The women’s finalists and the men’s finalists of the 2024 French Open have been determined. On the women’s side on Saturday, world number one Iga Swiatek of Poland will face world number 12 Jasmine Paolini of Italy. Then on the men’s side, world number three Carlos Alcaraz of Spain will face world number four Alexander Zverev of Germany.
Iga Swiatek’s Amazing Dominance
Swiatek has won three of the last four French Open titles dating back to 2020. On Thursday in the semifinals, she beat Coco Gauff of the United States rather easily, 6-2, 6-4. Gauff had all sorts of trouble with her backhand and forehand, especially when returning a Swiatek shot. Swiatek also had significant success when she came into the net to play a shot. When Swiatek was kept around the baseline, she had less success. However, deep returns on a consistent basis was something that Gauff was unable to accomplish frequently. Swiatek proved to the world that she is extremely difficult to beat on clay, and should not just be the dominant favourite to beat Paolini to win her first major title of 2024, but the gold medal favourite of the 2024 Olympic Games as well.
Jasmine Paolini’s First Grand Slam Final
It is fair to say that Paolini is happy to be in her first grand slam final. She has won two WTA events (the 2021 Slovenia Open and 2024 Dubai Championship), but does not appear to have the power in her game to beat Swiatek. In the semifinal, Paolini won rather easily as she beat the young unseeded Russian Mirra Andeeva, 6-3, 6-1. However in the final, history will not be on Paolini’s side. Swiatek has beaten Paolini twice, and in the process has won 24 of 30 games played.
Men’s Final Expected to be a lot tighter
The men’s final should be very competitive as Alcaraz has faced Zverev 10 times with Zverev winning five times. In the first semifinal on Friday, Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner of Italy, the second seed and Australian Open champion, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. This will be Alcaraz’s very first French Open final and third grand slam final overall. He previously beat Casper Ruud of Norway 6-4. 2-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the 2022 United States Open final and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic 1-6, 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 in the 2023 Wimbledon final.
Zverev is looking to win his first grand slam final. He previously went to the 2020 United States Open final where he lost to Dominic Thiem of Austria, 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6. On Friday, Zverev’s serve was working very well. He had 19 aces in a four set encounter, in a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 win over Ruud.
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