Tearful Iga Swiatek survives meltdown to win French Open title against Muchova

Tearful Iga Swiatek survived a mid-match meltdown to fight off Karolina Muchova and retain her French Open title. The world No.1 led by a set and 3-0 and seemed to be coasting to her fourth Grand Slam title against the world No.43

But as the Czech star found her game in her first Major final, the Pole melted in the Paris heat. She lost five out of six games before losing the second set – the first set she has ever dropped in a Grand Slam final – and then the first eight points of the decider.

Just like Carlos Alcaraz who suffered nervous cramping on the same Philippe-Chatrier Court in the men’s semi-finals, the women’s world No.1 seemed paralysed by nerves.

But from 0-2 down, Swiatek refound her composure and her game to win 6-2 5-7 6-4 after two hours and 46 minutes – before breaking down in tears on court. It was an emotional rollercoaster of final featuring 12 breaks of serves and gripping tension.

She joins legends like Serena Williams, Monica Seles, Margaret Court and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in winning the French Open three times. And since replacing Ash Barty as world No.1 in April last year, her record in Grand SLams is now 26-2.

But after reaching the final without dropping a set, she nearly suffered a shock loss against the Czech who had beaten world No.2 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-final – and had never lost to a top-three player.

Muchova started her first Grand Slam final nervously and won only three points in the first three games and was never really in the contest.

In her second service game at 0-3 15-30, chants of “Karo, Karo” started ringing out around Court Philippe-Chatrier from a crowd wanting to see a contest.

The Czech was inspired to fire down an ace on her way to winning her first game after 16 minutes. And Muchova had a break point in the next ten-minute game before Swiatek finally held to lead 4-1.

With the Pole peerless with her hard hitting from the baseline, Muchova tried to mix up the play with slices, drop shots and forays to the net. The French crowd appreciated the underdog’s artistry and variety.

But the relentless Swiatek’s consistency and power proved too much and she took her first set point with a forehand winner after 43 minutes.

She was 53-1 after winning the first set on clay before this match – the only time she had lost was aged 17 to Muchova in Prague in 2019 in their only previous meeting. That stat is now 54-1 – but only just.

Muchova fluffed an overhead and sent a forehand long to be broken and go down 0-2 in the second set and the end appeared nigh. But she produced two backhands that hit the line to hold serve at 3-1 and then broke for the first time with a brilliant running forehand pass down the line before drawing the set level.

At 4-4, Swiatek sailed two more forehands long and then served her first double fault on break point to see Muchova win five out of six games – and give the Czech the chance to serve for the set.

But she could not find a first serve in the next game and at 15-30 she framed a forehand so badly it flew out of the court before slicing a backhand wide on break point.

At 5-5, Muchova broke against and the Czech set up her third set point after a breathtaking rally where she made three volleys. Swiatek sent a backhand long to see the match level after one hour and 55 minutes.

Swiatek started ranting at her box as she lost the next two games to love at the start of the rollercoaster final set.

The Pole drew level at 3-3, lost her serve again only for Muchova to give back the break by sending a weak forehand drop shot into the net on the third break point in the next game to level the set at 4-4.

Swiatek saved a break point before leading 5-4 – before Muchova served a double fault on the Pole’s first match point.