Iga Swiatek had a hilarious reaction to the confetti cannon that went off during her trophy ceremony at the 2024 Madrid Open. Swiatek saved three match points in a thrilling final against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka that lasted more than three hours.
Swiatek, who won her eighth clay-court, 20th career, and third title of the season, only lost two sets during her campaign in Rome. The Pole breezed past Wang Xiyu, Sorana Cirstea, Sara Sorribes Tormo, and Beatriz Haddad Maia, before crushing Madison Keys 6-1, 6-3 in the semifinals.
On Saturday, May 4, Swiatek won her maiden Madrid Open title,beating the World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7) in a marathon final that lasted three hours and 11 minutes. It was the longest WTA final of the season and a rematch of last year’s final, which Sabalenka had won in three sets.
The match was not the only memorable part of the day for Swiatek. As she lifted the trophy, a confetti cannon went off behind her, making a loud noise that startled her and made her duck. The video of her reaction was shared by a fan account on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, May 4.
Watch the video below:
Two-time champion Iga Swiatek is expected to make her fifth appearance at the upcoming Italian Open
Iga Swiatek is set to make her fifth appearance at the Italian Open as a top seed. The Polish star has an impressive record in Rome, having won the title twice in a row in 2021 and 2022.
Swiatek made her debut at the Italian Open in 2020, when she was ranked 52nd in the world. The Pole, however, faced an early exit against Dutch qualifier Arantxa Rus 6-7(5), 3-6.
A year later, the 22-year-old returned to Rome as the 15th seed and defeated Alison Riske-Amritraj, Madison Keys, Barbora Krejcikova, Elina Svitolina, and Coco Gauff en route to the final, where she beat ninth-seeded Karolina Pliskova 6-0, 6-0.
In 2022, Swiatek defended her crown in Rome with another dominant performance without losing any set along the way. The four-time Grand Slam champion beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Victoria Azarenka, Bianca Andreescu (QF), Aryna Sabalenka (SF), and Ons Jabeur (F).
Last year, Iga Swiatek's campaign ended in a quarterfinal loss against eventual champion Elena Rybakina, where the former was forced to retire during the third set due to a right thigh injury.