French Open director Amelie Mauresmo reveals how she feels about Iga Swiatek arriving 'very early' in Paris amid slump

Iga Swiatek commenced her practice for the 2025 French Open well before her peers last week, as she prepares to defend her 2024 title. Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo dissected the Pole's decision of arriving so early in Paris, insisting that the latter wanted to 'take in the atmosphere' at the Philippe-Chatrier - the main court at Stade Roland-Garros.

Swiatek has endured a tough season on the WTA Tour for her lofty standards, especially on clay, where she failed to make it past the semifinals stage of a big tournament for the first time since her maiden Major triumph in 2020. Following her third-round loss to Danielle Collins in the Italian Open two weeks ago, she and her team immediately made the trip for the French Open in a bid to help the 23-year-old get a good rhythm on the famed terre battue before her title defense.

Roland Garros tournament director Mauresmo spoke to TNT Sports, analyzing why exactly Iga Swiatek had arrived so early in Paris. The former World No. 1 claimed that the Philippe-Chatrier was perhaps the three-time defending champion's "favorite court on Earth," and that beginning her preparations early was a prophylactic measure considering she didn't have many wins on clay under her belt in 2025.

"She came very early this year, and she hasn’t had many wins on the clay this year. I'm thinking she wants to really take the atmosphere of this centre court, the court she loves, maybe her favourite court on the planet," Amelie Mauresmo told TNT Sports about Iga Swiatek starting her practice at French Open early.

"It's nice to see her come so early. I think it's one of the first times that we have this kind of player, a high-profile player, coming so early in the tournament."

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"Iga Swiatek needs to practise on-site, we're happy to have her," says Amelie Mauresmo

Iga Swiatek poses with the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen | Image Source: Getty

Amelie Mauresmo, who is a two-time Major winner herself, added that she was happy to welcome Iga Swiatek to the tournament ahead of its start. The Pole has lost three of her nine matches this year so far.

Moreover, Swiatek recently fell to fifth in the WTA rankings on account of her inability to defend her Madrid Open and Italian Open titles from last year.

"Usually, it happens at the beginning of next week, like Monday of the opening week, Monday, Tuesday, Monday, most of the time," she said. "But I guess she needs to practise on-site, and that's what she feels she needs. We're happy to have her here."

The 2025 French Open will run from May 26 to June 8. The qualifying event on both the men's and women's side kickstarted earlier this week.