Iga Swiatek, Bianca Andreescu, Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles are all so young but are doing a great job educating people on mental health: Psychologist Daria Abramowicz
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek rode her winning streak all the way to a fifth consecutive WTA title at the 2022 Italian Open. The youngster, who has now won 28 consecutive matches, beat Ons Jabeur comfortably in the final of the WTA 1000 event on Sunday.
Clay is Iga Swiatek's favored surface as it suits her style of play. But heavy groundstrokes and an impenetrable serve are not the only weapons in the Pole's arsenal. The standout feature of her game, in fact, has been her mental resolve.
Swiatek has not flinched once in the last three months, having won one big match after another with resounding scorelines. Her focus on maintaining a healthy mindset, according to her psychologist Daria Abramowicz, is one of the World No. 1's strongest assets.
Speaking to PA Media, Abramowicz said she hoped that Swiatek and fellow athletes like Simone Biles, Bianca Andreescu and Naomi Osaka would bring due attention to the importance of mental health.
“It’s unique, it’s amazing," Abramowicz said of Swiatek's focus on her mental wellness. "And I really, really do hope that she will set an example for other young athletes."
“I can see already generational change but I hope athletes like Iga – and also Bianca Andreescu, Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles – they are so young but they are really, really doing a great job to educate," she continued. “I hope we will have many, many more and it will raise awareness not only in the sports environment but also in the everyday life of many people.”
Abramowicz also revealed the work that Swiatek has put into the mental side of her game, saying she tried really hard to find the right way to "manage success properly."
She went on to express pride in the manner that Swiatek has handled her rise to the top of the women's game so far.
“We tried really, really hard, even before Roland Garros 2020, to prepare Iga,” Abramowicz said. “We as a team and obviously Iga herself put in all the work to be able to manage success properly when it comes."
"I’m so proud of her that she’s using all the tools that she’s been learning these last three years," she added. "I really am fortunate to witness how she uses these tools, how she uses the proper attitude and how she manages the challenges."
"There are huge challenges and I sense that it's just the beginning for Iga Swiatek" - Daria Abramowicz
During the interview, Abramowicz was quick to point out that Iga Swiatek needed to continue putting in the hard work as bigger challenges lie in wait for the youngster.
She also highlighted the attention that players receive through social media, saying it adds pressure.
"There are huge challenges and I sense that it's just the beginning," Abramowicz said. "It's a lot of career before her and there will be many, many more and we will be working hard trying to manage them well."
“Creating and managing a healthy and sustainable career nowadays, especially in the era of social media and mobile devices and other pressures, it’s something that’s a great challenge for almost everyone in high performance sport,” she added.
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