Monday, October 31, 2022
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Gauff, Garcia, Kasatkina prepare for Swiatek challenge at WTA Finals
FORT WORTH, Texas -- Can anyone stop Iga Swiatek at the WTA Finals? Coco Gauff, Caroline Garcia and Daria Kasatkina will take their shots after being drawn along with the World No.1 into the Tracy Austin Group at the WTA Finals.
After sealing her regular season by winning her eighth title of the year at San Diego, Swiatek comes into her second WTA Finals as the top seed. She will open the group's round-robin play against No.8 Kasatkina on Tuesday. Looming in her group is No.6 seed Garcia, who is the only player in the Fort Worth field has a win over Swiatek this season.
"I feel like the conditions were totally different [from San Diego], and right now I need to adjust to the ball basically again because we play with US Open Regular Duty," Swiatek told reporters at WTA Finals Media Day. "I have to just put more energy in that and in controlling the ball.
"But the preparation went well. We did everything we planned. I was able to recover. I felt really sore after these two tournaments. I feel more fresh right now, and that's all that matters because I'm able to give my all during matches."
Garcia on the Swiatek challenge:
"WTA Finals is a challenge, but she's a challenge just by herself. She lost very few matches. I won against her in Poland, but it was very different condition, clay court. She was playing in Poland, and it was probably her first time.
"It's a whole different match for sure. It's group stage as well. I will try to play my game, be aggressive. That's my way of playing, and that's probably the best chance I have to beat her."
Swiatek on Jessica Pegula's winning finish to the season in Guadalajara:
"I always felt like she's really consistent, and I'm pretty happy that she won Guadalajara because I felt like she deserved to have this big title even earlier.
"She is that kind of person that I feel like you can kind of trust her. She's on Players Council and she's always been helpful. It feels like she knows what she's doing. She's really intelligent on court as well.
"It's great that she's fulfilling her goals. She for sure deserves that title, and I think even more."
Swiatek on how she maintains her drive and ambition:
"I feel like I also accepted that I don't have to feel always 100% motivated. Sometimes, especially after Grand Slams when you are playing these smaller tournaments, you feel the energy level is a little bit lower. But on the other hand, when I'm going on court, it's still the same, and I always want to win. I'm basing my motivation on that."
After sealing her regular season by winning her eighth title of the year at San Diego, Swiatek comes into her second WTA Finals as the top seed. She will open the group's round-robin play against No.8 Kasatkina on Tuesday. Looming in her group is No.6 seed Garcia, who is the only player in the Fort Worth field has a win over Swiatek this season.
"I feel like the conditions were totally different [from San Diego], and right now I need to adjust to the ball basically again because we play with US Open Regular Duty," Swiatek told reporters at WTA Finals Media Day. "I have to just put more energy in that and in controlling the ball.
"But the preparation went well. We did everything we planned. I was able to recover. I felt really sore after these two tournaments. I feel more fresh right now, and that's all that matters because I'm able to give my all during matches."
Garcia on the Swiatek challenge:
"WTA Finals is a challenge, but she's a challenge just by herself. She lost very few matches. I won against her in Poland, but it was very different condition, clay court. She was playing in Poland, and it was probably her first time.
"It's a whole different match for sure. It's group stage as well. I will try to play my game, be aggressive. That's my way of playing, and that's probably the best chance I have to beat her."
Swiatek on Jessica Pegula's winning finish to the season in Guadalajara:
"I always felt like she's really consistent, and I'm pretty happy that she won Guadalajara because I felt like she deserved to have this big title even earlier.
"She is that kind of person that I feel like you can kind of trust her. She's on Players Council and she's always been helpful. It feels like she knows what she's doing. She's really intelligent on court as well.
"It's great that she's fulfilling her goals. She for sure deserves that title, and I think even more."
Swiatek on how she maintains her drive and ambition:
"I feel like I also accepted that I don't have to feel always 100% motivated. Sometimes, especially after Grand Slams when you are playing these smaller tournaments, you feel the energy level is a little bit lower. But on the other hand, when I'm going on court, it's still the same, and I always want to win. I'm basing my motivation on that."
