Iga Swiatek suggests that she employs different strategies when playing against Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina, but emphasizes that her mindset and focus remain the same when facing these two superstars.
Last season, Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Rybakina engaged in some of the most exciting matches of the year when they faced each other.
In her head-to-head record against 25-year-old Sabalenka, 22-year-old Swiatek has won 6 out of 9 matches. Swiatek emerged victorious against Sabalenka in the finals of the WTA Finals and Stuttgart, but was defeated by the Belarusian in the Madrid final. After the 2023 season concluded, the Swiatek and Sabalenka Madrid final was voted as the WTA Final of the Year.
On the other hand, Swiatek has won twice and lost thrice against Rybakina. After suffering three defeats against Rybakina last year, Swiatek avenged herself by defeating the Kazakh in the Doha final on Saturday.
This week, Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Rybakina are competing in the same tournament for the first time since the Australian Open at a WTA 1000 event in Dubai. During her pre-tournament press conference, Swiatek was asked about the difference in playing against Sabalenka and Rybakina.
“Well, their style of play. They have different approaches. That’s the main distinction to consider when preparing for a match because you have your own tactics and you need to be prepared,” Swiatek said.
“That’s all I can say because both of them are extremely intense. You really need to be alert and ready, allowing them to play their game because they will utilize it.
“They are both highly skilled. As you can see, our matches against each other have been very close. I feel that the level of play is quite high, which is good.
“I wouldn’t say there’s much difference in terms of the mindset and focus when I play against each of them.”
After her victory at the Doha WTA 1000 tournament last week, Swiatek did not have much time to celebrate or relax. Instead, she immediately traveled to Dubai, where she is the top-seeded player and ready to resume her campaign.
While Swiatek may be fatigued from her performance in Doha, she now faces a new challenge as the leading contender for the title in Dubai. In Dubai, Swiatek was asked how she handles the expectations and pressure while maintaining a balance between her personal life and career.
“Well, in my entire life? There’s hardly any peaceful time, I would say, because there’s always something happening. The tour is incredibly demanding,” Swiatek said.
“I try to seize every moment of peace, staying in one place for an extended period, to find a balance. But overall, I think I manage it quite well.”
Swiatek, a four-time Grand Slam champion, secured her first Slam victory at the 2020 French Open. Since then, she has been one of the top players in the game, enjoying considerable success on the Tour over the past two years. This week, Swiatek entered her 91st week as the world No. 1.
As expected, Swiatek’s remarkable achievements have attracted significant attention, particularly on social media. When asked if being the world No. 1 and the constant buzz on social media could be distracting, Swiatek revealed that she lost her way for two months following her French Open triumph in 2020.
However, she now handles social media and everything else much better.
“I would say I’m doing a good job of separating that. I don’t really use social media during tournaments. I simply post my own content, and that’s it,” Swiatek explained.
“Of course, when I go on social media when I’m not competing, it can distract a person. I would also say that when you start achieving success, it’s easy to focus on the business side of the sport and forget why you’re actually here, the work that you should be putting in.
“I remember after winning my first Roland Garros, for about two months, I was really going down the wrong path. Practice was not a priority in my schedule or in my mind, you know? I recall that my team had to guide me back onto the right path.
“I think social media and the internet can distract you, as well as the business side of sports, if you don’t manage it well.”
Meanwhile, Swiatek could potentially face Sabalenka or Rybakina only in the Dubai final, as the Belarusian and the Kazakh are placed in the bottom half of the draw. After receiving a first-round bye, Swiatek will begin her campaign against Sloane Stephens on Tuesday.
If Swiatek emerges victorious in Dubai this week, it will be her first title at the tournament.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org