Emma Raducanu is set for her toughest test yet at the French Open as she faces Iga Świątek on Wednesday, May 28. Ahead of her clash against the four-time champion, the Brit shared her feelings about the matchup. Raducanu also revealed her strategy to avoid being demolished by the Pole.
Świątek, too, expressed caution about the 22-year-old, having faced her twice on clay in Stuttgart. In Paris, the pair are headed for the fifth encounter in their rivalry.
Emma Raducanu on Facing Iga Świątek at the 2025 French Open: ‘I Can Really Test and Challenge Myself’
Raducanu and Świątek met four times before on tour, twice on clay and twice on hard courts, with the latter holding a perfect 4-0 record. Interestingly, the Brit has yet to win a single set against the Pole, but their closest encounters came in Stuttgart (2022 and 2024), where Świątek won 6-4, 6-4, and 7-6(2), 6-3, respectively.
Addressing their upcoming match at the French Open, Emma Raducanu said:
“I think it’s a match for me where I can really test and challenge myself. I think exposure to the top players is great for where I’m at, for my development. I think especially on clay—it’s her preferred tournament, probably surface.”
Świątek, the champion in 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024, is on a 22-match winning streak at the tournament, albeit having suffered one loss at the venue during her run to the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her opponent, however, is up for the challenge and aims to be aggressive.
“She’s won it four times. So, it’s a match where I can go out and really just test myself and go for my shots because I know that if I just push the ball, I’m probably gonna get eaten. So I need to hit the ball and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”
“I get another crack at the best in the world, and I’m looking forward to playing on a big court as well,” she added.
Raducanu booked her place in the second round after a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win against Wang Xinyu. Świątek, meanwhile, advanced after beating Rebecca Šramková 6-3, 6-3.
Iga Świątek on Her Match Against Emma Raducanu: ‘I’ll Need to Be Intense’
Both players’ first professional titles were Grand Slams. The Pole won hers at the 2020 French Open as a 19-year-old, while the Brit clinched hers at the 2021 US Open at 18. Świątek has since won 21 other trophies, while Raducanu has yet to open her account.
About the vast difference in their career graphs, the five-time Grand Slam champion said in her press conference:
“Everybody has a different path and different challenges. But for sure she’s a great player and has great forehand. She can use her topspin pretty well. We’ve played already a couple of times, and we know each other’s game.”
Świątek may appear as the clear favorite in their French Open match, given her record against the 22-year-old and her dominance on the surface. Her recent results, though, are cause for concern. She has yet to win a title since her last year’s stint at the Paris Major.
“I’ll need to be intense and focus on myself. She won the US Open; she can play great tennis, so I’ll be ready,” the Pole said.
The pair’s other two encounters came at the 2023 Indian Wells and the 2025 Australian Open. In Melbourne, the former World No. 1 thoroughly crushed Raducanu with a 6-1, 6-0 score.
“I don’t really take a lot from that except the experience and me knowing how she plays,” she said.
Świątek assured that she would be ready with a tactical game plan against her opponent before their match.
“Melbourne and Roland Garros, totally different surfaces; different story. I’ll prepare tactically as I should before a clay court match.”
The winner of Emma Raducanu and Iga Świątek’s second-round match faces either Jaqueline Cristian or Sara Bejlek for a place in the fourth round.
