Iga Świątek's "Tennis Crime," and then the tragedy of her rival. "I Couldn't Breathe"

• More information can be found in Przegląd Sportowy Onet

"I played against one of the best players in the world, and I didn't feel well today. I couldn't breathe, and that's how difficult it is to play against Iga. If you want to beat her, you have to play at 110 percent. I probably gave about 30 percent today," said the clearly disappointed Dane on July 7 after losing to Świątek 4:6, 1:6.

"She started off nervous, but once she stopped feeling anxious, I couldn't use my footwork. My head wasn't in the right place. It became impossible to beat her," Tauson added, referring, among other things, to the opening points of the match, when Świątek committed... four double faults in two service games.

It was quite possibly the 24-year-old's worst opening of her career. Wim Fissette's player couldn't connect with her serve and repeatedly gave away points for free. "You can make one or two errors, but four in two service games? That's a tennis crime. Especially since she didn't serve into the sun in either game," thundered Dawid Olejniczak, commentating on the match on Polsat Sport.

But then everything changed dramatically. In the following parts of the set, Świątek improved her serve considerably, winning 6-4. And in the second set, she was unstoppable, breaking Tauson 6-1. Much of this was due to her opponent, who argued with the umpire, complaining about the dry grass and the inability to slide, and later sought medical attention, having trouble breathing and taking medication.

The conditions will be completely different this time. The 22-year-old will once again be on the other side of the net, but this time there's no indication that anything will bother her. Especially since the Dane has been playing brilliantly in Montreal so far. Świątek, on the other hand, although fresh off his Wimbledon victory, hasn't yet impressed with his service consistency, and as the first games of the match in London showed, this is crucial.

But it could also be the other way around. Raszynian, though she struggled with her serve at the start, is fresh off her Wimbledon success, rested, well-prepared, and playing with increasing confidence. It's long been known that she can quickly correct weaknesses, and her strength isn't solely based on her serve. So if she hits her stride, even the Dane, even playing at 110 percent, might not be able to stop her.

The Iga Świątek vs. Clara Tauson match will take place on Sunday, August 3rd. Both women will take the court third starting at 6:30 PM, but no earlier than midnight Polish time. Live coverage will be available on Przegląd Sportowy Onet.