Friday, October 28, 2022
WTA Finals round robin groups are set in Fort Worth
The stage is set for the 2022 WTA Finals, as the groups for the round-robin portion of the prestigious year-ending championships were drawn on Friday night in Fort Worth.
Each singles player or doubles team will face off against all of the other participants in their respective group during the first six days of the tournament. At the end of the round-robin matches, the top two players or teams from each group will advance to the single-elimination semifinals.
World No.1 Iga Swiatek, the winner of eight titles this season including Roland Garros and the US Open, leads the Tracy Austin Group. Austin is a former World No.1 in singles -- the four group names are inspired by four legendary American champions.
Swiatek will have a rematch of the Roland Garros final against No.4 seed Coco Gauff during round-robin play. The two youngest players in the field, 21-year-old Swiatek and 18-year-old Gauff, have both landed in the Tracy Austin Group.
No.6 seed Caroline Garcia, winner of three titles this year, and No.8 seed Daria Kasatkina, a two-time titlist in 2022, round out the Tracy Austin Group.
No.2 seed Ons Jabeur, who reached her first Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open this year, tops the Nancy Richey Group. No.3 seed Jessica Pegula, who won her first WTA 1000 title in Guadalajara last week, was also drawn into the Nancy Richey Group.
No.5 seed Maria Sakkari and No.7 seed Aryna Sabalenka, both of whom are making their second straight appearances in the WTA Finals singles field, complete the Nancy Richey Group.
In the doubles field, No.1-seeded Czechs Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova lead the Rosie Casals Group. Krejcikova and Siniakova won three of the four Grand Slam titles this year, and they completed the Career Golden Slam with their US Open title.
No.3 seeds Gauff and Pegula are in the same group as Krejcikova and Siniakova. Gauff and Pegula are the two players this year who have qualified in both singles and doubles.
The group stage of singles and doubles play begins on Monday, October 31 at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. The semifinals will be played on Sunday, November 6, and the singles and doubles finals will be on Monday, November 7.
Wednesday, October 26, 2022
Road to the WTA Finals: Iga Swiatek
Season at a glance
Iga Swiatek engineered one of the best seasons of the century to cement herself as the top-ranked player on the Hologic WTA Tour.
While her 135-day unbeaten run and eight-title haul surpassed even her expectations, Swiatek showed signs of leveling-up as early as January, when she broke through at the Australian Open to make her first hard-court Slam semifinal.
Swiatek, 21, parlayed that newfound confidence to back-to-back WTA 1000 titles at the Qatar Total Open and Indian Wells, but she says the real shift came at the Miami Open, where she would end up winning her third straight 1000-level championship.
"When Ash [Barty] retired, I had two days of not knowing what my place is," Swiatek told WTA Insider. "I'm pretty happy that during this tournament I found out that I can play the same kind of tennis even if I became No.1.
"I spent some time proving that I can be at that place, so it was a whole process, but I would say it started in Miami. There was that shift."
Season highlights:
Won 37 consecutive matches over the span of 135 days, the longest win streak on the Hologic WTA Tour since 1997.
Iga Swiatek engineered one of the best seasons of the century to cement herself as the top-ranked player on the Hologic WTA Tour.
While her 135-day unbeaten run and eight-title haul surpassed even her expectations, Swiatek showed signs of leveling-up as early as January, when she broke through at the Australian Open to make her first hard-court Slam semifinal.
Swiatek, 21, parlayed that newfound confidence to back-to-back WTA 1000 titles at the Qatar Total Open and Indian Wells, but she says the real shift came at the Miami Open, where she would end up winning her third straight 1000-level championship.
"When Ash [Barty] retired, I had two days of not knowing what my place is," Swiatek told WTA Insider. "I'm pretty happy that during this tournament I found out that I can play the same kind of tennis even if I became No.1.
"I spent some time proving that I can be at that place, so it was a whole process, but I would say it started in Miami. There was that shift."
