Iga Swiatek, who was one of the finalists of the 2018 Summer Piotr Nurowski “Best European Young Athlete” Prize” has become the first Polish tennis player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
The 19-year-old put in a breath-taking performance as she beat American Sofia Kenin 6-4 6-1, clinching the 2020 Roland Garros crown on 10 October 2020.
This unbelievable victory makes her the latest teenage champion at the French Open in Paris.
Born in Warsaw on 31 May 2001, Iga could not but follow the “Olympic” steps of her father, a former rower who competed in the men’s quadruple sculls event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
She won a doubles gold medal for Poland at the Summer Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 along with Slovenian Kaja Juvan.
One of her dreams is going to the Olympic Games and taking home the first Olympic medal for Poland in tennis.
No. 17 in the world Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) ranking, Swiatek is the highest-ranked teenager in women’s singles.
With her French Open title, she also became the youngest singles champion at the tournament since Rafael Nadal in 2005, and the youngest women’s singles champion since Monica Seles in 1992.
EOC
Photo: Polish Olympic Committee – Szymon Sikora