"Iga Swiatek is showing off her growth in greatness" - Andy Roddick after the Pole's triumph at 2022 US Open
With more than three months to go before the season ends, Iga Swiatek has leapfrogged so far ahead of her competitors that it is nearly impossible for anyone to catch her. Her list of admirers is never-ending, but former World No. 1 Andy Roddick has put out a special message for the Pole.
After Swiatek lifted her third Grand Slam title at the 2022 US Open last Saturday, Roddick took to social media to praise the 21-year-old for the fabulous season that she has had so far. Roddick stated that the World No. 1 found a solution despite obstacles (unsuitable tennis balls for women) at Flushing Meadows and that he enjoyed watching her play throughout the year.
"Iga Swiatek is showing off her growth in greatness. Conditions/balls she wasn’t a massive fan of, and not having had her best stuff coming into this slam. Still problem solved, and found her best for the final. A dominant year that has been a pleasure to watch. Cheers Iga," Roddick tweeted.
. @iga_swiatek is showing off her growth in greatness. Conditions/balls she wasn’t a massive fan of, and not having had her best stuff coming into this slam. Still problem solved, and found her best for the final. A dominant year that has been a pleasure to watch. Cheers Iga!
In the title clash in New York, Swiatek downed Ons Jabeur 6-2, 7-6(5) in one hour and 51 minutes to earn her third Grand Slam title following her French Open wins in 2020 and 2022. She holds the top position in the WTA rankings by quite some distance, with more than twice the points that Jabeur has in the second position.
"I'm more of a person that is going to have doubts" - Iga Swiatek on how she feels before a final
After losing her first-ever tour final in 2019, Iga Swiatek has won 10 consecutive title matches. Apart from the two Majors, she has won four WTA 1000 and a 500 events this season alone.
In a press conference after the final on Saturday, the Pole was asked what went through her mind every time she was going to play a title match. The 21-year-old stated that she has always remained full of doubts and only when she plays well on court does her stress reduce.
"I wouldn't say that there is a lot of joy the day before the final," Swiatek said. "I feel like you really have to be excited for the whole experience to feel that. But I'm more of a person that is going to have doubts. When I go on court, I only focus on the things that are going to make me play better and just win points. I realized that if I'm going to win points and I'm going to play well, the stress is going to go away anyway. In Toronto, Cincinnati I had a lot more doubts, yeah."
Iga Swiatek has qualified for the year-ending WTA Finals, which are scheduled to be played at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas from October 31 to November 7.
Introducing your 2022 #USOpen women's singles champion: @iga_swiatek 🏆 https://t.co/MwmWqTyUKG