Swiatek lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup so energetically that she knocked the lid off the ochre of Centre Court. It was that Muchova, the surprise guest of the final, whose delicious game had become a rarity, made of variations and willingly oriented towards the net, had just pushed her to her limits: the Czech twice counted a break lead in the decisive set, after being led 6-2, 3-0.

The Pole finally escaped 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 after 2h46 min of match, on a double fault of Muchova. The emotion was so strong that she fell to her knees, shaken by tears, and had to crouch again a few meters away before joining her entourage in the stands.

Since her revelation Porte d'Auteuil in 2020, when Swiatek triumphed for the first time in Grand Slam, at 19 years old when she was 54th in the world, Czech Barbora Krejcikova is the only other player to have written her name on the list of Grand Slam on clay.

4 of 4 in major finals

At 22 years old - she celebrated them during the tournament - the world N.1 now has four Grand Slam trophies to her name.

Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros on June 10, 2023 © Thomas SAMSON / AFP

This allows him, beyond Roland-Garros, to write his name a little more in the history of tennis, and in good company.

She became the youngest player to win four major titles since Serena Williams in 2002 (21 years at the US Open).

She also joins Monica Seles and Naomi Osaka in the exclusive club of players who have won their first four Grand Slam finals in the Open era (since 1968).

A year ago, Swiatek landed as an ultra favorite in Paris, unbeaten since mid-February, on a series of 26 matches won and five titles, including two on ochre.

This time, she was less sovereign - her place as N.1 was in danger -, as Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have led her hard life since the beginning of the season, even on her favorite playground, since the first had upset her in the final in Madrid and she had abandoned against the second in the quarterfinals in Rome, painful thigh.

But once she set foot on the courts of the Porte d'Auteuil, the one who had been the lowest-ranked Roland-Garros winner in the Open era in 2020 gave the impression of feeling at home. At least until her unexpected loss of control in the final, ultimately inconsequential, if not her only set lost, when she seemed to be approaching the goal.

Future at Nadal?

"It's obviously always a lot of pressure, but on clay I feel I have more weapons than on a fast surface," she said. I try to use that confidence and that feeling of being comfortable to play better."

She thus became the first to win two consecutive years in Paris since the Belgian Justine Henin in the 2000s (triple between 2005 and 2007).

Should we see a Swiatek era take shape? Imagine the Polish a future at Nadal at Roland-Garros, she who has a soft spot for the Spanish champion?

Karolina Muchova at Roland Garros on June 10, 2023 © Thomas SAMSON / AFP

"I never thought it was possible for me," she said. This is completely out of reach. He played so well, so long... I don't think about that."

"From three to fourteen, there is a long way, but three titles in four editions, there is a beginning of parallel with Nadal," said tournament director Amélie Mauresmo.

For the moment rid of the repeated injuries that had plunged beyond the 200th place in the world in the summer of 2022, Muchova will climb to the doors of the top 15 (16th) on Monday, her best ranking at 26 years old. "We've come a long way," says the Czech. I hope this is just the beginning."

© 2023 AFP