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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Andy Sims

Iga Swiatek eases into French Open final after getting fired up by Led Zeppelin

AP

Iga Swiatek listened to Led Zeppelin before taking her next step on the stairway to tennis heaven.

The world number one and hot title favourite put in a heavy metal performance to rock Russian Daria Kasatkina and reach the French Open final.

Swiatek, 20, won 6-2 6-1 in just 64 minutes of a one-sided semi on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

She said: “I try to treat every match the same way, and if I realise this is one of the most important matches of the season it stresses me out.

“So I just listen to music – Led Zeppelin, it really pumps me up – and use everything to help me.”

The Paris breeze initially caught Swiatek as she double-faulted the first point, and when Kasatkina scrambled an early break back for 2-2, another tough test looked on the cards.

But Kasatkina won just one more game while Swiatek took 20 of the last 23 points.

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