May 29, (THEWILL) – In a high-voltage second-round clash at Roland Garros on Wednesday, defending champion Iga Swiatek narrowly avoided an early exit, saving a match point to defeat Naomi Osaka 7-6(1) 1-6 7-5. The top seed and firm title favourite faced immense pressure against the four-time Grand Slam champion returning from maternity leave.
Under the closed roof on Philippe Chatrier court, Osaka’s powerful game troubled Swiatek. The Polish world number one squandered a 5-4 lead in the opening set but regained her composure to claim the tiebreak. Osaka responded emphatically, racing to a 4-0 advantage in the second set before levelling the contest.
The decider was a gripping affair. Osaka broke early and earned a match point at 5-2, only for Swiatek to claw her way back. With her opponent increasingly tense, the 22-year-old seized the pivotal moments, avoiding her earliest Grand Slam exit since her 2022 French Open semi-final run.
Swiatek’s famed clay court chops ultimately proved decisive, but she was pushed to the limit by Osaka in one of the Japanese star’s finest performances since her comeback.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
