The Polish Iga Swiatek does not hesitate to speak publicly about the war in Ukraine which she denounces.
If the less observant have not noticed, Iga Swiatek wears a flag bearing the image of Ukraine on his cap at each match. She defends Elina Svitolina’s country which was invaded by Vladimir Putin’s Russia. The player, who had taken a public position at the start of the conflict, continues to express her support week after week. Last April, for example, she regretted that world tennis authorities did not do more. “I have the feeling that tennis, from the start, could have done a little better to show everyone that tennis players were against the war”.
She gave a layer of it in an interview with Le Monde on May 30, 2023. The world number 1 pointed to “the lack of leadership” on the part of these authorities. “We were not brought together to explain to each other how we were supposed to manage a complex situation and how to behave”. She also describes “tensions between certain players” and a “heavy atmosphere” in the locker room. Aryna Sabalenka, for example, admitted to sometimes “dealing with hateful feelings”.
Biography Iga Swiatek. Iga Swiatek was born on May 31, 2001 in Warsaw, the capital of Poland. She started playing tennis thanks to her older sister, Agata, whom she wanted to beat. The first Polish woman in the Open era to win Roland-Garros and a Grand Slam title, Iga Swiatek has worked full-time since becoming a professional with Daria Abramowicz, a former sailor turned sports psychologist. The Pole said: “She understands me from A to Z, she makes me smarter and thanks to her I manage my emotions much better. It’s important because the psychological aspect is a big part of this game. Everyone everyone can play at a very high level, but the best are those who are the strongest mentally.”
After her title at Roland-Garros in 2020, Wojtek Fibak, a former tennis player, said in an interview for L’Equipe: “She has a masculine game that is different from what is offered on the women’s circuit. She can dominate and become a second Serena Williams. She has the mind and the shot for that. She has always played like that. The difference is that before she made a lot of mistakes. She drank a lot, in particular. Now she is very fair and I see her win rallies that she would have lost before. She amazes me a lot. In any case, she owes her success to her new regularity.”
Since the start of her career, Iga Swiatek has won 7 titles, including 1 Grand Slam (Roland-Garros in 2020). Here are the Pole’s other trophies: Rome (Italy) and Adelaide (Australia) in 2021, Doha (Qatar), Indian Wells (USA), Miami (USA) and Stuttgart (Germany) in 2022.
Around No. 200 in the world (nldr: 175) when she turned professional in 2018, Iga Swiatek currently sits No. 1 in the WTA rankings, her career best.
On the professional circuit for about five years, Iga Swiatek has amassed nearly $9 million ($8,517,786m) in winnings from his competitive performances.
Iga Swiatek comes from a family of athletes. His father is Tomasz Swiatek, a former rower who competed in the final of the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the four sculls category. Agata, Iga’s older sister is also athletic, although she had to give up after a few years on the ITF circuit due to injuries.
Iga Swiatek has never hidden that Rafael Nadal is her idol and that she was inspired by the Spaniard’s style of play: “I love Rafa Nadal. I have his T-shirt with his signature on my wall and the schedule with Rafa. He’s my idol. He’s humble and remained the same guy he was before even after winning so many titles. I didn’t watch tennis much when I was younger. The only player who fascinated me was Rafael Nadal. I guess I copied my style of play from him. I like to hit the balls with a lot of effect. Since I know Rafael Nadal as a player and as a person, I respect him even more. When I was young, I loved his looks and the energy he plays with.”