Season highlights:
First Polish player to be ranked No.1 on the WTA or ATP
Won 37 consecutive matches over the span of 135 days, the longest win streak on the Hologic WTA Tour since 1997.
First player to win two Slam titles in a single season since 2016
8-1 record in finals
21 6-0 sets, the most since Serena's century-best mark of 25 in 2013
First player to finish the regular season with more than 10,000 ranking points since Serena Williams in 2015
After winning in Miami, where she defeated Naomi Osaka in the final, Swiatek became the youngest player to complete the grueling Sunshine Double.
As Swiatek took the No.1 ranking into her most dominant surface on clay, the pack was already taking notice.
"Help us all," Jessica Pegula said jokingly as the clay season began.
Sure enough, Swiatek lost only two sets on clay and added three more titles to her tally, including a second Roland Garros.
Swiatek's 37-match win streak, the longest of the century, finally ended at Wimbledon, but she wasn't done yet.
She learned to adjust to the conditions on the U.S. hard courts to win two of her last three tournaments of the season, including the US Open, her third major title. Swiatek capped off her year with a trophy at the San Diego Open.
Swiatek qualified for the WTA Finals for a second straight season. Last year, she made her tournament debut.
"It's a totally different experience, so having qualified before will help a lot," Swiatek said. "I'm curious how physically I will be able to play this tournament after such a long season.
"So it will be a test for me. Last year, mentally and physically I felt I didn't have much power. This year we did some things differently to have the energy at the end, so I'm curious to see if it actually worked.
"It's just going to be a challenge to play against the top players day-by-day, not have time to have these easier first two rounds. So I'm curious if I'll be able to play my top tennis from A to Z."
After winning in Miami, where she defeated Naomi Osaka in the final, Swiatek became the youngest player to complete the grueling Sunshine Double.
As Swiatek took the No.1 ranking into her most dominant surface on clay, the pack was already taking notice.
"Help us all," Jessica Pegula said jokingly as the clay season began.
Sure enough, Swiatek lost only two sets on clay and added three more titles to her tally, including a second Roland Garros.
Swiatek's 37-match win streak, the longest of the century, finally ended at Wimbledon, but she wasn't done yet.
She learned to adjust to the conditions on the U.S. hard courts to win two of her last three tournaments of the season, including the US Open, her third major title. Swiatek capped off her year with a trophy at the San Diego Open.
Swiatek qualified for the WTA Finals for a second straight season. Last year, she made her tournament debut.
"It's a totally different experience, so having qualified before will help a lot," Swiatek said. "I'm curious how physically I will be able to play this tournament after such a long season.
"So it will be a test for me. Last year, mentally and physically I felt I didn't have much power. This year we did some things differently to have the energy at the end, so I'm curious to see if it actually worked.
"It's just going to be a challenge to play against the top players day-by-day, not have time to have these easier first two rounds. So I'm curious if I'll be able to play my top tennis from A to Z."
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Iga Swiatek wins 11th Career title, 8th of the season in San Diego
Iga Swiatek took home her eighth title of the year, fending off a spirited effort by qualifier Donna Vekic on Sunday to prevail 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 to win the San Diego Open.
The top seed Swiatek needed 1 hour and 47 minutes to earn the 11th singles title of her career with her tour-leading 64th match-win of the year, the most since Serena Williams won 78 matches in 2013 (including Billie Jean King Cup play).
Swiatek improved to 24-1 win-loss record on U.S. soil in 2022. She adds the San Diego trophy to triumphs in the States at the Sunshine Double of Indian Wells and Miami, as well as her third career Grand Slam title at the US Open.
Vekic’s resurgent run came to an end, but it was her second match of the day.
Vekic’s semifinal was interrupted by rain Saturday night with the Croatian trailing Danielle Collins 4-2 in the third set, but she fought back, and Sunday closed out the match in a third-set tiebreak.
After winning her two qualifying matches, Vekic had defeated four straight Top 25 players in this week's main draw. But despite pushing Swiatek into a third set for the first time in their three meetings, overcoming the top seed was a step too far for Vekic.
