Iga Swiatek, the former World No. 1, opens up about her journey from being the hunted to the hunter in the WTA Tour. After losing her top spot, Swiatek feels relieved and ready to focus on her development as a player. Find out how she plans to reclaim her position and why losing the No. 1 ranking has brought her a newfound freedom on the court.
New Delhi :In a surprising turn of events, Iga Swiatek has lost her position as the World No. 1 in women’s tennis. After an impressive 75 weeks at the top of the rankings, she was dethroned by Aryna Sabalenka. It was a moment that many had been anticipating, and Swiatek herself felt the negative energy and pressure towards the end of her tenure as the top-ranked player.
However, rather than feeling defeated, Swiatek sees losing the No. 1 ranking as a relief. It gives her the opportunity to focus on developing as a player without the weight of expectations on her shoulders. Despite the setback, she remains ambitious and hopes to reclaim her position as the top-ranked player in the future.
Swiatek will have a chance to prove herself at the upcoming 2023 WTA Finals, where she will be in direct competition with Sabalenka. It will be a thrilling matchup, and Swiatek is determined to come out on top once again.
Being No. 1 certainly has its benefits, as Swiatek acknowledges. She describes it as having wings and bringing positive energy. However, she also finds it easier to concentrate on her development as a tennis player when she is not the top-ranked player. It allows her to play with more freedom and a changed outlook on the court.
Since losing the top spot, Swiatek has had a mixed performance on the court. She clinched her fourth Grand Slam title at the French Open in June 2023, but then went through a rough patch, only managing to win one title, the Poland Open, until the end of September. She had a disappointing performance at the US Open, failing to enter the quarterfinals. However, she bounced back with a maiden China Open title, defeating Liudmila Samsonova in the final.
Tennis commentator Blair Henley believes that Swiatek’s game has found fresh freedom since losing the top ranking. Henley suggests that she has the capability to come to the net more and improve her volleys, which could make her an even more formidable opponent.
As Swiatek prepares to compete at the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, starting on October 29, 2023, all eyes will be on her to see if she can reclaim her position as the World No. 1. It’s sure to be an exciting tournament, and tennis fans will be eagerly watching to see how Swiatek performs.