French Open Winner Swiatek in Quarantine

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France -Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her semi final match against Argentina's Nadia Podoroska REUTERS/Charles Platiau
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France -Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her semi final match against Argentina's Nadia Podoroska REUTERS/Charles Platiau
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French Open Winner Swiatek in Quarantine

Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France -Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her semi final match against Argentina's Nadia Podoroska REUTERS/Charles Platiau
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France -Poland's Iga Swiatek celebrates after winning her semi final match against Argentina's Nadia Podoroska REUTERS/Charles Platiau

French Open winner Iga Swiatek said on Saturday she feels good, but will quarantine, after she met Polish President Andrzej Duda who subsequently tested positive for coronavirus.

"Neither I nor members of my team have symptoms of coronavirus. We carry out tests regularly. We will quarantine ourselves in accordance with current procedures," the 19-year-old tennis star said in a Twitter post.

Fresh from winning the French Open earlier this month and gaining national hero status for doing so, Swiatek met with Duda on Friday, when she was awarded the Gold Cross of Merit for her achievements in sports and promotion of the country internationally.

In winning her first Grand Slam title, Swiatek was also the youngest woman to win the French Open since Monica Seles in 1992. She was the first Polish woman to reach the final of the Roland Garros tournament in 81 years.

Polish officials said on Saturday that Duda had tested positive for coronavirus and was subject to quarantine but was feeling well.



Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
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Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)

Hady Habib isn't likely to find anything too daunting at the Australian Open now that he's become the first Lebanese player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam men's singles draw.
He advanced through three rounds of the qualifying at Melbourne Park, winning his third match in a tiebreaker 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) over Clement Chidekh of France on Thursday to secure a place in the main draw of the tournament that starts Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
It continued a rapid rise for Habib, who made his Olympic debut last year in Paris, running into eventual silver medalist Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time major winner, in the first round. It was two sets he'll long remember.
Late last year, he made history at Temuco, Chile by becoming the first ATP Challenger Tour champion from Lebanon.
The 26-year-old Habib was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Lebanon as a young child, learning how to play there. He returned to the US to pursue a pro career and feels now like he's representing of the spirit of Lebanese people.
“I know it’s just a sport, but I feel like representing Lebanon and sacrificing all the things I had to do to get here, it kind of resembles how our nation has fought back,” Habib told Australia's SBS News this week.
His personal success has come at a difficult time during the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“Every morning, I was waking up during that challenging time, I was contacting all my family members, my friends, making sure they’re okay,” Habib told SBS News. "My heart’s just shattered to see what’s happening to our country and people.
“It was a hard time mentally for me, knowing that you can’t do anything to help, but I’m glad things are calming down now. Hopefully we’ll find some peace.”
Habib's first-round opponent at Melbourne Park will be determined when all qualifiers are inserted into the main draw.