Poland’s tennis sensation Iga Swiatek said that reaching the French Open 2020 final was a dream come true after triumphing over Argentine qualifier Nadia Podoroska in straight-sets.
The 54th-ranked became the first Polish woman in 81 years to reach the Roland Garros final as she demolished the Argentine 6-2, 6-1 in the semi-final.
The 19-year-old has matched the run of compatriot Jadwiga Jedrzejowska who finished runner-up at Roland Garros in 1939 and became the second Polish woman to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era after Agnieszka Radwanska at Wimbledon in 2012.
She became the seventh unseeded women’s finalist at Roland Garros. Of the previous six, only Jelena Ostapenko in 2017 went on to lift the trophy.
Swiatek will now face the this year’s Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin — who registered a 6-4, 7-5 win over two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova — in the final.
Speaking after the match, she said that she is looking forward to play her best tennis instead of focusing on the outcome.
“It seems unreal,” said Swiatek. “I never thought at the start I would play so good here but I always knew that if I was going to be in the final of a Grand Slam it would be at the French Open.”
“It’s amazing for me,” she added. “It’s a dream come true.”
“Basically I wanted to play this match as if it was the first round. I didn’t want to think I was in the semi-finals because it would stress me,” said Swiatek.
“I will need to be on a different level, the higher level, even though I’m winning easily right now,” added Swiatek. “Really I have no expectations. I don’t care if I’m going to lose or win. I’m going to just play my best tennis.”
The 21-year-old Kenin, on the other hand, is feeling confident ahead of the grand finale on Saturday. She keeps her quest alive to become the first woman to win two Slams in the same season since Angelique Kerber claimed the Australian and US Open titles in 2016.
“I have won in Australia and had really tough matches this week so that gives me confidence,” said Kenin. “I am going to enjoy this moment and then start to prepare for the final tomorrow.”
Before this season, Kenin had never gone as far as the quarter-finals on clay. She lost her only match on the surface this year prior to Roland Garros, 6-0, 6-0 to Victoria Azarenka in Rome.
Kenin, who was taken to three sets in four of her five matches leading up to the semi-finals here, surged 4-1 ahead in the first set against Kvitova with a double break.
The Czech immediately clawed one back and created another opening to level on serve, but Kenin held steady and wrapped up the set when Kvitova smacked a backhand long.
Kenin again struck with a break in game five of the second set, fending off four break points in the ensuing game to keep Kvitova at arm’s length.
Her frustration was clear as she blew her first chance to secure victory, but the tenacious Kenin earned a second opportunity and sealed her spot in the final with a gritty service hold.
The championship match will be the first at the majors to feature two players aged 21 or under since Maria Sharapova beat fellow 20-year-old Ana Ivanovic at the 2008 Australian Open.
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