"I'm winning a lot... gives me the life I can live" - Iga Swiatek lays bare the challenges, also emphasizes the best part about being a tennis player
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek recently shared that transitioning between different court surfaces was one of the most challenging aspects of playing tennis. She further highlighted the best part about being a tennis player.
Swiatek has been in remarkable form this season securing four WTA 1000 titles (in Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, and Rome) before achieving her fifth Major at the 2024 French Open. She dominated Italy's Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-1 in an utterly lopsided final of the clay court slam, and now her attention is fully on the Wimbledon Championships.
The 23-year-old arrives at SW19 having not played a match in its lead-up. Speaking at the media day, Swiatek opined that adjusting to the quick change in surfaces without focusing on the negatives, is one of the biggest challenges in a player's career.
"I think actually I mean now it probably comes to my mind because we're changing surfaces pretty fast so I think adjusting to that. Knowing that you probably played the best tennis of your life on one surface but then you're going to another and you're playing a little bit differently. Accepting that and being able to work through that and not really focus on the negatives of this situation I think this is challenging," she said [9:20].
The Pole also pointed out that the packed schedule poses a significant challenge for tennis players, so much so that even when players get home, they don't have enough time to rest properly.
"Also the really packed schedule and sometimes when you're playing well and not having time to come back home and when you are coming home there's so much stuff to do that you're not really resting so this is for sure challenging," she added.
Meanwhile, Swiatek joked that she liked winning a lot. However, the Pole also likes the fact that she can have a lot more career opportunities in the future after she calls it a day.
"What I like about tennis, I mean I'm winning a lot so I like that. I don't know tennis gives me this kind of life that I can live, I can basically do anything after my career probably now and it's all because of tennis and I'm always going to be grateful for that. Also, just getting the satisfaction after really making progress in some things that weren't really working before," Swiatek asserted.
Iga Swiatek's best performance in the Wimbledon Championships came last year when she reached the quarterfinals. However, she went down to Elina Svitolina 5-7, 7-6, 2-6.
Iga Swiatek will face Sofia Kenin in the first round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships
Iga Swiatek, who is currently on a 19-match winning streak that stretches back to May, will be entering the All-England Club as the No. 1 seed.
The 23-year-old also leads the head-to-head tally against Kenin 2-0. Their most recent match took place in the first round of this year's Australian Open, where Swiatek secured a dominant 7-6(2), 6-2 victory.
While the Pole is yet to play a match since her French Open triumph, the American featured at the Rothesay International in Eastbourne, where she qualified for the main draw before exiting in the first round.
Whoever out of Iga Swiatek or Sofia Kenin wins the match, will face either Francesca Jones or Petra Martic in the second round of Wimbledon.