TENNIS: Swiatek seeks clay redemption as she targets fifth Roland Garros crown

Iga Swiatek heads into the French Open without a claycourt title since her Roland Garros triumph in 2024, but the Polish star remains one of the leading contenders as she targets a seventh Grand Slam crown at her most successful major.

The 24-year-old has dominated in Paris in recent seasons. In 2024, she became the third woman to win three straight French Open titles, joining Justine Henin and Monica Seles, cementing her status as the standout claycourt player of her generation.

However, Swiatek’s form has dipped slightly since then. Now ranked world number three, she endured a rollercoaster 2025 campaign, which began under the shadow of a doping ban but ultimately transformed with a stunning Wimbledon triumph.

Her one-month ban ended on Dec. 4, 2024, after the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted that a positive test was caused by contamination of her medication melatonin.

Despite her Wimbledon breakthrough, where she thrashed American Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the final, Swiatek’s on-court struggles have continued this year. She suffered quarter-final exits at the Australian Open, Qatar, and Indian Wells, followed by a shock second-round loss to compatriot Magda Linette at the Miami Open.

The defeat prompted a coaching change, as Swiatek parted ways with Wim Fissette and brought in Francisco Roig, who previously worked with her idol Rafael Nadal during his run of 14 French Open titles. While the change has yet to produce a trophy, there have been gradual signs of progress on clay.

Swiatek started her clay season with a single win in Stuttgart before illness disrupted her Madrid campaign, where a gastrointestinal problem forced her to retire in the round of 32, leaving the court in tears.

In Rome, however, she showed encouraging improvement, reaching the semi-finals before losing to eventual champion Elina Svitolina. Though the Italian Open did not bring silverware, it provided momentum, including her first win over a top-10 opponent this year.

At Roland Garros, Swiatek faces formidable competition as she chases a fifth French Open title. World number one Aryna Sabalenka, who defeated her in last year’s semi-finals, remains a major threat, as does world number two Elena Rybakina, who knocked her out of the Australian Open quarter-finals before winning the tournament.

Despite recent inconsistencies, Swiatek’s pedigree on clay ensures she will arrive in Paris as a serious contender to reclaim her crown as the claycourt queen when the main draw begins on Sunday.

Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris/Reuters