(Provided by Tennis World USA)
John McEnroe thought Iga Swiatek “looked slightly irritable” in her French Open first-round match and suggested the Pole is feeling “a lot more pressure this year” because of Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina’s presence.
Swiatek, the defending French Open champion, struggled in the first set before handing world No 70 Cristina Bucsa a 6-4 6-0 loss. Swiatek, who was twice down by a break in the first set, also faced a break point at 4-4 in the first set – but managed to save it and then dominate the rest of the match.
At this year’s French Open, Swiatek is widely considered the No 1 favorite to win her third title at Roland Garros. But unlike last year, Swiatek now has real competition in Sabalenka and Rybakina – who have had wins over the Pole on the biggest stage in 2023.
McEnroe: Swiatek is feeling a lot more pressure this year
“She [Swiatek] seemed a little off in the beginning, but I don’t think she was stressing a whole lot. She looked slightly irritable. She’s been feeling a lot more pressure this year because everyone expects her to win every tournament and suddenly, Rybakina and Sabalenka have both stepped up and they’re the two who are…
