Svitek became the youngest woman after Serena to win four Grand Slam titles with the victory in France

Iga Świątek suddenly seemed to lose the final of the French Open. His shots were wrong. His faith was destroyed. His great early leadership is also gone.

He asked his coach and sports psychologist for advice and was looking at the stands.

After losing to Karolina Muchova on Saturday night, she missed a lot of things, up to two games.

And then, when he needed it most, Schwitek became Schwitek again.

Number one player in women’s tennis for more than a year. The reigning champion at Roland Garros. Aggressive. Decisive. Full of clarity.

Svitek overcame a second-set crisis and a third-set deficit in the last three games to defeat Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 to claim his third career French Open title and fourth Grand Slam title.

“It’s very surreal, everything. But the match was very intense, there were a lot of ups and downs. Stressful moments and comebacks,” said Schwitek, who is now 4-0 in major finals.

“So I’m really happy to be strong in the last few games and finish it off.”

Looking comfortable early on, she raced to a 3-0 lead after just 10 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier – winning 12 of the opening 15 points – then went 3-0 ahead of de Muchova in the second set. made things more interesting.

“I saw him struggle a little bit and tense up a little bit,” Muchova said.

Świątek couldn’t seem to find the right strokes and couldn’t understand why. Players are allowed to talk to their coaches, but Tomasz Wiktorovski or sports psychologist Darja Abramovic may have wanted to tell Švitek that the message was either missing or not working right away.

“Obviously in the second set I was looking for some advice,” Schwitek said.

“And sometimes the attitude that I’m doing something wrong.”

Muchova won five out of six games to the set figure. He carried this momentum into the deciding set by taking a two-break lead.

“I survived a little bit,” Muchova said.

At that point, however, Schwitek returned to her usual crisp, clean brand of tennis, turning the red clay around with superb defense to seal the winner.

“I feel like I have to be brave and make a good decision,” Schwitek said.

After Muchova’s double fault, Schwitek dropped her racket, bent over and covered her face as she cried.

The 22-year-old from Poland has won the French Open twice in a row, including the 2020 title and the US Open last September.

That makes Switek the youngest woman to win four Grand Slam titles since Serena Williams was 20 at the 2002 US Open.

“When it’s rolling, it’s hard to get in,” said the 43rd-ranked Muchova, who was playing her first Slam singles match.

The competition was filled with sections where Schwitek, the dominant player in women’s tennis for more than a year, was better and sections where Muchova was.

Every time neither woman seemed to be watching, one or the other raised their level, and finally the path veered off in another direction.

Świątek’s brilliant start was short lived.

Like Muchova’s 2-0 and 4-3 edges in the third set.

One point revealed the essence of Muchova’s reluctance to count herself.

Leading 6-5 for the second set, Muchova pushed to the net and served well to her right for a forehand.

Świątek then sent it to the left, and Muchova somehow slipped, lost her balance and reached for the backhand. His racket dropped and he braced himself with a hand on the clay.