Iga Swiatek secured one of the most thrilling wins of her career on Wednesday but quickly turned her post-match interview into a counseling session.
Swiatek stared down the barrel after coming so close to surrendering her crown in the second round of the 2024 Roland Garros. She saved a match point late in the third set against an inspired Naomi Osaka before clinching a 7-6, 1-6, 7-5 victory.
The match lasted precisely three hours, and several tennis fans were quick to proclaim it the match of the year. One thing is certain: it was a high-quality match between two players who have each amassed four Grand Slams.
While Osaka's clay-court expertise is not on par with Swiatek's, the Japanese star showcased her adaptability to the surface and the skillset that took her to World No. 1 not long ago before she embarked on her indefinite break from the sport in late 2022.
But despite the match ticking off every box from a spectacle standpoint, Swiatek called out some of the crowd's behavior during the match. The Pole tried hard to compose herself during the on-court interview before getting her message across, pleading with the fans not to scream during points.
"I have huge respect for you guys and I know we’re playing for you but sometimes under a lot of pressure when you scream something during the rally it’s really hard to be focused. I usually don’t bring this up because I want to be a player that’s in the zone and focused."
"But this is serious for us. We’re fighting our whole lives to be better and better. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that. The stakes are big. There’s a lot of money to win. Losing a few points may change a lot."
The tournament has already been overshadowed by rampant cases of tennis crowds not adhering to the correct etiquette while cheering for the players. Belgium's David Goffin was the most affected during his most recent match against home player Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Even chair umpires have had trouble controlling proceedings. The tournament has been forced to ban the consumption of alcohol in the stadium to clamp down on the crowd's over-the-top behavior, something Swiatek referenced in her interview.
"Please guys if you can support us between the rallies but not during, that would be great. I hope you’re still gonna like me because I know French crowd might get some players they don’t like and boo. But I love you guys and always love playing here, so let’s continue that."
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