Swiatek targets Olympic gold at Roland Garros

The Polish top-ranked player has been a force to be reckoned with on the red clay courts of Paris, emerging victorious in four of the last five tournaments and maintaining an undefeated record since her quarter-final defeat to Maria Sakkari of Greece in 2021.

Having clinched five Grand Slam titles, including the US Open in 2022, Swiatek is determined to surpass her performance at the 2021 Tokyo Games, where she was eliminated by Paula Badosa in the second round.

Following her early departure from Wimbledon, where she was defeated in the third round by Yulia Putintseva, Swiatek has had ample time to gear up for the Paris Olympics.

The loss on the grass courts at the All-England Club marked the end of Swiatek's impressive 21-match winning streak.

When questioned about her preparations for the Paris Olympics, Swiatek mentioned, "I will definitely take a lesson and allow myself some more rest.

Despite my underwhelming performance in this tournament, considering the overall season, I believe I deserve it. I need to step up my game because I cannot maintain a high level of play throughout the entire season."

In 2020, Swiatek made a name for herself in the tennis world by winning the French Open without losing a set. She became the first Polish player, male or female, to win a Grand Slam singles title and has continued to excel in the event, with her only setback occurring three years ago.

Last month, she defeated Italy's Jasmine Paolini in a one-sided final, making her the fourth woman in the modern era to win the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen four times, following Justine Henin, Chris Evert, and Steffi Graf.

As the world number one, Swiatek also achieved a Madrid-Rome-Roland Garros clay treble, a feat previously accomplished in the same season only by Serena Williams in history.

Swiatek's father, Tomasz, represented Poland in rowing at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, indicating her strong sporting background.

Her first coach, Artur Szostaczko, recalls her exceptional talent and fighting spirit, noting that she was a determined and resilient player from a young age.

After being coached by Michal Kaznowski, Swiatek's determination and drive to be treated equally to her sister Agata have been evident, and she will strive to carry that determination all the way to the gold medal on her favorite courts in Paris.