Former world No. 1 Dinara Safina is making a really daring prediction for the 2025 season because the Russian tennis legend would not assume Iga Swiatek will win the French Open.
As you in all probability know properly, the Pole has been an absolute menace on the clay courts of Roland Garros, profitable the final three French Open editions. For the reason that 23-year-old additionally turned a Grand Slam champion on the 2020 French Open, that brings her whole to 4 titles on the Parisian Slam. Total, Swiatek has a 35-2 file on the French Open.
Forward of the 2025 season, former three-time Grand Slam finalist Safina spoke to Russian publication Championat. And when requested to choose the winners for subsequent yr’s Majors, she tipped Karolina Muchova to finish the Pole’s reign at Roland Garros.
“Australia — Sinner and Sabalenka. Roland Garros — Zverev and, let it’s, Muchova. I don’t assume Šwiątek will win the Grand Slam on clay subsequent yr. Wimbledon — Alcaraz or Medvedev for males, Rybakina for ladies. US Open — Medvedev or Rublev for males, Sabalenka once more for ladies,” Safina instructed Championat.
In her first French Open last, the Polish tennis star dominated Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-1 earlier than additionally crushing Coco Gauff 6-1 6-3 two years later. In 2023, she was the closest to shedding a last in Paris as Muchova was up by a break late within the third set earlier than the world No. 2 stormed again to win 6-2 5-7 6-4. This yr, she annihilated Jasmine Paolini 6-2 6-1 to finish a three-peat at Roland Garros.
Swiatek could have gained the French Open this yr however she did lose a match on the courts of Roland Garros for the primary time since 2021 after Zheng Qinwen upset her within the Paris Olympics semifinal.
Nonetheless, if the previous world No. 1 is absolutely wholesome and there no any unexpected circumstances, there isn’t a doubt that she is going to once more be considered the highest favourite to win all of it in Paris once more subsequent yr.
Safina praised Swiatek on this regard
Shortly after making her first Grand Slam last on the 2008 French Open, the Russian made two one other Main finals within the subsequent yr and in addition reached the world No. 1 spot. However then, she began coping with a serious again situation – could not proceed her rise – and her final matches got here in 2011.
Earlier than an unlucky harm pressured her to mainly finish her profession at 25, Safina competed towards a gaggle of gamers that’s extensively considered top-of-the-line within the twenty first century. Requested to share her tackle the present state of the WTA Tour, the Russian talked about Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka as the one gamers she views as constant sufficient.
“In my time, there have been extra constant gamers. There have been Serena and Venus Williams, Davenport, Mauresmo, Henin, Sharapova, Clijsters and so forth. Everybody was constant all yr spherical, they hardly ever had straightforward losses. The highest 10 was very tight, you could not contact the ladies. And now somebody can fail three or 4 tournaments after which return to the highest 10. Now there’s Gauff, Pegula, however they’re all unstable. Solely Sabalenka and Swiatek performed the entire season nearly with out slumps,” Safina defined.
What Swiatek mentioned in regards to the probabilities of her emulating Rafael Nadal’s file?
The Pole registering 4 French Open titles by the age of 23 naturally led to some evaluating her to Nadal and questioning if was potential for her to drag off the Spaniard’s astonishing file of 14 titles. And contemplating how dominant she has been at Roland Garros up to now, a few of these comparisons are justified.
Nonetheless, Swiatek has been refusing up to now to get an excessive amount of into these talks. Following her newest victory in Paris, she referred to as Nadal “a complete legend” and instructed reporters they would want to attend at the least a few extra years to see if replicating that feat was potential.
“We’ll see in 14 years if the journey is analogous. I imply, that is clearly very nice for me. I’d by no means anticipate anyone to match me to Rafa as a result of for me he is above all people, and he is a complete legend. Yeah, as I mentioned, we’ll see in couple of years, however I am pleased with myself that I am enjoying constantly right here and that I am talked about in the identical sentence as Rafa. That is cool,” Swiatek mentioned after her fourth French Open triumph.
At this yr’s French Open, the closest to defeating the Pole was Naomi Osaka, who was 5-2 up within the third set and had a match level earlier than the Pole created an epic comeback and sealed a 7-6 (1) 1-6 7-5 win.
