Iga Świątek begs French Open fans not to scream during points after thrilling win over Naomi Osaka

CNN
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Iga Świątek criticized the French Open crowd for shouting during points after her tense second-round victory over Naomi Osaka on Wednesday.

Świątek, the reigning champion at Roland Garros, trailed by a break in the deciding set and had to save a match point in a thrilling match against Osaka.

She finally won 7-6 (7-1) 1-6 7-5 on the Philippe Chatrier court, then – unusually for a player known for her calm and reserve on the court – reprimanded the crowd for distracting her during important points.

“I have immense respect for you guys and I know that we are basically playing for you because it’s entertainment and we also make money from you,” Świątek said during his on-pitch interview .

“But sometimes (we are) under a lot of pressure. When you shout something during the rally or just before the return, it’s really hard to concentrate… It’s serious for us, we fight all our lives to be better and better and sometimes it’s just hard to accept that.

“The stakes are huge and there is a lot of money to be made. Losing a few points can change a lot of things. Please guys if you could support us between rallies but not during it would be really, really amazing.

Świątek, who is aiming to win a fifth Grand Slam title and a fourth at Roland Garros, was cheered by the crowd as she delivered the message.

It was also surprising to see so many empty seats for a high-quality encounter between a current and former world number one who each owns four Grand Slam titles.

“Osaka vs Swiatek is a brilliant watch,” Andy Murray posted on X, adding that the sport should do more to promote the match.

This is not the first time that the Roland-Garros public has been in the spotlight this week. Belgian player David Goffin said a spectator spat chewing gum at him during his five-set victory against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.

“Soon there will be smoke bombs, hooligans and fights in the stands,” Goffin told Belgian media, according to Reuters. “This is starting to get ridiculous. Some are there more to sow trouble than to create an atmosphere.”

In a statement to CNN regarding the incident, a Roland Garros spokesperson said: “The public is incredibly enthusiastic, especially on the outdoor courts. However, they must of course show full respect to all players.

“Monitoring bodies are in place to ensure that the rules are respected. While it is natural for fans to share their enthusiasm and encourage their favorites, this can in no way go against the values ​​of tennis or consideration for players. »

For her part, Osaka said the atmosphere was “really amazing” for her match against Swiatek, adding that she noticed “how much fun everyone in the crowd was having.”

The Japanese star returned to tennis this year following the birth of her daughter, and her absence from the sport saw her fall out of the top 100 in the world rankings.

Many expected Świątek, playing on his favorite clay surface and having won back-to-back titles in Madrid and Rome, to win comfortably against Osaka, but that was far from the truth.

The 22-year-old Pole, who turns 23 on Friday, took the upper hand in the first set by winning 12 straight points for a 3-1 lead before Osaka responded strongly, beating Świątek at 4-3 after was down 40. -0 earlier in the game.

Świątek had to save a set point at 5-4, then managed to take a commanding lead in the tiebreak and wrap up the first set in one hour and nine minutes.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Osaka, now striking with aggression and precision, broke Swiatek three times in the second set to level the match.

Another break early in the final set put her on course for a surprise victory against a player so dominant on clay, but a few costly misses at 5-3 – including a backhand scored on match point – allowed in Świątek to survive.

The defending champion then rallied, securing two breaks of serve and a thrilling victory in three hours and 13 minutes – despite Osaka’s impressive performance with eight aces and 54 winners.

“It’s difficult to have logical ideas because it was really intense and of a very high level,” Świątek told reporters. “I had big problems in the third set but somehow managed to win that match.”

Aiming to become the first woman to win three consecutive French Open titles since Justine Henin in 2007, Świątek will face either Croatian Jana Fett or Czech Marie Bouzková in the third round.