Swiatek 3-1 Gauff*

Swiatek has lost only once on clay this season, having won back-to-back titles in Madrid and Rome before heading to the French Open, where she’s won the title the past two years and is on a 19-match winning streak.

Swiatek serves to Gauff’s forehand on the first point here – a smart tactic to target that side – but Swiatek then decides to mix it up, serving to Gauff’s backhand, and Gauff dismisses it for a winner. Best stick to the forehand, Iga. After sliding break point down, at 30-40, Swiatek does exactly that, Gauff gets it back but then makes a disappointing error. Deuce. Advantage Swiatek. Deuce, when Gauff’s power finally beats Swiatek’s supreme reactions at the net! Advantage Swiatek. Deuce, after a Gauff lob that just lands in! Gauff hits an ugly return that almost rockets into the stands it was so wild, and Swiatek holds.

Swiatek* 2-1 Gauff

That previous game encapsulated the problem that Gauff faces this afternoon: she worked so hard to get into a game-winning position, but Swiatek is such a formidable player on the big points and gives away so few errors. A strong serve at 15-0 gives Gauff a cheap point for 30-0. She needs plenty more of those this afternoon. 40-0, as Swiatek sprays a rare errant forehand wide. 40-15, as Swiatek steps into the forecourt and puts away the winner. Is there a better mover than her in the women’s game? I don’t think so. But Gauff holds to 15.

Swiatek 2-0 Gauff*

Naomi Osaka came within a point of beating Swiatek in the second round, but the difference between that match and this one is that Gauff doesn’t hit the ball quite as hard as Osaka.

Gauff does have plenty of punch on her backhand though, and drives one down the line for 15-all. A few more penetrating backhands from Gauff on the next point, she works the point well, coming into the net, but Swiatek’s ball dips dangerously into the clay and Gauff can’t get it back. 30-15. 40-15. Another backhand winner from Gauff, wow. 40-30. If only Gauff’s forehand was as good as her backhand she’d be unbeatable. Make that a third backhand winner. Deuce. Advantage Gauff, break-back point. But an untimely first backhand error from Gauff and they’re back at deuce … and from there Swiatek survives.

Swiatek breaks: Swiatek* 1-0 Gauff

Chris Evert is saying on the Eurosport commentary that she thinks the key for Gauff today is her serve. She’s hit twice as many double faults as aces this year, and given that Swiatek is the best returner on the tour, if not the best, Gauff needs to have a high first-serve percentage. Swiatek will keep puncturing holes in Gauff’s serve if it’s not aggressive enough.

To highlight this, Swiatek immediately sprints to 0-30 on Gauff’s serve. Gauff recovers to 15-30, and the point of the game then plays out, which Swiatek takes with a bruising backhand down the line. 15-40, two break points. And Gauff gets her drive volley all wrong and Swiatek strikes from the off!

Do get in touch with any thoughts: you can email katy.murrells.casual@theguardian.com

All 10 of Gauff’s defeats by Swiatek have been in straight sets, including the 2022 final at Roland Garros and in last year’s quarter-finals. What’s hard for the 20-year-old in this match-up is that for all of her strengths – her backhand, her athleticism, her mentality – she’s got an iffy forehand that Swiatek can target with her own forehand, which is so powerful and top-spin heavy.

And here come the players, headphones on, as they always are. Which is a shame because they probably don’t fully hear the loud reception they get from the crowd. But it’s good to see that the stands are nearly full. The Parisian patrons have been a bit tardy so far this fortnight, but they don’t want to be late for this one.

Gauff on the mental challenge of facing Swiatek:

I think you just get older and learn how to handle the pressures a little bit more. I don’t have a mental coach or anything like that sports-related, but it is something that I knew I had to improve and just be more positive … and realising that I can’t beat myself and also my opponent beating me.

She’s definitely a tough opponent for me and for anybody. I think for me I just have to go back and watch [previous matches] and try to find what I have to do.

I think she’s playing great tennis here, so it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m going to go into the match with a lot of belief that I can.

Swiatek on why she’s not taking Gauff lightly despite beating her in 10 of their 11 meetings:

I think her mental game is a little bit better, and before it was kind of easier to ‘crack her’, I would say, when you were leading.

But it’s normal that she’s making progress. She’s at that age that everything goes pretty nicely that if you’re working hard, then you will get progress.

Probably every aspect of her game is a little bit better, because, yeah, it’s different being a teenager on the tour and then being a more mature player.

One match has already been completed on Philippe Chatrier today, with Britain’s Neal Skupski and his American partner Desirae Krawczyk losing the mixed doubles final, 6-4, 7-5 to Laura Siegemund and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

Elsewhere, another Briton, Alfie Hewett, has been knocked out in the men’s singles wheelchair semi-finals. The top seed was defeated 7-5, 6-7 (1), 6-2 by the Argentinian Gustavo Fernandez.

Another trip down memory lane:

Or you’ve got nearly enough time to watch this. YouTube comes up short on the “Henin 2007 final” search, but here’s Seles beating Steffi Graf in the 1992 final:

Fancy some reading while we wait?

Order of play

Preamble