Like the rain expected on Saturday, which will force the roof to be closed, this thrilling finale seems to have fallen from the sky after a fortnight having turned upside down.

A week of slaying play was enough to topple all the names in the top 10, by the third round, with the exception of the still standing Iga Swiatek.

A new coronation in Paris after the surprise coronation in the fall of 2020 would seal three months of unchallenged domination by the child from Warsaw, just 21 years old.

"I have the impression that everything sticks this season, the physical, tennis and mental work", describes the one who changed coach in the off-season.

Swiatek in the footsteps of the Williams sisters

First, Iga Swiatek would become the first winner to have won the Porte d'Auteuil more than once since Serena Williams in 2015. Then, she would equal her sister Venus Williams' insane match winning streak: 35 in 2000. , record of the 2000s.

Two names, or rather first names, which describe the heights where the Polish woman is currently levitating.

Her journey has maintained far less suspense than Murder on the Orient-Express, one of the many books that the cerebral Swiatek has swallowed since the beginning of her stay in Paris.

In six matches, she has dropped only one set.

Not enough to intimidate her opponent the American Coco Gauff, 23rd in the world, who did not concede any.

Iga Swiatek opposed to Darya Kasatkina in the semi-final of the Roland-Garros tournament, June 2, 2022 Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP / Archives

Almost three years after her revelation to the general public, the American has finally reached a Grand Slam final.

In 2019, she exploded in the eyes of the world by knocking down Venus Williams at Wimbledon;

a few weeks later, she won her first WTA tournament in Linz and in January 2020 offered defending champion Naomi Osaka in the third round of the Australian Open.

All at 15 years old.

Coco Gauff broke through so early that she seems paradoxically late.

Too bad if at 18 years and 83 days, she is the youngest finalist in Paris since Kim Clijsters in 2001 and the youngest in Grand Slam since the coronation of Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon in 2004.

"People have the right to be disappointed, there is no problem", sweeps Patrick Mouratoglou, who saw her for the first time hitting balls when she was ten years old, during a detection at her academy where she has been training regularly ever since.

"It's just that they made her someone she was not, he describes to AFP. As a very young person, she won matches, everyone said that she was going to win Grand Slams right away. Yes, she will win some but it takes time to develop a certain number of weapons and above all to erase technical problems which are real handicaps."

Gauff took care of his serve

From one match against Trevisan to another, the Floridian showed all her progress.

When she had collected 19 double faults against the Florentine in the second round of Roland-Garros 2020, she only committed four in half on Thursday.

"With between 15 and 20 double faults per game, it was difficult to win," said Patrick Mouratoglou, longtime coach of superstar Serena Williams.

Coco Gauff opposed to the Italian Martina Trevisan in the semi-final at Roland-Garros, June 2, 2022 Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP / Archives

Of the + teenagers + often crowned in recent years in Grand Slams - Bianca Andreescu at the US Open 2019, Swiatek at Roland-Garros 2020, Emma Raducanu at the US Open 2021 -, Coco Gauff is undoubtedly the most awaited.

A precocious gem, the Floridian won at only 14 years old Roland-Garros juniors then the prestigious Orange Bowl, reserved for those under 18.

Coco Gauff serving against the Italian Martina Trevisan at Roland-Garros, June 2, 2022 Anne-Christine POUJOULAT AFP / Archives

"I think that before, I put too much pressure on myself to get results," says the one who had never reached a Grand Slam semi-final before this edition of the French Open.

This pressure, she learned to tame since.

Will she really face Swiatek, whom she has never deprived of a set in two confrontations?

© 2022 AFP