"A breath of fresh air, she has completely and utterly dominated" – Ashleigh Barty on Iga Swiatek taking over the reins as World No. 1 in 2022
Former World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty recently spoke about Iga Swiatek’s dominance during the 2022 season.
Ashleigh Barty, who announced her retirement from tennis earlier this year after lifting her third Grand Slam title at the 2022 Australian Open, recently launched her autobiography, "My Dream Time: A memoir of Tennis & Teamwork".
In an interview with the Guardian, the 26-year-old, who stepped down while at her peak – ranked World No. 1 for 114 consecutive weeks, gave her views on her successor to the throne – Iga Swiatek, who assumed the top position by default after the Australian removed herself from the rankings.
Barty remarked that the Pole’s rise to the occasion was amazing to witness and called her "a breath of fresh air".
"She is a breath of fresh air and she has completely and utterly dominated this season. She has been a level above, a head above the rest, and it has been amazing to see her flourish," Ashleigh Barty said.
The 2022 Australian Open champion also revealed that she would be present in Melbourne during the 2023 Australian Open, where she will take on a new undecided role.
"I’m finalising what we’ll be doing but, yeah, it’s cool,” she said. “It’s crazy to think that it is only a couple of months away, honestly. The year has flown by. But we will be here for bits and bobs."
Iga Swiatek ends her 2022 season with WTA Finals loss
Iga Swiatek ended her spectacular 2022 season with a loss to Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 in the semifinals of the WTA Finals. The Pole registered a staggering 67 wins against a mere nine losses throughout the year. Her historic season included the WTA win-streak of the century, as she recorded 37 back-to-back victories, surpassing Venus Williams’ 35 wins record from 2000.
The 21-year-old collected eight titles - including four WTA 1000s in Qatar, Indian Wells, Miami and Rome; two WTA 500s in Stuttgart and San Diego; and two Grand Slams at the French Open and the US Open.
Reflecting on her season after the WTA Finals loss, Iga Swiatek said that she was proud of herself but confessed that she had been waiting for the intense season to be over.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, I've been waiting for that moment. Because last week, basically it was pretty hard to see the finish line but still be fully motivated and ready for every match. On one hand, I'm sad that I lost, but on the other hand, I have one more day off. That's something on the bright side,” she noted, "This season has been so intense and I'm so proud of myself that I could play so well till the end of it. I'm happy that it's done."
"It's just crazy that it happens. It's that kind of thing that is gonna stay with you for the rest of your career. And it's something to be proud of. Even though I lost today, I'm going to try to enjoy everything," Swiatek said, as per WTA.
Although her competitive season is over, the World No. 1 is set to participate in the World Tennis League, which will be held in Dubai from December 19-24.