Polish teenager Iga Swiatek has defeated Sofia Kenin, of the United States, to become the youngest women’s French Open champion in almost 30 years.
The 19-year-old Swiatek, at 54 the lowest-ranked woman to capture the Roland Garros title in the modern era, beat her sixth-ranked opponent 6-4, 6-1 on Saturday to win her country’s first Grand Slam singles title.
“I don’t know what’s going on. It’s overwhelming for me, it’s crazy,” Swiatek said after her triumph.
“Two years ago, I won a junior Grand Slam [at Wimbledon] and now I’m here. It feels like such a short time.”
Swiatek is the youngest women’s French Open winner since Monica Seles lifted the trophy as an 18-year-old in 1992. She is the first teenage champion since Iva Majoli in 1997.
“It’s crazy for me because I watched Rafael Nadal lift the trophy every year and now I’m in the same place,” she said, referring to the Spanish superstar who has won the French Open 12 times.
