Iga Swiatek delivered a light-hearted moment during her press conference after being asked who she’d prefer to face in the fourth round of Roland Garros. Awaiting the result of the match between Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko, the Polish star tried to play it cool—but couldn’t quite keep a straight face.
Swiatek, who is on a quest to defend her Roland Garros crown for a third consecutive year and already holds four titles in Paris, extended her winning streak at the tournament to 24 matches after defeating Jaqueline Cristian 6-2, 7-5 in the third round. Following the victory, she was asked whether she had a preferred opponent in the next round.
It’s no surprise the question got a reaction—Swiatek has a balanced 4-4 head-to-head record against Rybakina, but has never managed to beat Ostapenko, trailing 0-6 in their encounters. The Latvian’s aggressive style has historically troubled the World No. 1, marking one of the more unusual one-sided rivalries on the WTA Tour.
With the Ostapenko-Rybakina match still undecided at the time, Swiatek was asked to weigh in. “No,” she responded initially, then burst into laughter along with the press room. “Am I a good liar?” she asked through her chuckles, clearly hinting at a hidden preference. “Let’s say it doesn’t matter…” she added with a grin. “I couldn’t fake a poker face,” she admitted, still laughing.
Ultimately, Swiatek may have gotten the opponent she was secretly hoping for, as Rybakina cruised past Ostapenko 6-2, 6-2. While the Kazakhstani poses a challenge—being one of only three players to have beaten Swiatek four times (alongside Ostapenko and Aryna Sabalenka)—the World No. 1 holds her own with a level 4-4 record against her.
Swiatek will face Rybakina on Sunday, likely feeling more confident against a rival she has managed to beat before.
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