Iga Swiatek is a star on the rise. Ever since her upset of Caroline Wozniacki at the 2019 Rogers Cup, she has gone from strength to strength, winning the 2020 French Open at the tender age of 19. Winning the French Open meant that the Polish star was both the lowest ranked player to win in Roland Garros and the youngest champion since Monica Seles in 1992.
Background
Iga Swiatek was born on the 31st May, 2001 in Warsaw, Poland. Her father, Tomasz was an Olympic rower and competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Her mother Dorota is an orthodontist. She has an older sister Agata, who also played tennis at a high level and is now currently studying dentistry.
Style of game
Iga Swiatek’s game is highlighted by her heavy groundstrokes and fearsome kick serve. While possessing tremendous offensive weapons, the Polish teenager has equally impressive defensive skills and is more than competent at net.
Coach
Fellow Pole, Piotr Sierzputowski, who won the WTA Coach of the Year in 2020, coaches Iga Swiatek.
Form so far in 2021
Already in 2021, Swiatek has reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam at the Australian Open, where she lost in three sets to Romanian star Simona Halep. In that match, she played a flawless first set, taking it 6-3 but became erratic when Halep started hitting more topspin on the ball. She rectified this performance with a stunning display in Adelaide, where she went through the entire tournament without dropping a set.
Predictions for 2021
Given her all-court excellence, Swiatek should do well on all surfaces, including her beloved clay. The Pole is actually a former Wimbledon junior girls champion, so look out for her on the grass. Currently ranked at a career high of 15, expect her to gain more ground this year and become deeply entrenched inside the world’s top ten players. It will be interesting to watch her form a rivalry with other young guns such as Naomi Osaka, Bianca Andreescu, Sofia Kenin, and Ash Barty.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
