Second service: Can Iga Swiatek emulate Carlos Alcaraz to start the clay season?

Iga Swiatek is set for a few months.

The world number two is defending 4,195 points during the season of the clay pitch after its surprising 2024, which saw her win every bar of the tournament L’Ammtuttgart. Even then, he reached the semifinals.

Poland Swiatek won both 1,000 WTA titles in Madrid and in Italy, before collecting another 2,000 points from the defense of its French Open title.

In a nutshell, he is defending 54% of his 7,276 points in the next six weeks – and the world number three Jessica Peguula, breathing the neck, is not defending anyone.

Clay is the best surface of Swiatek, the slowest conditions that give her more time on her right of Pacey, supported by her superb movement around the court.

But it was a difficult year for Swiatek. He lost in the Australian Open Semifinals from Match Point, he was amazed at the Miami Open by the Filipino adolescent Alexandra Eala and cut a stressed and irritable figure in court.

Swiatek also had to face a shocking accident off the pitch, being verbally abused by an “aggressive and provocative fan” in Miami.

A return to her favorite clay could provide a restoration for her, as Carlos Alcaraz has shown.

Like Swiatek, Alcaraz is the open French champion in office. He too had a mixed start of the year. He too had a surprise loss in Miami and, like Swiatek, has a tendency to be excessively self -criticism.

The new champion of Monte Carlo did not have everything in his own way in his race to the title. His quarter -final against Arthur Fils was a difficult and narrow encounter and the Spaniard was the second best in the early stages of the final against Lorenzo Musetti.

But Alcaraz found a way and, ultimately, a way to win. This is something that Swiatek can emulate this week and beyond.