"Sometimes I like things quiet" - Iga Swiatek opens up about balancing her introvert quality with media & sponsorship duties
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek recently gave an honest opinion about her nature. The Pole disclosed how she simultaneously deals with her introverted nature and sponsorship duties.
Swiatek is known for not being over-expressive. She has previously revealed that it was difficult for her to communicate with others during her teenage years.
“There was a time in my life when I was so introverted that speaking to people was a real challenge. Until I was 17 or 18, it was hard sometimes to look people in the eyes. I hated how hard it was for me," Swiatek wrote in a column for The Players’ Tribune last year.
Despite loving silence, the defending French Open champion recently opened up about how she deals with the media. To cope, Swiatek strives to balance and manage her duties effectively, ensuring it doesn't become overwhelming.
“People really accept that I’m an introvert and sometimes I like things quiet and not too much noise around me. We’re trying to really take it easy and manage all these obligations well so it’s not too much,” Swiatek told CNN.
The 22-year-old has had a deep run so far this season. She has won four WTA 1000 events including back-to-back titles in Madrid and Rome.
Iga Swiatek revealed being successful puts more pressure on her
Swiatek has shown her dominance since her first Grand Slam victory at the French Open in 2020. Till now she has added a total of four Grand Slam titles to her cabinet. However, the accolades and triumphs have also intensified the pressure on her.
Swiatek revealed in a film shot by On Running that she carries the Polish people's dreams on her shoulders. She admitted that she had no idea she'd become a popular personality before participating in the sport. She was quoted as saying:
"I don’t know, I just often have situations where I feel the whole weight of Poland on my shoulders. The person you see in front of the camera is not that different than in real life. Being an athlete now is becoming a public figure. I wasn’t aware of that when I wanted to be a tennis player. That this is going to be a big part of life." [4:36 onwards]
The Pole also revealed how social media has put more pressure on her:
"With social media everywhere and with people sharing every piece of information, it’s just more pressure because of the fact that every step we take is practically watched and often judged by people."
Iga Swiatek has won consecutive French Open titles in 2022 and 2023 and aims for a three-peat this year. She also finished as the year-end World No. 1 last year. Swiatek could face the winner of the match between Naomi Osaka and Lucia Bronzetti in the first round of the clay court Slam.