Swiatek won 82 percent of her second-service points in the final, while Vekic only had a 39 percent success rate behind her own second serves. That helped Swiatek convert four of her six break points on the day.Swiatek was the steadier player in the first set, drawing errors from Vekic to earn the only break at 4-2 en route to the one-set lead.
But Vekic’s aggressive play paid off in the second set, where she forced errors from the World No.1 with world-class backhands to earn the only break point of the set at 3-2. There, Vekic won a wild rally with a passing winner to break for 4-2, and she went on to take the set.
In the end, Swiatek came out firing in the third set, wrapping up lengthy rallies with pinpoint winners to improve to 3-0 against Vekic.
Still thinking about that bagel set (her 21st of the season), mesmerizing how she can go to another gear in a final.
If you want to win a match with Iga Swiatek in a final you have to play to your absolute limits the way Krejcikova did in Ostrava otherwise you get steam rolled.
It's astounding.
And honestly something I've only seen from the legends of he sport.
Iga is doing it at just 21 with plenty of time to get even better. Scary.
Saturday, October 15, 2022
Iga Swiatek reaches her 9th final of the year in San Diego
Displaying the resourcefulness and resilience you might expect from the World No.1, Iga Swiatek came back to defeat Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to Sunday’s final at the San Diego Open.
Swiatek will meet the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between Danielle Collins and qualifier Donna Vekic.
Swiatek won her 63rd match of the 2022 season, equaling the 2016 total of Angelique Kerber for the most Hologic WTA Tour victories in the past six years. Swiatek, who defeated Pegula for the fourth time this year, will become the fourth woman to finish the year with more than 10,000 points in the WTA Tour rankings, after Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams.
Swiatek, 21, is now 23-1 in the United States this season.
There were three breaks of serve in the first set and a continuous shifting of momentum. After back-to-back breaks, Pegula faced a third but saved two break points and leveled the match at 4-all when Swiatek missed a forehand wide.
In the next game, with Swiatek facing a break point, she double-faulted off the top of the net and Pegula went on to serve out the first set, prevailing on another Swiatek forehand that sailed wide.
After play was suspended for more than an hour because of rain, Swiatek came out firing and took a 3-0 lead, an advantage she never relinquished. She converted her second set point with a ringing forehand that clipped the line -- and the match headed into the decisive third set.
Serving at 2-all in the third, Swiatek saved all three break points against her -- and then broke Pegula to take a 4-2 lead. A tired-looking forehand into the net from Pegula sent Swiatek into her ninth final of the year.
Swiatek will meet the winner of Saturday's second semifinal between Danielle Collins and qualifier Donna Vekic.
Swiatek won her 63rd match of the 2022 season, equaling the 2016 total of Angelique Kerber for the most Hologic WTA Tour victories in the past six years. Swiatek, who defeated Pegula for the fourth time this year, will become the fourth woman to finish the year with more than 10,000 points in the WTA Tour rankings, after Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams.
Swiatek, 21, is now 23-1 in the United States this season.
There were three breaks of serve in the first set and a continuous shifting of momentum. After back-to-back breaks, Pegula faced a third but saved two break points and leveled the match at 4-all when Swiatek missed a forehand wide.
In the next game, with Swiatek facing a break point, she double-faulted off the top of the net and Pegula went on to serve out the first set, prevailing on another Swiatek forehand that sailed wide.
After play was suspended for more than an hour because of rain, Swiatek came out firing and took a 3-0 lead, an advantage she never relinquished. She converted her second set point with a ringing forehand that clipped the line -- and the match headed into the decisive third set.
Serving at 2-all in the third, Swiatek saved all three break points against her -- and then broke Pegula to take a 4-2 lead. A tired-looking forehand into the net from Pegula sent Swiatek into her ninth final of the year.
Make that 63 wins for the year (now tied with Angie Kerber from 2016). 9th final, 41st hard court win. And I believe her 10th comeback from a set down this season.
Also the first time she has reached back to back finals in back to back weeks.
Simply Iga Swiatek living up and continually cementing her World #1 status. Astounding.
