PARIS — Emma Raducanu's French Open campaign came to a swift end as she was comprehensively defeated by world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in a one-sided second-round match at Roland Garros. The 21-year-old Briton, playing in her first major tournament since last year's US Open, was overpowered 6-4, 6-0 in just 69 minutes by the three-time French Open champion.
The match concluded with an awkward net exchange that commentators described as "cold" and "perfunctory." Raducanu, who had battled valiantly in the first set, appeared visibly frustrated as Swiatek dominated the second set without dropping a game. The Pole's clinical performance extended her winning streak at Roland Garros to 17 matches and marked her 30th consecutive victory on clay.
Raducanu's Promising Start Fades Quickly
The opening stages suggested a competitive match might unfold, with Raducanu breaking Swiatek's serve in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. The British player demonstrated flashes of her 2021 US Open-winning form, striking 12 winners in the first set and moving well on the clay surface she has often struggled with.
However, Swiatek's relentless baseline game soon took control. The top seed won five of the next six games to claim the opening set, then raced through the second set in just 27 minutes. Raducanu's unforced error count ballooned to 23 as Swiatek's heavy topspin forehands pushed her deep behind the baseline.
Key Match Statistics
- Swiatek won 82% of first-serve points compared to Raducanu's 52%
- The Pole converted 5 of 8 break point opportunities
- Raducanu managed just 5 winners in the second set
The "Cold" Net Exchange
The match concluded with what observers described as a notably brief handshake at the net. While customary post-match pleasantries were exchanged, the interaction lasted barely two seconds before both players quickly departed the court. Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg noted on social media: "That might be the most perfunctory handshake I've seen between two top players all season. Zero eye contact, zero words exchanged beyond the absolute minimum."
When asked about the exchange in her post-match press conference, Raducanu downplayed the incident: "I think people are reading too much into it. Iga played an amazing match and deserved to win. We're both competitors out there - sometimes emotions run high during and after matches."
Swiatek's Dominance Continues
The victory extended Swiatek's remarkable record at Roland Garros, where she has now won 34 of her 36 career matches. The 22-year-old is seeking to become only the fourth woman in the Open Era to win four French Open titles, joining Chris Evert, Steffi Graf and Justine Henin.
Swiatek praised Raducanu's early resistance but acknowledged the gulf in clay-court experience: "Emma started really well and was hitting the ball cleanly. But on clay, you need to be patient and construct points differently. I think my consistency and ability to adapt during rallies made the difference today."
Raducanu's Comeback Progress
Despite the heavy defeat, Raducanu's French Open appearance marked another step in her comeback from multiple wrist and ankle surgeries that sidelined her for eight months. The former US Open champion had shown promising form in reaching the quarterfinals in Stuttgart last month, her best result since returning to competition.
Her coach, Nick Cavaday, remained positive about her progress: "Emma's movement and confidence are improving with each tournament. Clay will never be her best surface, but she's learning to adapt her game. Today was about the difference between a world No. 1 and someone still rebuilding their game after injury."
Looking Ahead
Raducanu will now turn her attention to the grass-court season, where she'll hope to rediscover the form that propelled her to the 2021 US Open title as a qualifier. She's scheduled to play at the Nottingham Open in early June before competing at Wimbledon, where she reached the fourth round in 2022.
Swiatek continues her quest for a fourth French Open title against either Marie Bouzková or Jana Fett in the third round. The Pole remains the heavy favorite to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen again, having dropped just seven games in her first two matches.
As for Raducanu, while the scoreline against Swiatek was emphatic, her ability to compete at the highest level again after multiple surgeries suggests brighter days may lie ahead on surfaces more suited to her aggressive baseline game.