Bagels With Brendan Issue #14
Hi all, and Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there, especially to all of Iga Swiatek’s mothers over the last year, which includes about half of the WTA Tour at this point. If you couldn’t guess already, this issue is going to be all about Iga Swiatek. I have a lot of history homework, but I really wanted to put out an issue this week, so this is what you all are getting. Also, I am excited to announce the launch our official Instagram page, @bagelswithbrendan. It will be linked down below. Ok let’s get into it.
SWIATEK
One would think that Swiatek took a 45 minute shower Saturday morning, because after her match against Danielle Collins, she’s officially washed. The pole had her second serve destroyed, only winning 25% of points. Her return was arguably even worse. Collins only made 48% of her first serves, yet Collins won 74% of first serve points and 61% of second serve points. Swiatek will go into the French Open having not won a title since last year in Paris. Here are her results since then:
Wimbledon- 3rd round, 6-3 1-6 2-6 vs Putintseva
Cincinnati- Semi-Finals, 3-6 3-6 vs Sabalenka
Us Open- Quarter-Finals, 2-6 4-6 vs Pegula
WTA Finals- RR- 3-6 4-6 vs Gauff
United Cup- Finals- 4-6 4-6 vs Gauff
Australian Open- Semi-Finals, 7-5 1-6 6-7 vs Keys
Qatar Open- Semi-Finals, 3-6 1-6 vs Ostapenko
Dubai Open- Quarter-Finals, 3-6 3-6 vs Andreeva
Indian Wells- Semi-Finals, 6-7 6-1 3-6 vs Andreeva
Miami Open- Quarter-Finals, 2-6 5-7 vs Eala
Stuttgart Open- Quarter-Finals, 3-6 6-3 2-6 vs Ostapenko
Madrid Open- Semi-Finals, 1-6 1-6 vs Gauff
Italian Open- Third Round, 1-6 5-7 vs Collins.
In this span, she suffered 3 consecutive straight set losses to Coco Gauff, (who she previously held a 11-1 head to head record against). She also lost to Aryna Sabalenka in Cincinnati.
Sabalenka and Gauff have one thing in common:
They are all better suited to win the French Open than Iga Swiatek.
Every year since 2020, Iga has had the luxury of going into Paris as a heavy favorite.
But not this year- there are 2 players ahead of her.
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka has had a great season. So far, she has reached the final in every single event she has played in, excluding the two middle eastern 1000 events.
The thing about Sabalenka is that she always plays her B+ or A- game. She will rarely ever reach her A or A+ game, or her C game. There will be stretches of points within a match where she will bring her A+ game, and than stretches of points where she will bring her C game. But generally, she will always play at an extremely high level, and she is somebody nobody wants to face.
CHANCE OF WINNING FRENCH OPEN: 38%
Coco Gauff
Gauff has had a season of highs and lows. She started off the year playing better tennis than anyone on tour in the united cup. But than she fell apart against Badosa in Australia.
2 consecutive first round losses followed, and than after a mediocre rest of her season, she finally has found her form. And when she finds her A game like she did against Swiatek in Madrid, and in the United Cup, she is in my opinion, the best player on tour. The only question is- will she find her A game?
CHANCE OF WINNING FRENCH OPEN: 36%
Ok that’s all for today- hope everybody has a great rest of their Mother’s Day!!!
See you next week!