This is the kind of year you usually see from greats like Roger Federer, Rafa, or Serena. To have Iga accomplishing this at just 21 is extraordinary.
And the fact that she's the first player from Poland to write herself into the tennis history books just makes it all the sweeter.
My Polish pride has been soaring all year and it feels wonderful.
These are moments we never expected, but ones that so many Polish sports and tennis fans alike have been waiting and hoping all their lives to see.
Friday, October 14, 2022
Iga Swiatek reaches 11th semi-final & 62nd win of the year in San Diego
World No.1 Iga Swiatek advanced to the semifinals of the San Diego Open after a dominant 6-0, 6-3 win over No.8 Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals. The victory extended Swiatek's undefeated record against Gauff to 4-0 and improved her record against Top 10 opposition to 11-1 this season.
Into her third consecutive semifinal, Swiatek will face World No.6 Jessica Pegula in Saturday's semifinal.
Three thoughts on Swiatek's clinical victory:
Swiatek's offense proves the difference: Swiatek and Gauff are able to go toe-to-toe when it comes to court speed, court coverage, and defense. But the biggest difference in their games at the moment is offense, the area where Swiatek has improved the most in 2022.
In their third meeting of the season and second on hard court, Swiatek's heavy forehand methodically broke down Gauff's shakier forehand. Gauff hit 11 unforced errors on that side in the opening set. Swiatek hit none. When Gauff tried to pressure Swiatek by coming into the net, the Pole passed her comfortably and regularly. As she has done to all manner of opponents in 2022, Swiatek took away any and all zones of comfort for Gauff, who found herself reacting as opposed to controlling any portion of the match.
Swiatek quickly pocketed the first eight games of the match before Gauff held serve to 2-1 in the second set, but ever the front-runner, Swiatek never looked back. In an efficient 65-minute effort, Swiatek finished the match with 13 winners to 9 unforced errors while breaking Gauff five times. Gauff hit 17 winners to 26 unforced errors and could not convert on the three break-point chances she earned.
It's a difficult match-up for Gauff at this point in her career. She has not won more than four games in any of the six sets they played this year.
Not even jet lag can put the No.1 off her game: Swiatek's decision to play San Diego right after a physically and emotionally tough week in Ostrava was a surprising one to many. Never one to flinch at a test, Swiatek wanted to see how she would react to the quick turnaround and change in timezone and conditions.
She's passed that test with flying colors. Dealt a tough draw, Swiatek handled Tokyo finalist Zheng Qinwen in three sets in her opening match and followed it up with a statement performance to beat Gauff. In every tournament at which she has played Gauff, Swiatek has gone on to win the title, having beaten the American at 2021 Rome, 2022 Miami, and 2022 Roland Garros.
The victory is Swiatek's 62nd of the season and 40th on hard court. Having won Indian Wells, Miami, and the US Open, the 21-year-old is now 22-1 in the United States this season. The first set against Gauff was her 20th 6-0 "bagel" set of the season, the most since Serena Williams posted 25 in her 2013 season.
Swiatek's Roland Garros redux continues: To win her eighth title of the season, Swiatek is going to have to go through Zheng, Gauff, and next Pegula. She beat all three in Paris to win her second major in the spring.
"I've played [Swiatek] so often that I kind of know what to expect," Pegula said. "She plays super athletic, aggressive, defends really well. She does everything at a really high level. She plays a little bit different than the girls and sometimes that can be the difference. You're not used to playing someone like her.
"I'd like to say maybe it's better playing her at the end of the year, but I don't know. We'll see how the match goes."
Swiatek and Pegula will lock horns for the fourth time this season. Swiatek has swept their sets, winning in the Miami semifinals, Roland Garros quarterfinals, and US Open quarterfinals last month.
"Jessie is one of the most solid players on tour so it's always hard," Swiatek said. "Our matches are always physical and really tight. Even though sometimes the scores are one way, you can see during the games we always have deuces and any point can matter.
"I'm pretty happy that we're going to play against each other because it's a test for me of where my level is because she's really, really solid."
