Just a couple of weeks after stressing the importance of facing the best players in the world more frequently in order to improve her own game, Emma Raducanu’s hopes were unfortunately realised. She walked on to Court Philippe-Chatrier on Wednesday afternoon for the toughest challenge in her sport.
The task of facing Iga Swiatek at the French Open, her fortress, was unsurprisingly too much for Raducanu and in the second successive grand slam tournament she was dismantled by her imperious opponent, the fifth seed, who eased into the third round at Roland Garros with a 6-1, 6-2 win.
As she chases down one of the greatest achievements in the open era of women’s tennis – an unprecedented fourth consecutive title at Roland Garros – Swiatek’s astounding record at the tournament now stands 37-2 (95%): 33 of those wins have been effortlessly earned in straight sets. After demolishing her 6-0, 6-1 in the third round of the Australian Open in January, Swiatek now holds a 5-0 record against Raducanu.
Before the match, during an interview with Tim Henman for TNT Sports, Raducanu’s ad-hoc coach Mark Petchey was asked what his charge would have to do well in order to defeat Swiatek. His answer was immediate and blunt: “Everything.”
The pressure that Swiatek places on her opponents to play past their limits was immediately evident on Raducanu’s serve as she went big at the very first moment. After missing a 180kmh first serve on the opening point, the same speed as her fastest first serve after nearly three hours on court in her first-round match, Raducanu successfully landed a 158kmh second serve. The 22-year-old confidently navigated her first service game well, immediately looking to impose herself with her forehand.
Those positive feelings did not last. On Swiatek’s serve, Raducanu took an advanced return position on both first and second serves as she particularly tried to put pressure on Swiatek’s second serve, an essential tactic for any player who wishes to hurt the Pole. In the end, even dealing with the topspin behind Swiatek’s second serve on the high-bouncing red clay was a struggle.
Although she was relatively erratic early on in tough breezy conditions, Swiatek gradually settled down and established total control of the exchanges. The 23-year-old continually forced Raducanu into defensive positions, suffocating her opponent with the weight of her heavy topspin forehand. Raducanu tried to step forward and take the ball on the rise, but Swiatek’s topspin constantly spun up high outside her strike zone and neutered her ball.
It is easy to suggest that a clear underdog should be able to swing freely and without pressure, but Swiatek has produced these dominant results against almost every single player on the tour at one time. Time and time again, she has shown that the incessant pressure she imposes on her opponents is usually enough.
Not only did she dictate the vast majority of the match from the baseline, when Raducanu tried to take control of points Swiatek soaked up Raducanu’s first strike with her supreme defence. Forced to attack as early as she can and aim closer and closer to the lines, Raducanu’s errors piled up.
As Raducanu neatly stated before the match, Swiatek makes her side of the court feel narrow due to her defensive skills and her opponents’ side feel wide thanks to her massive weapons. This was plain for all to see on another difficult afternoon for Raducanu, as the four-time French Open champion marched on.
Talking positives from such an emphatic defeat is difficult, but Raducanu’s progress over the past few months, both on clay courts and within her game in general, has been undeniable. She will return to the top 40, around No 37, and she should head to the grass court season confident in her abilities to make deep runs on one of her favourite surfaces. Still, these emphatic defeats against the best players in the world have shown how wide the gulf remains between them and the significant work Raducanu has ahead of her to narrow it.
