World No. 1 Iga Swiatek defeated four-time Grand Slam victor Naomi Osaka in an epic three-set match during the second round of the French Open on Wednesday.
Swiatek battled back from both match point and a 5-2 hole in the decisive third set to avoid an upset and pull off a 7-6 (1), 1-6, 7-5 decision.
Following the contest, the four-time major winners had completely opposite reactions to how the crowd behaved during the competition.
Swiatek — who is from Poland — is the three-time and reigning French Open champion, winning the event in 2020, 2022 and 2023. Her other major title came at the 2022 U.S. Open.
Osaka was born in Japan but moved to Long Island during her early childhood. The 26-year-old sandwiched her first and third Grand Slam singles crowns at the 2018 and 2020 U.S. Opens (in Queens, New York) between her second and fourth titles at the 2019 and 2021 Australian Opens.
Osaka’s near upset on Wednesday came less than one year after giving birth and just five months into her comeback from maternity leave.
According to an Associated Press, ESPN and Reuters report, the pair of superstars played for nearly three hours, as “rain loudly pelted the outside of the closed roof at Court Philippe Chatrier.” Per the report, the rain forced postponements of 23 singles matches until Thursday.
The report added that a “riveted, if hardly full” crowd “alternated their support between the two players.” Furthermore, chair umpire Aurelie Tourte addressed the crowd on multiple occasions after spectators “called out before a point was done” numerous times.