That's 62 wins for the year,11th semi final, 20th bagel set, (also has 20 6-1 sets).
40th hardcourt win (22-1 in the U.S.)
First woman since Serena in 2013 with 10,000 ranking points (4th overall since intro of computerized ranking).
Just Iga doing Iga things :)
Thursday, October 13, 2022
Iga Swiatek makes it 61 wins for the season in San Diego
World No.1 Iga Swiatek opened her San Diego Open champion with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory over No.28 Zheng Qinwen. Swiatek will face No.8 Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Playing her first match since the Ostrava final, Swiatek weathered both the rainy conditions and Zheng's heavy power game to earn her tour-leading 61st win of the year. San Diego will be her 12th quarterfinal of the season, also a tour-leading mark.
"Qinwen, she has a different game style because she's playing topspin on her forehand and the ball is flying pretty high," Swiatek said. "So today I had to adjust to that.
"But overall, the first matches of any tournament is about adjusting to the conditions we have here."
After a short rain delay, Swiatek pocketed the opening set with solid baseline play, absorbing Zheng's heavy pace and using her courtcraft to open up space on the court. After saving the only break point she faced in the set, Swiatek broke with a clean forehand return at 4-all and served out the opener. She out-hit Zheng with 11 winners to 6 and limited Zheng's second-serve success to 40%.
The second set went with serve before Zheng found herself facing multiple break points at 4-all. Zheng saved all five break points she faced before holding to 5-4, saving the first two with clean winners and engineering an audacious serve-and-volley play on the third. In the next game, Zheng finally broke Swiatek's serve to force the Pole into her third consecutive three-set match.
Turning point: Zheng earned an early break point at 1-0 in the final set, but Swiatek fought it off with just her second ace of the day. Swiatek went on to hold and broke Zheng for the first time since the first set to lead 2-1. With the lead in hand, Swiatek broke once more and took care of her serve to close out the win.
The victory moves Swiatek to 14-4 in three-set matches this season. She has not lost in the opening round of a tournament since 2021 Cincinnati, over a year ago.
Stat of the match: With titles in Indian Wells, Miami, and the US Open, she is now 21-1 in the United States this season.
The French Open final rematch is on: Swiatek will face No.8 Gauff in a rematch of the French Open final. It will be the third meeting between the two junior contemporaries but their first on a hard court. Swiatek has won all four sets they've played, first in Rome last year and Paris this spring.
Playing her first match since the Ostrava final, Swiatek weathered both the rainy conditions and Zheng's heavy power game to earn her tour-leading 61st win of the year. San Diego will be her 12th quarterfinal of the season, also a tour-leading mark.
"Qinwen, she has a different game style because she's playing topspin on her forehand and the ball is flying pretty high," Swiatek said. "So today I had to adjust to that.
"But overall, the first matches of any tournament is about adjusting to the conditions we have here."
After a short rain delay, Swiatek pocketed the opening set with solid baseline play, absorbing Zheng's heavy pace and using her courtcraft to open up space on the court. After saving the only break point she faced in the set, Swiatek broke with a clean forehand return at 4-all and served out the opener. She out-hit Zheng with 11 winners to 6 and limited Zheng's second-serve success to 40%.
The second set went with serve before Zheng found herself facing multiple break points at 4-all. Zheng saved all five break points she faced before holding to 5-4, saving the first two with clean winners and engineering an audacious serve-and-volley play on the third. In the next game, Zheng finally broke Swiatek's serve to force the Pole into her third consecutive three-set match.
Turning point: Zheng earned an early break point at 1-0 in the final set, but Swiatek fought it off with just her second ace of the day. Swiatek went on to hold and broke Zheng for the first time since the first set to lead 2-1. With the lead in hand, Swiatek broke once more and took care of her serve to close out the win.
The victory moves Swiatek to 14-4 in three-set matches this season. She has not lost in the opening round of a tournament since 2021 Cincinnati, over a year ago.
Stat of the match: With titles in Indian Wells, Miami, and the US Open, she is now 21-1 in the United States this season.
