In the hallowed grounds of Roland Garros, where Iga Swiatek has reigned supreme with four French Open titles, the 23-year-old Polish star faced a moment of scrutiny following her hard-fought 6-2, 7-5 third-round victory over Romania’s Jaqueline Cristian on May 30, 2025. As the world No. 5 and defending champion powered through to the fourth round, British tennis legend Tim Henman, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, observed a troubling sign in her post-match demeanor. Speaking on TNT Sports, Henman described Swiatek’s reaction as “tense,” suggesting that despite her win, the pressure of chasing a historic fourth consecutive French Open title might be weighing heavily on her. “Look, she’s won the match, but she’s such a good clay-court player,” he noted, hinting at an underlying lack of confidence that could challenge her dominance in Paris.
Swiatek’s 2025 season has been a departure from her clay-court mastery of previous years. After sweeping Madrid, Rome, and Roland Garros in 2024, she arrived in Paris without a title since her last French Open triumph, having slipped to No. 5 in the WTA rankings. Her third-round match against Cristian, ranked No. 63, tested her resolve. While Swiatek cruised through the first set, Cristian’s late surge in the second forced a gritty response, with the Pole saving set points to clinch the match. “For sure, I don’t mind, and on clay it gives the ball the extra bounce, but it’s about the control as well, I had to balance it,” Swiatek said, addressing the tricky 30-degree heat that altered ball flight. Her ability to adapt her equipment—adjusting racket strings to suit the warmer conditions—proved crucial, a tactic she honed after last year’s scorching Olympic matches at Roland Garros. “It’s a must-have, if you want to swing the same way in different conditions, you need to change something,” she explained.
Henman’s concern stems from Swiatek’s visible strain, a stark contrast to her usual composure on her favorite surface, where her 38-2 record rivals Chris Evert’s Open Era dominance. “There have definitely been question marks around Swiatek coming into this tournament, but when she goes out onto that court, where she’s got so much history, so much confidence, that’s the Swiatek performance we’ve come to expect,” he said, praising her resilience but noting her tension. The 2024 season was turbulent for Swiatek, marked by a one-month suspension after a doping positive, a coaching change to Wim Fissette, and losses to players like Danielle Collins in Rome. These setbacks, coupled with her failure to reach a final since June 2024, have fueled doubts about her invincibility, with some, like Justine Henin, suggesting she’s caught in a “vicious circle” of perfectionism.
Swiatek’s next challenge is a formidable fourth-round clash against Elena Rybakina, who demolished Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-2 to advance. The matchup, tied at 4-4 in their head-to-head, avoids Ostapenko, whose 6-0 record against Swiatek remains a psychological hurdle. “Elena is winning, so yeah, we’ll see,” Swiatek said cautiously when asked about her preference, her laughter betraying nerves. Rybakina’s recent form, including a Strasbourg title, makes her a dangerous opponent, but Swiatek’s clay-court prowess—bolstered by her “phenomenal athleticism,” as noted by The Athletic—gives her an edge. Fans on social media debated Henman’s observations, with one post stating, “Iga’s still the queen of clay, but that tension is real—hope she finds her groove.”
As Swiatek pursues a record-setting fourth straight Roland Garros title, with the women’s final set for June 7, her mental state is under scrutiny. Her admiration for Rafael Nadal, who inspired her with his calm after a 2021 loss, offers a blueprint. “He was chill, like, ‘Oh, it’s just a tennis match,’” she recalled, a lesson she’s trying to internalize. Henman’s warning, echoed by analysts like Caroline Wozniacki, who urged Swiatek to “keep it simple,” highlights the mental tightrope she walks. With a gauntlet of a draw ahead, Swiatek’s ability to harness the “good energy” she feels in Paris will determine whether she can silence doubts and cement her legacy as the clay-court queen.
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