The Japan Times - Swiatek 'aware' long winning run could end at French Open

The 20-year-old has won the last five tournaments she has entered, triumphing on clay in Stuttgart and Rome, and arrives in Paris as the overwhelming favourite for the title.

"I'm aware that this streak is something that may be coming to an end soon, so I don't want to be like heartbroken when it's going to happen," said Swiatek.

"I think being aware of that is pretty healthy."

"I haven't played a Grand Slam since the streak started. So I guess we're going to see if everything I have been doing before is going to be enough. But I have really positive thoughts," she added.

Swiatek became Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion when she won at Roland Garros in 2020, a tournament that was delayed until September-October because of the pandemic.

Her title defence ended in a quarter-final defeat by Greece's Maria Sakkari last year, but she returns with more belief and self-assuredness after filling the vacuum left by the shock retirement of Ashleigh Barty.

"I'm more relaxed," said Swiatek, who made the last four of the Australian Open in January.

"I proved to myself and to other people that I can be in the top of the game, and before I wasn't feeling that much confidence, so this year I feel much more peace."

- 'World has changed' -

Swiatek replaced Barty at the top of the rankings at the start of April. She hasn't lost since February and her winning run is the longest on the WTA tour since Serena Williams won 34 matches in a row in 2013.

"The world has changed, for sure," she said. "I feel like with my new ranking, people around are treating me a little bit differently.

"But I feel like I'm staying the same player and the same person. Still I feel like there is a lot to improve, so I think these are the main keys that this is my base that I'm leaning on."

Swiatek is looking forward to getting out and about more in the City of Light with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions that limited attendance at Roland Garros the past two years.

"I feel like it's been easier for me not to think about matches, because also, there are many things we can do like go sightseeing, even go on a walk," she said.

"Last year with the bubbles it was pretty hard, and it was kind of normal that we are all thinking about tennis because that was the only thing that we did."

A first-time women's champion has been crowned in each of the past six French Opens, and Swiatek is trying not to place too much pressure on herself as she aims to buck that recent trend.

"I'm just going to again take it match by match, as I did on previous tournaments, and we'll see," she said.

"I don't mind, because I already have so much points and I'm pretty happy with the last tournaments that I think this season is already a success for me."

H.Hayashi--JT