Why Iga Swiatek's dominant 2022 season strengthens her case as Serena Williams' successor
Since her maiden Grand Slam triumph at the 2020 French Open, Iga Swiatek has been pegged for greatness. While she had a respectable 2021 year, during which she claimed a couple of titles, the youngster aimed for an improved showing in 2022. She did little more than that, brushing aside her competition with ease to establish her dominance on the WTA tour.
Swiatek started the year with a couple of semifinal showings. She fell to Ashleigh Barty in Adelaide, while Danielle Collins knocked her out of the Australian Open. Jelena Ostapenko defeated the Pole in the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships. It would turn out to be her last defeat in a long time.
She won her first title of the season at the Qatar Open and completed the "sunshine double" by winning back-to-back titles in Indian Wells and Miami. Following the conclusion of the latter tournament, she also ascended to the top of the rankings for the first time.
Iga Swiatek set new record with her 37-match winning streak
Iga Swiatek's winning ways continued throughout the clay season. She claimed her fourth title of the year in Stuttgart and successfully defended her Italian Open crown. She was the overwhelming favorite to capture her second Major title at the French Open, and she did just that.
Swiatek defeated Coco Gauff in the final to emerge victorious at Roland Garros once again. With the win, she tied Venus Williams' record of 35 consecutive match wins, the most since 2000. The 21-year-old surpassed it by reaching the third round of Wimbledon, setting a new record with 37 straight victories.
Her unbeaten run ended with a loss to Alize Cornet at the All England Club. Her next few results were slightly disappointing, especially given the high standards she set for herself with her performances. She lost to Caroline Garcia in the quarterfinals of the Poland Open, which marked her first defeat on clay this year.
Swiatek then failed to make it past the third round in Toronto and Cincinnati, losing to Beatriz Haddad Maia and Madison Keys respectively. With the World No. 1 looking slightly vulnerable, it looked like the US Open was about to be a free for all.
Iga Swiatek becomes clear frontrunner to scoop up all big titles in the near future
While Iga Swiatek was considered one of the favorites to win the US Open in August, her aura of invincibility took a hit with her string of recent losses. She kicked off her campaign in New York with convincing wins over Jasmine Paolini, Sloane Stephens and Lauren Davis.
Though Jule Niemeier pushed Swiatek to three sets, the latter managed to prevail in the end. Her level against Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals wasn't great either, but it was enough to score a straight-sets win over the American. The World No. 1 then staged a comeback to defeat Aryna Sabalenka in three sets in the semifinals.
Up against Ons Jabeur in the final, Swiatek defeated her 6-2, 7-6 (5) to claim her third Grand Slam title. It is the hallmark of a great champion when they manage to triumph despite being far from their best, just like the Pole did in New York.
Swiatek then competed in Ostrava, where she lost to Barbora Krejcikova in the title round in a highly competitive match. It marked the first time she had lost in a final since 2019, bringing an end to a 10-match winning streak in championship rounds. She then claimed her eighth title of the year at the San Diego Open.
A huge favorite to win the WTA Finals, Swiatek defeated Daria Kasatkina, Garcia and Gauff to top the group stage. However, she lost to Sabalenka in the semifinals, bringing an end to an incredible season. Nevertheless, she became just the second player to cross the 11,000 points mark in the WTA rankings.
This year, Iga Swiatek won eight titles, compiled a 67-9 record and scored 15 wins over top 10 players. This level of total supremacy hasn't been seen on the WTA tour in a long time, with Serena Williams being the last player to rack up such impressive numbers.
Despite her immense success this year, it feels like just a taste of what's to unfold in the future. The era of Iga has just begun, with her dominance likely to continue for years to come.