The clay season is on in full swing and when it comes to the WTA, Iga Swiatek is certainly a name that would pop out as a clear title contender. Coming into the French Open after consecutive titles at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, the World No. 1 looked to clinch yet another title and perfectly sum up her clay court season so far. However, standing her way in the second round was none other than her dear friend Naomi Osaka. The match, which had all the drama and action certainly had everyone off their seats and Andy Murray was no exception.

In what was likely his final Roland Garros appearance, Andy Murray, the 2016 runner-up, fell to Stan Wawrinka in straight sets (6-4, 6-4, 6-2). This loss came before his expected retirement later in 2024. However, Murray, being a prominent advocate for women’s tennis among male players, expressed disappointment at the sparse crowd for the women’s matches, though the exact changes he envisioned were unclear.

While watching Iga Swiatek taking on Naomi Osaka, he could not contain his excitement and took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain the nerves involved. “Osaka vs Swiatek is a brilliant watch wta need to do more to capitalise on these match ups!,” said Andy Murray in his made an appeal to the WTA to capitalize the most on these matches so that the fun could continue. 

Andy Murray’s legacy extends far beyond trophies. He’s one of the few athletes whose integrity off the court has propelled him to global icon status. Most notably, his unwavering feminism challenges traditional masculinity.

Murray, influenced by his strong-willed mother, Judy, has used his platform to champion important issues. He fights for equal pay in tennis, defying criticism when he chose Amélie Mauresmo as his coach in 2014 (a female in a male-dominated field). He advocated for more women’s matches on Wimbledon’s Centre Court.

These actions promote inclusivity and equality, proving emotional intelligence is a strength, not a weakness. Even the tennis legend Serena Williams, touched by Murray’s contributions towards women’s tennis, once said, “He has spoken up for women’s rights, especially in tennis, forever. He has such a wonderful mother, who has been such a strong figure in his life and he has done so much for us on our tour. We love Andy Murray.”

In a match that saw both players give their everything, Iga Swiatek got the better of her opponent and ended Naomi Osaka’s run on clay.

Naomi Osaka faces unfortunate defeat from Iga Swiatek in an equally tight contest

Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka both refused to give up in the first set. However, it was the Polish player who came out on top in the first set and secured it with a scoreline of 7-6. Coming into the second set, Naomi Osaka showed her confidence and bounced back to hit a bagel in the second set.

With the scoreline of 6-1, she clinched the second set which turned the match into the third and decider set. While Osaka had momentum by her side, she managed to keep that alive in the third set and made the score 4-2. However, a determined Swiatek did not refuse to give up and showed character to bring the score 5-5.

The match then went to tie-breakers and Swiatek, who is well known for her prowess on clay courts proved why she is the best on the clay courts. By clinching the next two points consecutively, she won the match with the scoreline of 7-6, 1-6, 7-5. While at one point, it seemed that the match could go the other way around, Swiatek’s calmness paid her off.