Tim Henman backing Iga Swiatek for French Open success and 'not concerned' about Emma Raducanu coaching changes

Tim Henman says he is "loving" the way Iga Swiatek is playing and thinks she has all the elements in her game to continue her stunning form at the French Open.

World No. 1 Swiatek has won her last 28 matches in a row and is a strong favourite to lift a second Grand Slam title in Paris.

The last player to beat Swiatek was Jelena Ostapenko in Dubai in February, but former British No. 1 Henman does not see anyone stopping her soon.

"I was in Miami and I was in Rome last week, and I have watched nearly all her matches,” Henman told Eurosport.

“I love the way she's playing. We always talk about the three aspects in tennis, technical, physical and mental. And in each area she is she is really maximising her play. Her strategy is very simple. She's got huge power off both wings off the forehand and the backhand side.

"She's moving well, so it's difficult to put her under pressure, but if you drop the ball short, she is very good at going down the line on both wings. She's playing on her terms. She's the one that is dictating, she is in control of the outcome of the matches.

"And then you add her physicality on the court which has improved. I think she's faster. When she has to she's defending better. Mentally, she's very focused and her concentration is not wavering during the matches and she's out there with a clear plan.

"I don't know her team, but it seems that they have a very good bond, a very good setup. And when you win five tournaments in a row, 28 matches, you know that it's working very well.”

Swiatek won the French Open in 2020 but lost in the quarter-finals to Maria Sakkari last year.

Barbora Krejcikova is the defending champion but has not played since February due to injury. Paula Badosa, Sakkari and Ons Jabeur are expected to be the leading contenders along with Swiatek.

British No. 1 Emma Raducanu will be competing at the tournament for the first time.

The 2021 US Open champion has shown some promising signs on clay with runs to the quarter-finals in Stuttgart and last 16 in Madrid, but recently has been hampered by a back injury.

She was forced to retire from her first-round match against Bianca Andreescu at the Italian Open due to the issue but has been practising at Roland-Garros.

Raducanu is still without a full-time coach after parting ways with Torben Beltz, so the Lawn Tennis Association’s head of women’s tennis Iain Bates will be her stand-in coach again. Bates will be the fourth ‘coach’ in Raducanu’s box in the last four Grand Slams she has played.

“I saw Emma in Rome and she is in really great spirits and is playing really well,” said Henman.

“For her the biggest challenge is the physicality and demands of playing these tournaments at the highest level. She hasn’t had a great opportunity to build that physical platform and I hope that comes.

"In the short term I am not concerned about lack of coach, she will need to get that right at some point but the top priority is to be fit and health.”

Raducanu will face a qualifier in her opening match and will then meet either Aliaksandra Sasnovich or Wang Xinyu in the second round if she can progress.

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