Iga Swiatek poses with the trophy after defeating Sofia Kenin (USA) in the singles final on day 14 at Stade Roland Garros October 10, 2020.
LONDON: Poland’s President Andrzej Duda was among those offering congratulations as the nation celebrated on Saturday after 19-year-old Iga Swiatek won the French Open, becoming the first Pole to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Swiatek, ranked 54th in the world at the start of the tournament but now into the top 20, crushed American Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-1 to become the youngest woman to win the French Open since Monica Seles in 1992.
She comes from the Polish village of Raszyn, just outside of the capital Warsaw, but trained and went to school in the city.
“Great thanks and congratulations for @iga_swiatek! A historic day for Poland, for Polish sport and for Polish tennis. Bravo!” tweeted Duda.
Other politicians and national leaders followed suit, rejoicing in what many called Poland’s greatest ever tennis success.
“Huge congratulations to @iga_swiatek, who has achieved today the success of her life and – I am convinced – just the first success in the Grand Slam. Amazing story written by this young girl on the #RolandGarros courts! Paris is Polish today!” tweeted Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
Swiatek was the first Polish woman to reach the Roland Garros final in 81 years and the first at any major since Agnieszka Radwanska at Wimbledon eight years ago.
“Congratulations @iga.swiatek !A fabulous showing for tennis,” Radwanska said in an Instagram post.
Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski also congratulated his compatriot. “What an amazing success, what a great story! Good job @iga_swiatek,” the striker said on Twitter.
Former French Open champions Mats Wilander and Chris Evert also praised the young Pole.
“Iga looked so relieved but also calm,” Wilander told Eurosport. “She is going to win many more — you can see that in her demeanour throughout the final.”
While American Evert, who won seven French Open crowns, said: “What a sterling two weeks of brilliant tennis. Many, many more GS Titles to come.”
Swiatek dropped only 28 games in seven matches at Roland Garros with her run to the final including a first-round win over 2019 runner-up Marketa Vondrousova and a last-16 trouncing of top seed Simona Halep.
