Wimbledon 2025 – Will ‘queen of clay’ Iga Świątek rule supreme on the lawn?
Świątek’s best surface is undoubtedly clay, four French Open trophies providing the evidence. Yet her season’s best performances have come on the grass of northern Europe, where she has reached her first two finals of the year.
The 24-year-old was devastated to lose out in Bad Homburg in Germany, but it proved that she is a contender on the grass swing, something reinforced by a Wimbledon run where she has dropped just one set back in the second round.
“Honestly, I never even dreamt that it was going to be possible for me to play in the final,” Świątek said on-court after her semi-final win. “Tennis keeps surprising me, I thought I lived through everything, even though I’m young…I didn’t experience playing well on grass, so that’s the first time, and I’m super excited and enjoying it.”
In what has been a challenging, trophyless 13 months without a title for the five-time major champion, during which she served a one-month doping ban. There is no better place for her to end that drought than on Centre Court and with a maiden Wimbledon title.
Świątek has been ruthless throughout the two weeks in south-west London, reaching her best level and reminding the tennis world that she never left contention. The former world number one has a record of five Grand Slam finals, five Grand Slam victories – will that become six come Saturday?