Iga Swiatek: The tennis legends world No 1 can emulate and overtake with French Open triumph

Iga Swiatek wins 2022 French Open
Iga Swiatek with the Roland Garros trophy.

Iga Swiatek heads into the French Open as one of the biggest favourites to win in recent times.

Triumphs in Madrid and Rome – and further WTA 1000 wins in Indian Wells and Doha – have cemented her as the dominant force in the women’s game, and it is hard to see how she can be stopped in Paris.

Should she prevail again, Swiatek would create further history – and not only emulate some tennis greats but also move ahead of others.

We look at what is on the line for the Pole.

Four Roland Garros crowns

Having previously claimed the title in 2020, 2022, and 2023, a triumph in Paris this year would be a fourth Roland Garros victory for Swiatek.

That would see her move ahead of Serena Williams, Monica Seles, Margaret Court, and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, who all won three French Open titles in the Open Era.

A fourth title would also see her move level with Justine Henin’s four victories at Roland Garros, with the Belgian currently having won more titles at the event than any other woman this century.

Should she achieve that, only Chris Evert and Steffi Graf would have won more women’s singles titles at the tournament than Swiatek in the Open Era.

Read More: Iga Swiatek’s clay movement ‘up there with Steffi Graf’ and has ‘Monica Seles-like concentration levels’

French Open ‘threepeat’

A two-time defending champion in Paris, Swiatek targets a ‘threepeat’ heading into the event this coming fortnight.

‘Threepeating’ is something the world No 1 is no stranger to, having won three consecutive Doha titles – but her quest for a similar feat in Stuttgart was scuppered by Elena Rybakina.

If she wins again this year, she will again emulate Henin, who won three straight titles from 2005-2007 on her beloved dirt.

And she would also match Seles, the only other woman alongside Henin in the Open Era to win three straight Roland Garros crowns, from 1990-92.

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Five Grand Slam titles

With a US Open title to add to her three French Open victories, another victory at Roland Garros would be a fifth Grand Slam title for the Pole.

In terms of the Open Era that would see her move level with Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis, who had both won five singles majors when they called time on their respective careers.

But victory would also see her move ahead of some tennis greats, who she currently sits alongside on four Slams.

Swiatek would overtake Kim Clijsters, Hana Mandlikova, Sanchez Vicario, and current competitor Naomi Osaka with a fifth Grand Slam victory.

Read More: The 7 youngest French Open women’s singles champions – Iga Swiatek in 5th

22 career titles

Despite not turning 23 until during her Roland Garros campaign, Swiatek already holds a staggering 21 career titles.

And she is highly fancied to make that 22 when action begins in Paris.

Should she claim a 22nd title with a French Open triumph, that would see her move ahead of Victoria Azarenka, who also holds 21 career titles.

In terms of active WTA players Swiatek would sit outright fifth in terms of the number of titles won, behind Venus Williams (49), Petra Kvitova (31), Caroline Wozniacki (30), and Simona Halep (24).