Imagine being just one victory away from joining the most elite club in tennis history. That's exactly where Iga Swiatek finds herself as she heads into this year’s Australian Open. But here’s where it gets even more fascinating: she’s not just any player—she’s already the only active woman on the tour to have claimed three of the four Grand Slam titles. With four Roland Garros trophies (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024), a US Open win in 2022, and her first Wimbledon title in 2025, Swiatek is on the brink of completing a Career Slam—a feat achieved by only ten women in history. And this is the part most people miss: if she clinches the title in Melbourne, she’ll not only become the 11th woman ever to do so but also the first born in the 2000s—or even since 1988—to reach this milestone. Talk about making history!
Controversial take alert: While Carlos Alcaraz is grabbing headlines for his own Career Slam pursuit, Swiatek’s journey feels equally, if not more, monumental. After all, she’s already closer to the finish line than many realize. Her semifinal runs at the Australian Open in 2022 and 2025 prove she’s no stranger to deep runs here. In 2025, she was literally one point away from the final, only to fall in a heart-wrenching three-set battle against Madison Keys, who went on to win the title. Could this be her year to finally break through?
If she succeeds, Swiatek will join tennis legends like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova as one of only three women this century to complete the Career Slam. Here’s the full list of women who’ve achieved this feat, in chronological order:
- Maureen Connolly [1953 Roland Garros]
- Doris Hart [1954 US Open]
- Shirley Fry [1957 Australian Open]
- Margaret Court [1963 Wimbledon]
- Billie Jean King [1972 Roland Garros]
- Chris Evert [1982 Australian Open]
- Martina Navratilova [1983 US Open]
- Steffi Graf [1988 US Open]
- Serena Williams [2003 Australian Open]
- Maria Sharapova [2012 Roland Garros]
Thought-provoking question for you: Is Iga Swiatek’s potential Career Slam more impressive given the modern era’s fierce competition, or does the historical context of past champions make their achievements harder to surpass? Let’s debate in the comments!
