French Open: 'Machine on the court' Iga Swiatek has 'intimidation factor' - Expert reaction at Roland-Garros

Alex Corretja has said that Iga Swiatek is a “machine on the court”, while Tim Henman believes that the world No. 1 has an “intimidation factor” after her straight-sets demolition of Marketa Vondrousova in the French Open quarter-finals. 

Swiatek, a three-time champion at Roland-Garros, needed just an hour and two minutes to dispose of the Wimbledon champion on Court Philippe-Chatrier, following up her double-bagel win over Anastasia Potopova in the last 16, where she lost just 10 points. 

The Pole is the odds-on favourite to lift the women’s single for a fourth time in Paris, and she faces Coco Gauff, the third seed, in the last four. 

Gauff came from a set down to beat Ons Jabeur, the world No. 9, in her quarter-final. 

However, the Eurosport experts don’t believe that anyone stands a chance against Swiatek on the Parisian dirt. 

“Not only is her confidence sky-high, there’s such an intimidation factor,” Henman said.

“When I watched [Grigor] Dimitrov v [Jannik] Sinner, I questioned whether Dimitrov really believed that he could beat Sinner on clay. Likewise, with the other female players against Swiatek at Roland-Garros, how many of them really believe that they can win the match? 
“I don’t think there’s many because she is so dominant; absolutely destroying her opponents. Great for her confidence, and it sends that message. If she is to lose, it’s going to take an incredible performance from an opponent or a shocking day at the office for her, but I don’t see either happening.”

Corretja, himself a two-time finalist at Roland-Garros, thought that Swiatek had “no weaknesses” in her clay-court game. 

“After she survived that tough moment against Naomi [Osaka] I think she felt much more relieved,” Corretja said. 
“She knew Osaka had the weapons. Vondrousova played a little bit too passive today and should’ve taken some more risks.

“If you don’t attack Iga, there is no chance you can beat her. When you play someone with no weaknesses, it’s so difficult. For Iga, it’s the opposite. She needs to be calm and have her feet on the ground. 

“I don’t think she looks ahead and she just enjoys the moment. She is so precise and just focuses on the next point and the next point, which is why she’s a machine on the court.”

Fellow Eurosport pundit Alize Lim said that “no-one can hurt” Swiatek as she continues on her “mission” towards a fifth Grand Slam in the French capital. 

“It seems like she’s flying out there and no-one can hurt her,” Lim said.

“How do you make her go back? When was the last time we saw the world number one on such a mission?”

Mats Wilander concurred, saying that it was just Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina that could live with Swiatek’s power and precision.

“If you allow her into the rally, she just dictates,” the Swede explained.

“When she plays with the wind, you just can’t do it unless you’re Sabalenka or Rybakina in my eyes. Of course, Coco moves better than Vondrousova, so I think she will be in the match in the semis, but Iga, when it’s slow, she controls everything."

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