Get set for a women’s final of contrasting styles at the 2023 French Open on Saturday as two-time champion Iga Swiatek and first-time Slam finalist Karolina Muchova go head-to-head for the title.
Swiatek will be chasing her third title in Paris in four years and fourth Grand Slam title overall, while Muchova is trying to follow in the footsteps of Barbora Krejcikova, a fellow Czech player who won her first Grand Slam at Roland Garros two years ago.
On paper, Swiatek, the world No. 1, is the favorite. Muchova, however, did win their only previous battle, albeit four years ago. The Czech player has already shown she’s not afraid of the big occasion, having beaten No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semis.
Why Iga Swiatek will win
Well, for a start, she’s the defending champion and the top-ranked player in the world. The Polish player has also been beating up on most of her rivals for much of the past 18 months, in which time the 22-year-old has won two more Slams — the aforementioned French Open and the US Open — to go with her triumph here in 2020.
Swiatek is the most consistent performer at this level, and while she will have plenty of respect…
