French Open 2022, semi-final, Thursday, 02.06.2022
Will the absolute top favourite at the 2022 French Open pull off a second coup on the big stage? Day after day, it becomes clear why the bookmakers cannot imagine any other winner than Iga Swiatek.
Now the best in the world is only one step away from the final, no one really likes to believe that she is starting to slip up just before the finish line. In my Swiatek Kasatkina tip, I also explain why it is impossible to come to any other conclusion.
A start-finish victory in just under two weeks in Paris – it seems so easy what Iga Swiatek conjures up on the court in the French capital. She won the French Open here for the first time two years ago, shortly after her 19th birthday.
Little by little, she established herself among the world’s best before she knew: 2022 will be MY year. She has won all of the last five tournaments. Even if Ashleigh Barty hadn’t ended her career unexpectedly, she would have been the talk of the town.
The Pole is now officially the best tennis player in the world and wants to start collecting title after title on the big stage. Almost logically, she has not yet had any real problems in Paris.
When Swiatek starts winning, her matches are usually over after less than 60 minutes. 6-2, 6-0 against Lessja Zurenko and Alison Riske, already the first two matches were over in a flash
Danka Kovinic was also defeated outright, at least it took a little longer this time at 6-3, 7-5. Then, in the round of 16, it really happened: Iga Swiatek lost a set! But after beating Zheng Qinwen 6-7, she immediately followed it up with a 6-0, 6-2.
If she gets a little annoyed, she hits back all the stronger. Already in the quarter-finals, she did not want to allow herself a weak phase and promptly won 6-3, 6-2 against Jessica Pegula. A few months ago in Australia, she was eliminated in the semi-finals, but this time no one is expecting it.
For Daria Kasatkina it will be one of the biggest matches of her career, yet one in which no one is really betting on her.
The 25-year-old has reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam tournament for the very first time – and completely deservedly so. At the Italian Open, Kasatkina had already attracted attention by reaching the semi-finals, and now she confirms the performances of that time.
Swiatek has dropped one set in the tournament, and Kasatkina? That’s right, none at all! She started as confidently with a 6-0, 6-2 against Rebecca Sramkova as she did in her 6-0, 6-3 against Fernanda Gomez.
Her 6-3, 6-2 against Shelby Rogers left no doubt, Camila Giorgi was defeated 6-2, 6-2. Her closest match, where she almost had to go into a third set, was in the quarter-finals.
6-4, 7-5 against Veronika Kudermetova, it was clear that this was her toughest opponent so far. Iga Swiatek, however, is now likely to be one class above her.
It is becoming a real classic that Daria Kasatkina and Iga Swiatek meet, this year is already the fourth duel! Unfortunately for Kasatkina, the previous three ended as follows: 2-6, 3-6; 1-6, 2-6 and 3-6, 0-6!
My Swiatek Kasatkina Tip
Daria Kasatkina is undoubtedly playing a fantastic tournament, has yet to drop a single set. In Iga Swiatek, however, she now has the all-powerful opponent par excellence who seems unstoppable.
The Russian’s previous opponents were rather manageable. As I have already explained, the world number one has already won three matches against Kasatkina this year, and that by a landslide! For this reason, I can only guess for Thursday:
There are less than 20.5 games!
