Champions Corner: The Swiatek mantra -- serve, win, trophy, repeat

Iga Swiatek
In fact, only two other players in the Top 20 have won more than 10: Aryna Sabalenka
To assess and appreciate the sheer number of Swiatek's achievements and the breakneck pace at which she's achieving them, we have to look to the past and measure her against the game's greats. Here are just a few of the eye-opening numbers:
- The first player since Serena Williams to win three consecutive titles at a single Slam
- She lost the fewest games in the second week of a Slam since Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova
- She joined Monica Seles as the only player in the Open Era to win her first five Grand Slam finals.
Want more? Swiatek's penchant for quick wins and 6-0 and 6-1 sets went from being a playful internet meme to national storylines.
"I never played a player that has this intensity before in my life," Jasmine Paolini
"I think to play her here, it's something different. She won already four titles, and she's still [23] years old. These numbers are not, let's say, normal. [They] are something unbelievable."
RG Ballos 🫶 @iga_swiatek #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/NT4Vs2pjjJ
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 8, 2024
And as much as her runaway wins are her hallmark, Swiatek also proved her battle-tested resilience time and time again. Yes, she's the only woman other than Williams to sweep Madrid, Rome and Roland Garros in a single season. But she also came from match point down in two of those title runs, overcoming a pair of career-best performances from Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka
Those grand escapes have done just as much to bolster her reputation as a competitor than any breezy victory. With every physical victory, she's winning the mental game.
"I'll always try my best no matter what the score is," Swiatek said. "Sometimes it's going to add up like that. Sometimes I'm gonna lose. But when you're trying your best, it's always the best solution, because you have no regrets, and you can turn tournaments into something like that."
As she said those words, she pointed to the sparkling Coupe Suzanne Lenglen she had won … once again.
🏆🏆🏆🏆
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) June 8, 2024
This.was.something.else. pic.twitter.com/CyQKtGkjKW
Here's more from Paris as the year's second Grand Slam event came to a close.
Honor Roll
Jasmine Paolini
After making the fourth round at the Australian Open and winning the WTA 1000 Dubai title this year, Paolini remains a heavy contender for a spot at the year-end WTA Finals and will rise to a career-high placement of World No.7 (her Top 10 debut) in Monday's PIF WTA Rankings.
"I don't know which one is my next dream," Paolini said after the final. "But I'm enjoying the moment, I'm in the present, and I think it's nice to discover step by step."
A couple of losses at the end, but so many wins throughout these weeks in Paris. I had such a blast! Looking forward to coming back soon! Thank you!!😀 pic.twitter.com/tLWz8MOZyB
— Jasmine Paolini (@JasminePaolini) June 9, 2024
Mirra Andreeva
In only her fifth Grand Slam event, Andreeva became the youngest Grand Slam semifinalist since 1997, when Martina Hingis was storming through the tour at age 16. The statistics go on from there.
"[If] somebody would tell me in the beginning of the week, 'Well, you will be playing semifinals here,' I [would be] like, 'What? Stop joking," Andreeva said after her run ended. "That was something I didn't really expect, but I was just playing out there, trying my best."
Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff
"I think it's just one of those things that when you least expect it to happen, it happens," Gauff said after the doubles final. "I think it's funny how life teaches you those lessons that sometimes it's better just to be relaxed and the good things will happen."
Racking up majors is nothing new for Siniakova, who won her third Roland Garros doubles title and her eighth Grand Slam doubles title overall.
"This is my song" 🤣💃#RolandGarros @CocoGauff @K_Siniakova pic.twitter.com/CrC7c8xNhf
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 9, 2024
Laura Siegemund
Tereza Valentova
Naomi Osaka
From the Camera Roll
Alizé Cornet received a send-off on Court Philippe Chatrier after the French veteran ended her professional career this fortnight.
Elina Svitolina
Qualifier Olga Danilovic
Notable Numbers
3: Iga Swiatek
5: Swiatek is the second women’s player in the Open Era to go 5-0 in her first five Grand Slam singles finals. Monica Seles won her first six Grand Slam singles finals between 1990 and 1992.
2 - Since the WTA-1000 format’s introduction in 2009, Iga Swiatek
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) June 8, 2024View Profile is only the second player to claim tournament victory at Madrid Open, Italian Open and Roland Garros in a calendar year after Serena Williams (2013). Warrior. #rolandgarros | @rolandgarros @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/1A1u9eUq6C
15: With Swiatek saving match point in the second round against Naomi Osaka
17: With her quarterfinal upset of No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka
Hot Shot
At the end of another lengthy rally, Mirra Andreeva
✨ Mirra's Moment ✨#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/n7F5m4koGO
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 3, 2024
Next Up
Grass-court fans, your moment has come, as five weeks on the surface begins with two WTA 250 events starting Monday.
Grass season: Tournament schedule, entry lists and what you need to know
The 26th edition of the Libema Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands features World No.5 Jessica Pegula
And at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham, Great Britain, World No.8 Ons Jabeur