© Getty Images Sport – Graham Denholm
Iga Swiatek took a moment to reflect on “pretty weird” career paths she and Sofia Kenin have had since their 2020 French Open meeting.
In 2020 – the year when the French Open was postponed due to COVID-19 and took place in late September and early October – Swiatek made her first Grand Slam final. Swiatek, who had just turned 19 three months earlier, met Kenin in her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros.
At the time, Kenin was coming off her first Grand Slam win at the 2020 Australian Open. Although Kenin was already a Grand Slam champion and Swiatek was playing in just her first Slam final, the Pole was the one who ended triumphant at Roland Garros following a 6-4 6-1 win.
Since then, Swiatek has won three more Grand Slam titles and has spent 85 weeks as the world No. 1. On the other side, Kenin – a former world No. 4 – started to struggle mightily with injuries shortly after the 2020 French Open and hasn’t won any titles since 2020 March.
Swiatek set to face Kenin in the Australian Open first round
Kenin, who is now healthy and ranked at No. 38 in the world, was ranked outside the top-400 at one point in 2022. Now, Swiatek and Kenin are…
