"I do not pay attention, I am good at cutting myself off"- Iga Swiatek on managing expectations of being the top seed at 2022 US Open
Iga Swiatek has stated that she doesn't really pay attention to expert advice and instead concentrates on what she needs to achieve on the court.
The Pole is the top seed at the US Open this year and is set to lock horns with Jasmine Paolini in her opening round clash.
Speaking to Eurosport before the commencement of the New York Grand Slam, the World No. 1 said that she doesn't pay attention to others' opinions while accepting that the top-seeded players will inevitably have to deal with expectations.
"In a sense, I do not pay attention to it (expert opinions), although often such voices come to me, but you also have to learn how to work with it," Swiatek said, adding, "I think that's the role of the highest seeded players to deal with expectations from the outside. But I'm good at cutting myself off from that and focusing on what I need to do."
#USOpen DRAW REVEAL:
Iga Swiatek's quarter includes five other Grand Slam champions. https://t.co/OqoC6Yb8NE
"I'm mostly focused on learning how to play these balls" - Iga Swiatek
When asked about the different type of tennis balls used by men and women in the US Open, Iga Swiatek, who had previously expressed her displeasure with the situation, responded that she was getting used to playing with whatever is on offer.
"The balls are specific, ours are destroyed very quickly and after two games they behave completely differently than at the beginning. It is demanding. I actually said everything about it in Cincinnati, and now I'm mostly focused on learning how to play these balls and adapting to it," Swiatek said.
That said, she hopes that in the future men and women will get to play in the Grand Slam using the same type of balls.
"I think I'm one of those players who have a little more challenging way to get used to these balls, because of the style of play. But everybody has the same path, so I don't want to use the subject of balls as an excuse or to show that it can be difficult here," she said.
"I'm still working to learn how to play with those balls. I hope that in future years it will be considered that we play the same balls as men in Grand Slams," she added.
#TheLegalSASport
WTA world No.1 Iga Świątek has slammed the the US Open for using different balls for women.
The balls used by women at the American Grand Slam are lighter than those used for the men's game.
Świątek says the lighter balls are harder to control.
#TheLegalSA https://t.co/ybtVKVlerL