Former US Open champion Andy Roddick considers Iga Swiatek as the dominant favorite for the French Open crown, just like Rafael Nadal was a dominant Roland Garros favorite numerous times in the past.
Swiatek, ranked at No. 1 in the world, has been playing outstanding over the last three months as she has won her last 28 matches.
On Sunday, Swiatek destroyed Ons Jabeur 6-2 6-2 to win Rome and lift her fifth consecutive title.
The fact that makes Swiatek’s run even more impressive is that in majority of her matches she easily clinched victories.
This clay season, Swiatek has played nine matches and in only one she dropped a set.
Beating Swiatek is right now the hardest thing in the game.
“Swiatek, I would take her versus the field and then some,” Roddick said on Tennis Channel, per Sportskeeda. “In a lot of ways, she feels like Rafa (Nadal) felt a lot of years out there.
“Ons Jabeur has played herself into that conversation. Oddsmakers have given Simona Halep (a chance too), even though she hasn’t made a deep run at any of these claycourt events.”
Swiatek hopes to continue her streak at the French Open
Swiatek was under pressure in Rome and was getting constantly asked about her streak.
Still, it didn’t affect her as she won Rome without a dropped set.
Going into the French Open, Swiatek plans to stick to the routine that has been bringing her success over the last three months.
“Well, I think the key is going to be just doing the same stuff I did before. Right now, at these tournaments, I already faced a lot of pressure. So hopefully the different kind of pressure that we have at a Grand Slam isn’t going to overwhelm me,” Swiatek told the WTA insider podcast.