Iga Swiatek continued her bid for a fifth Roland Garros title after beating Magda Linette.
Swiatek was handed a boost ahead of this match, where she could have played Jelena Ostapenko, who she had lost all six previous matches against.
However, it was still a tricky match for the Pole against her compatriot Linette, who had beaten Swiatek in Miami earlier this year.
Swiatek was able to get revenge on Linette by beating her 6-4, 6-4, and after the match she spoke about the time she recently spent with Rafael Nadal at his academy.
Iga Swiatek comments on Rafael Nadal after beating Magda Linette at Roland Garros
Swiatek has continued her record of reaching the fourth round of Roland Garros, having done so every year since she made her debut in 2019.
The four-time Roland Garros champion spoke to Marion Bartoli in the on-court interview after the match, where Swiatek was asked to reflect on her performance.
“Sometimes I just wanted to be really patient because it’s really easy in these conditions to go for a winner and then miss, so I wanted to stay solid,” said Swiatek.
“For sure my forehand top spin did the right job. But overall I am happy with the second serve and the way I was solid.”
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Swiatek has recently been pictured on court with Nadal, after hiring his former coach Francisco Roig to replace Wim Fissette.
When asked about this experience, Swiatek revealed some of the things she learned from Nadal during this time.
“It was really an amazing experience for me and a huge privilege,” responded Swiatek. “I wasn’t sure if Rafa would find time, but I am super happy he was able to come to some of my practices. It gave me a lot of motivation and extra energy before the clay court season to work even harder.
“Just having him behind me and watching gave me so much will to play every shot possible. There were some technical tips but the most you can take from Rafa is his approach to the game and him showing that it’s not always easy.
“It’s not always like on the TV when he lifts the trophy, there is a lot behind the scenes and even the best players in the world sometimes struggle. He used to get over it and work on this stuff and never give up. He also could give some stories with me, he was really open to giving advice and I really appreciate that.”
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With the match on Court Philippe-Chatrier taking place between two compatriots, there was a large Polish support in the stadium, which Swiatek also commented on.
“If there is a match that Polish people should watch it was this one!” said Swiatek. “I was really happy that we could do this.
“I heard this was the first time in the Open era where two Polish people played each other at Roland Garros, so I hope you guys enjoyed and I hope I can see you in the coming days.”
Iga Swiatek vs Marta Kostyuk Head-to-Head
Swiatek will now move into the fourth round, where she will play against 15th seed Marta Kostyuk.
Kostyuk won the Madrid Open earlier this month, and is currently on a 14-match winning streak after going unbeaten during the clay court season so far.
Despite the Ukrainian’s impressive form coming into this match, Swiatek is likely to feel confident as she has won all three previous matches against Kostyuk.
Swiatek has never actually lost a set against Kostyuk, dropping just a combined 14 games in their three previous matches, including at Roland Garros in 2021.
| Swiatek vs Kostyuk Head-to-Head | Result |
| Roland Garros 2021 | Swiatek beat Kostyuk, 6-3, 6-4 |
| Indian Wells 2024 | Swiatek beat Kostyuk, 6-2 6-1 |
| Cincinnati Open 2024 | Swiatek beat Kostyuk, 6-2 6-2 |
The only time that Swiatek has lost before the quarterfinals at Roland Garros was in 2019, while Kostyuk has never been past the fourth round before.
Swiatek and Kostyuk will compete for a place in the Roland Garros quarterfinals on Sunday, May 31.