The French Open final rematch is on: Swiatek will face No.8 Gauff in a rematch of the French Open final. It will be the third meeting between the two junior contemporaries but their first on a hard court. Swiatek has won all four sets they've played, first in Rome last year and Paris this spring.
Officially the player with most matches won on tour this year (since Caro Wozniacki with 60 in 2017).
2 more wins and she'll equal Angie Kerber in 2016. Unreal.
Wednesday, October 12, 2022
Iga Swiatek feeling fresh after Ostrava and back at it in San Diego
World No.1 Iga Swiatek would have been forgiven if she opted out of this week's San Diego Open. The 21-year-old put in a grueling and emotional effort at the AGEL Open in Ostrava last weekend to make her tour-leading eighth final of the season, narrowly losing out to former No.2 Barbora Krejcikova.
But withdrawing from San Diego never crossed Swiatek's mind.
"Even though I played two really long matches there I feel pretty fine physically," Swiatek told reporters Thursday in San Diego, where she is set to play her opening match. "The thing is that right now I feel more fresh because I had more time off after the US Open. So going into Ostrava I knew I could give everything and go all in."
"It's not that bad. It's the 'nice' jet lag, coming this way."
San Diego will be Swiatek's last regular-season tournament. She will stay in the United States after the tournament to practice and train for the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, which begins Oct. 31.
"It makes sense because I just have to have more matches before the WTA Finals," Swiatek said. "It would be pretty bad if I would have three weeks without matches because I would be a little bit not in the rhythm.
Swiatek took her tour-leading tally to 60 match-wins in Ostrava, becoming the first player to cross the 60-match mark since 2017. With seven titles under her belt, including Roland Garros and the US Open, it would be understandable if the World No.1 was feeling the wear and tear of her season.
Not so.
"Honestly, I feel great and that's weird because I thought after so many matches I was going to feel a lack of motivation, or I thought that if you're winning too much you're not going to have another goal to reach," Swiatek said.
"But honestly, it's the opposite. I'm even more fresh because winning keeps me really positive. I don't waste my energy and time coming back to this positive mindset. I feel like I can be in the rhythm and do my job on court and play. I feel really good."
Being self-motivated has meant eschewing the need for explicit goals to stay motivated. Swiatek does not need a carrot to chase. Her motivation comes purely from within. The result is a fresh mind and body as she finishes out the season.
"Right now I don't even feel like I need goals because I just really enjoy being on court and competing," Swiatek said. "So I'm just doing that. I'm not overanalyzing. I think that's pretty cool because last year I was analyzing everything and it made me really nervous before the WTA Finals. So this time I'm doing it a little bit differently.
"Right now I still find it pretty weird that I won the US Open and sometimes it just hits me out of nowhere and I'm like, that's cool."
Swiatek will open her tournament against No.28 Zheng Qinwen on Thursday.
But withdrawing from San Diego never crossed Swiatek's mind.
"Even though I played two really long matches there I feel pretty fine physically," Swiatek told reporters Thursday in San Diego, where she is set to play her opening match. "The thing is that right now I feel more fresh because I had more time off after the US Open. So going into Ostrava I knew I could give everything and go all in."
"It's not that bad. It's the 'nice' jet lag, coming this way."
San Diego will be Swiatek's last regular-season tournament. She will stay in the United States after the tournament to practice and train for the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, which begins Oct. 31.
"It makes sense because I just have to have more matches before the WTA Finals," Swiatek said. "It would be pretty bad if I would have three weeks without matches because I would be a little bit not in the rhythm.
Swiatek took her tour-leading tally to 60 match-wins in Ostrava, becoming the first player to cross the 60-match mark since 2017. With seven titles under her belt, including Roland Garros and the US Open, it would be understandable if the World No.1 was feeling the wear and tear of her season.
Not so.
"Honestly, I feel great and that's weird because I thought after so many matches I was going to feel a lack of motivation, or I thought that if you're winning too much you're not going to have another goal to reach," Swiatek said.
