the clay where Nadal forged his legacy, Swiatek not only found her rhythm but also her drive.

“I recognized the cameras were on Carlos Alcaraz behind me, so I needed to be courageous, but seeing Rafa emotional made me feel more deeply,” she reflected on the ceremony. “It’s wonderful for the tennis community to show their gratitude. He is a profound inspiration.”

Against world number 42 Sramkova, Swiatek faced early pressure. Her typical rapid start was hard to come by this time. She had to fight hard to maintain her opening service game and didn’t completely find her groove until she strung together the final three games of the first set.

Even then, Sramkova struck, breaking the three-time champion to kick off the second set. Yet Swiatek responded swiftly — leveling at 3-3 before breaking again and winning three consecutive games to conclude the match in one hour and 35 minutes.

This victory sets up a second-round clash against Britain's Emma Raducanu, who similarly overcame a tough three-set match earlier in the day.

Swiatek has repeatedly acknowledged Nadal as her clay-court idol, and her performance on Monday showcased his influence — resilience, patience, and intensity amid early challenges.

She even reminisced about a personal encounter at Roland Garros 2021, the year Nadal fell to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and Swiatek exited in the quarters. “I was heartbroken by his loss, and the next day, he was just sitting there after breakfast, so I asked him how he felt,” she recalled. “He was relaxed, saying, ‘Oh, it’s just a tennis match. I’ll have many more opportunities.’ I thought, what? Why am I upset if he isn’t?”