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Iga Swiatek celebrated her 22nd birthday with a unique shout-out to pop icon Taylor Swift at the ongoing 2023 French Open. Swiatek turned 22 on Wednesday, May 31, and faced American Claire Liu in the second round on Thursday, June 1.
After a commanding 6-4, 6-0, victory over Liu, World No. 1 Swiatek wrote a special message on the camera lens. She wrote:
"I'm feeling 22! #Swiftie"
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The line is from Taylor Swift's 2012 song '22' from her fourth studio album, 'Red.' As evidenced by Swiatek's hashtag, the Pole is a huge Taylor Swift fan and has expressed her love for the American pop star on various occasions.
Swiatek has started her 2023 French Open journey on a strong note, with straight sets victories against Cristina Bucșa and Claire Liu in the first two rounds. She won both matches with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-0.
Swiatek will be hoping to celebrate her 22nd birthday by going all the way in Paris and grabbing her fourth Grand Slam title. It would be her third French Open title, having won the tournament in 2020 and 2022.
Iga Swiatek to face Xinyu Wang in the third round at 2023 French Open
Iga Swiatek will face Xinyu Wang in the third round of the 2023 French Open. Both players have showcased impressive form in their opening matches and their third-round clash should be keenly contested.
Swiatek's straight-sets victories over Cristina Bucșa and Claire Liu, both with scorelines of 6-4, 6-0, highlight her dominance on clay in recent years, underscoring her position as the tournament's top seed.
On the other hand, Xinyu Wang surged past the 31st seed Marie Bouzková in the opening round, 6-4, 7-6(7-5). She beat Rebecca Peterson 7-6(7-5), 6-2, in the second round to set up a third round meeting with Swiatek.
It's pertinent to note that Swiatek and Wang have previously battled on the court during the Wimbledon Juniors in 2018. Swiatek clinched that match, 7-5, 7-6, adding an extra layer of intrigue to their upcoming encounter.
