Emma Raducanu aims to end Iga Swiatek's 22-match winning streak at the French Open when both women clash in Wednesday's second-round match.
The British star, who entered the tournament dealing with back issues, overcame more apparent physical challenges during her opening victory over Wang Xiyu; however, she now faces a tougher challenge against the dominant player on this surface.
Match preview
Having reportedly considered withdrawing before Monday's Roland Garros opener against Xiyu, Raducanu competed against her Chinese opponent, but not without difficulty.
The 2021 US Open champion needed a medical timeout before sealing the opening set and appeared poised to meekly lose the second set, possibly facing defeat in the deciding set when she was down 1-5.
While Raducanu ultimately lost the second set, her ability to mount some resistance perhaps bolstered her confidence heading into the deciding set, which she won to secure a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 victory.
The win marked the 22-year-old's second-ever at the French Open and her first since 2022's victory over Linda Noskova, thus improving her record to 2-1 at the tournament and 13-10 in 2025.
Having won three of her first nine encounters this season, Raducanu has now claimed 10 victories from her last 14 matches since mid-March, perhaps enhancing her self-belief ahead of a fifth meeting with Swiatek.
Although the Polish star may not appreciate the Queen of Clay label, her impressive record of 36-2 in Paris clarifies why many bestow her with this honour.
The four-time champion was seeking her 22nd victory in a row at the tournament on Monday when she faced Rebecca Sramkova, whom she had previously defeated at January's Australian Open.
While her round-one match was not as comfortable as the 6-0, 6-2 triumph Down Under, Swiatek completed the task in straight sets on Monday, winning 6-3, 6-3 in just under 90 minutes.
After finding herself down 1-3 in the second set, the four-peat-chasing Polish star, who has not dropped a set in Paris since Naomi Osaka won one against her last year in the second round, refocused and reeled off five straight games.
Doubts still linger regarding the 23-year-old five-time Grand Slam champion's level, considering her performances and results on clay in Madrid and Rome before this year's quest for a historic fourth consecutive crown.
However, she hopes to build momentum early ahead of tougher tests that lie ahead in the draw.
Tournament so far
Emma Raducanu:
First round: vs. Wang Xiyu 7-5 4-6 6-3
Iga Swiatek:
First round: vs. Rebecca Sramkova 6-3 6-3
Head To Head
Australian Open (2025) - Third round: Swiatek 6-1 6-0
Stuttgart (2024) - Quarter-finals: Swiatek 7-6(2) 6-3
Indian Wells (2023) - Round of 16: Swiatek 6-3 6-1
Stuttgart (2022) - Quarter-finals: Swiatek 6-4 6-4
Raducanu has never defeated Swiatek in their four previous meetings, and the Briton aims to break that 0-4 record against the four-peat-chasing Pole.
Further emphasising the fifth seed's dominance in this matchup is the fact that the 2021 US Open champion has never claimed a set, with the underdog winning merely one game when they last faced off in January's Australian Open.
The 22-year-old's history against top-10 players leaves much to be desired, as evidenced by her 3-10 record heading into Wednesday's contest.
Raducanu's sole win against such opponents in 2025 came against Emma Navarro in Miami, but the Briton has been defeated by Swiatek in Australia, Jessica Pegula in Florida and Coco Gauff in Rome.
We say: Swiatek to win in two sets
While it would be absurd to suggest that Swiatek is a diminished force, the four-time French Open champion's level is undeniably significantly lower entering this year's tournament.
Nevertheless, the uncertainties surrounding Raducanu's health suggest that the Polish superstar is unlikely to face an embarrassing early exit against the British player.
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