"Why is everyone so sure Naomi Osaka was winning 5 more matches?" - Fans push back against Iga Swiatek's 2R escape being deemed real French Open final

Tennis fans have not taken kindly to the claim that Iga Swiatek's narrow escape against Naomi Osaka in the second round of the 2024 French Open represented the real final of the Major. This discourse emerged after the Pole dominated Jasmine Paolini in the final to clinch her fourth Roland Garros title.

Swiatek secured her third consecutive title at the claycourt Major with a dominant 6-2, 6-1 win over Paolini in the final. In the Pole's commanding run to the title, the match that stands out is her second-round clash against Naomi Osaka, the only match in which she dropped a set.

Osaka had a prime opportunity to knock the top seed and two-time defending champion out of the Major, but the 23-year-old fended off a match point to secure a hard-fought 7-6(1), 1-6, 7-5 victory after a two-hour and 57-minute battle.

Given the stark difference between Iga Swiatek's closely contested battle with the Japanese and her dominant display in the title clash, tennis journalist Jose Morgado suggested that her thrilling encounter with Naomi Osaka represented the actual final of the Major.

"So the final was Swiatek-Osaka as we felt back then," he posted on X.

However, tennis fans pushed back against the claim, challenging the assumption that Osaka would go on to win five more matches even if she managed to beat the Pole.

"It's been 10 days and I'm still reading this take. Why is everyone so sure Osaka was winning 5 more matches?" one fan posted.

"Not really…? There’s nothing to suggest Osaka is winning this tournament after beating Iga. But ya the tournament was over the second Iga saved MP vs Osaka. That’s true. Just extreme to think Osaka was a lock if she had beaten Iga. That’s insanity," another fan chimed in.

"Not really, Osaka would have struggled vs Marketa and Coco once the roof opened and the sun came out," said another.

Several fans also suggested that this take was "disrespectful" to Jasmine Paolini, especially after the Italian upset fourth seed Elena Rybakina and ousted Mirra Andreeva en route to the final.

"That's disrespectful to Paolini. She won her way into this final. Beating Rybakina and Andreeva who beat Sabalenka. Osaka and Swiatek was the most competitive but this is the tonal," one fan posted.

"No. There’s no reason to think Osaka would have made it all the way through even if she’d won that match. Paolini has deserved everything she has achieved here," another fan contended.

"I think it's diminishing to what Paolini accomplished," said yet another.

Meanwhile, one fan argued that Osaka was unlikely to sustain the same high level of play for the rest of the tournament, suggesting that Iga Swiatek's semifinal opponent Coco Gauff would have likely triumphed at the French Open if the Japanese got past the World No. 1.

"Tbh I don’t think Osaka could have maintained that level on clay for a whole tournament. I think Coco ends up winning instead," the fan commented.

"I was almost out of the tournament in the second round" - Iga Swiatek recalls Naomi Osaka scare after French Open 2024 triumph

Iga Swiatek speaks during the French Open trophy presentation

Iga Swiatek reflected on her scare against Naomi Osaka during the French Open trophy presentation, thanking the fans for cheering her on and bolstering her self-belief after her narrow escape.

"I was almost out of the tournament in the second round. So, thank you guys for staying behind my back and cheering for me. I also needed to believe that this one is going to be possible. So, it's been a really emotional tournament," Iga Swiatek said.

The 23-year-old also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her sister, family, sponsors and Polish fans for their constant support.

"So thank you for supporting me. Also, you know to everybody at home, my sister, my family, my sponsors for constant support. I won't bore you anymore. Thank you for all the support, and all the Polish fans and Polish flags," she added.

By securing her fifth Major title with her triumph at the claycourt Major, Iga Swiatek broke her tie with fellow four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka and equaled Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis' tally.