French Open 2023: Iga Swiatek prepared for Karolina Muchova puzzle in Paris final

In the women’s final at the French Open 2023, Iga Swiatek, a two-time champion in 2020 and 2022, is set to confront Karolina Muchova’s enigmatic play style. The match is to take place at Roland Garros, Paris, on 10th June, 14:00 BST, with live text and radio commentary available on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sport News Center’s website, and app starting from 13:30 BST.

Iga Swiatek might be the favorite to secure her third French Open title in four years, but she will be pitted against a competitor renowned for toppling the giants of the game in the final on Saturday.

Karolina Muchova is a force to be reckoned with. She has defeated the top three ranked players in all five encounters, including a victory over world number two Aryna Sabalenka in Thursday’s semi-final.

Although a Grand Slam final is an entirely different ball game, Muchova’s eclectic playing style will present a challenge that Swiatek must unravel to retain her crown.

Swiatek has come up short against Muchova in the past, with the latter triumphing in a three-set match in their only prior meeting in Prague in 2019. However, Swiatek has been studying Muchova’s game closely since then.

The 22-year-old Swiatek noted that she feels familiar with Muchova’s game due to their numerous practice sessions together and her habit of keeping a keen eye on her games. She appreciates and respects Muchova’s versatile play style and technical prowess.

While Muchova, ranked 43rd worldwide, is the fourth lowest-ranked player to reach the women’s singles final at Roland Garros, she is not a newcomer to the advanced stages of Grand Slams. Despite injuries threatening her career last year, she describes reaching her first Slam final as a “dream.”

Muchova favors a strategic approach to the game rather than relying solely on brute strength. She stated, “It’s the type of game I enjoy and believe in… Now we can see that it works, so that’s nice. I’ll keep it this way.”

When Swiatek and Muchova last faced each other four years ago, Swiatek was a qualifier, and Muchova was a wildcard. A year later, the unseeded Pole clinched her first Grand Slam title at the French Open without losing a set.

Now on her 64th week as the world number one, Swiatek has only ever lost twice on Roland Garros clay, becoming the youngest woman to reach three French Open finals since Monica Seles.

Despite her impressive track record in Paris, Swiatek downplays any talk of establishing her legacy at the tournament, much like her idol, the 14-time men’s singles champion Rafael Nadal. Instead, she emphasizes improving her skills, step by step.

Reflecting on her progress since her initial French Open victory, she remarked, “I feel like I’m a better player. Improvement I feel is everywhere… My whole life basically.”