No luck this time just hard work, says Swiatek

PARIS: Iga Swiatek said she felt lucky when she won her first French Open title in 2020 but the world number one credits hard work for her second Grand Slam title on the Parisian clay.

Swiatek, who beat American teenager Coco Gauff 6-1 6-3 in Saturday's final at Roland Garros, went from being a largely unknown 19-year-old, ranked 54th in the world, to instant celebrity status after lifting her first Suzanne Lenglen Cup 18 months ago.

But she arrived in Paris last month as the overwhelming favourite, having won all five tournaments she had played before the claycourt major.

"I think in 2020 the main thing that I felt was confusion, because I have never really believed 100 per cent that I can actually win a Grand Slam," the Pole, who turned 21 last week, told reporters.

"This time it was, pure work. Just with everything that was going on, I'm also like more aware of how it is to win a Grand Slam and what it takes and how every puzzle has to come together and basically every aspect of the game has to work.

"With that awareness, I was even more happy and even more proud of myself, because in 2020 ... I just felt that I'm lucky. This time I felt like I really did the work."

Swiatek struggled to handle her new-found fame after becoming a first-time major winner but said she felt more prepared this time for what would follow and "even ready to celebrate a little bit more".

The setting was also different from the 2020 final for Swiatek, with that tournament in Paris played with a limited number of spectators in the stands due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, the 15,000-capacity centre court was full and among those cheering for Swiatek was Poland's football captain and striker Robert Lewandowski.

Swiatek did not drop a set