Iga Swiatek’s Grand Slam opening-round record hits new heights after French Open win
Iga Swiatek made it 22 wins in a row at the French Open with a comfortable opening-round victory over Rebecca Sramkova on Monday.
Fifth seed Swiatek is under some pressure at Roland Garros this fortnight, with the Pole having not won a title since lifting the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen in Paris twelve months ago.
However, the 23-year-old produced a solid display to kickstart her quest for a fourth straight title at the tournament, rallying from a break down in the second set to seal a 6-3, 6-3 victory.
This is Swiatek’s 25th appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam, and it is the 24th time that Swiatek has made it to the second round of a major.
The only time Swiatek has lost in the opening round of a major was to Viktorija Golubic at Wimbledon in 2019, with the Pole holding a 24-1 record overall.
Across the Open Era, only five women have recorded a better record in their first 25 Grand Slam round one matches than Swiatek – with the five women to record a perfect 25-0 record all tennis icons.
Billie Jean King
One of the most iconic figures in tennis history, King won eight of her 12 singles majors following the birth of the Open Era.
The American also won her opening-round match in her first 29 Grand Slam appearances in the professional age before tasting defeat to Susan Mascarin in the first round of the 1982 US Open.
Chris Evert
Former world No 1 Evert won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, and her 34 Grand Slam singles finals remain a record among women in the Open Era.
The American played in 56 major tournaments and never once lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam, with third-round losses at 1983 Wimbledon and the 1988 French Open her earliest defeats.
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Evonne Goolagong
Much like Evert, Australian tennis great and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Goolagong ultimately never tasted defeat in a Grand Slam round-one match.
She contested 33 Grand Slam tournaments in the Open Era and never lost once in round one, with a total of 18 Grand Slam finals to her name overall.
Monica Seles
A nine-time Grand Slam singles champion and world No 1 for 178 weeks, tennis icon Seles is among the most dominant players in tennis history.
Seles won 39 straight Grand Slam round-one contests until she was beaten by Nadia Petrova at the 2003 French Open, in what proved to be the final match of her career.
Serena Williams
No woman in the Open Era can match Williams’ 23 Grand Slam singles titles, so it comes as no surprise to see the American complete this countdown.
The American held a perfect 46-0 record in round-one contests until a stunning defeat to Virginie Razzano at the 2012 French Open, ending her career with a 78-3 record in such matches.
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