French Open 2025: How Emma Raducanu will look to stun Iga Swiatek at Roland Garros

Raducanu, who has climbed up to 41st in the rankings after an encouraging few months, has previously had little joy against Swiatek.

The 2021 US Open champion has lost all four of their previous meetings – twice on indoor clay in Stuttgart, and twice on hard courts at Indian Wells and this year’s Australian Open.

The 6-1 6-0 defeat in Melbourne was particularly chastening, with Swiatek’s groundstrokes proving too powerful and precise for Raducanu.

“She gets really fired up when she plays me – I don’t know why that is but she’s always played really well,” Raducanu told BBC Sport.

“I’m not sure if it is a me thing but every time we have played she has been high level.”

Raducanu has improved in the four months since they last met, but the way she was outclassed by world number two Coco Gauff on the Madrid clay showed the gap she still has to bridge.

“Against a top quality opponent who is not going to go away psychologically, that’s where you are going to see where Raducanu’s game is at,” said Croft.

“She knows she has to come out and be aggressive against Swiatek. She won’t get away with just pushing the ball around.

“She will need to get the first strike in and will also need to get depth – or angle – to try and control the point.

“If you start to play catch-up against Swiatek in a rally you will come out second best.”