"But honestly, it's the opposite. I'm even more fresh because winning keeps me really positive. I don't waste my energy and time coming back to this positive mindset. I feel like I can be in the rhythm and do my job on court and play. I feel really good."
Being self-motivated has meant eschewing the need for explicit goals to stay motivated. Swiatek does not need a carrot to chase. Her motivation comes purely from within. The result is a fresh mind and body as she finishes out the season.
"Right now I don't even feel like I need goals because I just really enjoy being on court and competing," Swiatek said. "So I'm just doing that. I'm not overanalyzing. I think that's pretty cool because last year I was analyzing everything and it made me really nervous before the WTA Finals. So this time I'm doing it a little bit differently.
"Right now I still find it pretty weird that I won the US Open and sometimes it just hits me out of nowhere and I'm like, that's cool."
Swiatek will open her tournament against No.28 Zheng Qinwen on Thursday.
Monday, October 10, 2022
Iga Swiatek donates all Ostrava runner up money for mental health on World Mental Health Day
World No.1 Iga Swiatek's commitment to mental health advocacy is well-documented. The Polish star's commitment to the cause took another step on Sunday in the aftermath of her three-set defeat at the hands of Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the Agel Open: In her on-court interview, Swiatek revealed that she'll donated her prize money from the event to a Polish mental health non-profit.
Open about her work with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz since her breakthrough win at Roland Garros in 2020, Swiatek first donated prize money to a mental health charity last year during the BNP Paribas Open in honor of World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated annually on Oct. 10.
Now World No.1, the 21-year-old made this year's commitment as part an emotional on-court runner-up speech in Ostrava, where she also took the time to thank the legions of fans who came from Poland to support her at the event.
While Swiatek has yet to announce what charity will receive the contribution, she says she has a few in mind, and expanded upon her reasonings for doing so in her post-match press conference.
"I really wanted to play well here to have a big amount of money to donate ... and I'm pretty happy that I could do that," Swiatek said.
"I really want to spread awareness and let people know that they can use the help if they need it, or help others if they have resources. I'm pretty happy to use my position that way."
Open about her work with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz since her breakthrough win at Roland Garros in 2020, Swiatek first donated prize money to a mental health charity last year during the BNP Paribas Open in honor of World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated annually on Oct. 10.
Now World No.1, the 21-year-old made this year's commitment as part an emotional on-court runner-up speech in Ostrava, where she also took the time to thank the legions of fans who came from Poland to support her at the event.
While Swiatek has yet to announce what charity will receive the contribution, she says she has a few in mind, and expanded upon her reasonings for doing so in her post-match press conference.
"I really wanted to play well here to have a big amount of money to donate ... and I'm pretty happy that I could do that," Swiatek said.
"I really want to spread awareness and let people know that they can use the help if they need it, or help others if they have resources. I'm pretty happy to use my position that way."
Iga Swiatek continues to inspire pride in my Polish roots.
I honestly can't recall any player 21 or older who has used their platform for mental health awareness the way Iga has. She may be young, but Iga is wise beyond her years.
I admit I still have not seen the Ostrava final due to it being 3 hour epic, but I definitely plan on watching it because as everyone keeps saying it was the final of the year.
Saturday, October 08, 2022
Iga Swiatek makes it 60 wins for the season will battle for title #8 in Ostrava
World No.1 Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova will both carry winning streaks into Sunday’s championship match at the Agel Open.
Reigning US Open champion Swiatek won her 10th straight match by fending off a stern challenge from hard-hitting World No.21 Ekaterina Alexandrova, eventually prevailing 7-6(5), 2-6, 6-4 after 2 hours and 38 minutes of semifinal play.
The victory marks Swiatek's 60th match-win of the season, including Hologic WTA Tour events and Billie Jean King Cup action. She is the first player to hit 60 victories in a calendar year since Caroline Wozniacki finished 2017 with 60.
Swiatek is also into her eighth final of the season and is undefeated in finals so far in 2022. Throughout her career, Swiatek is 10-1 in Hologic WTA Tour singles finals, with her only loss coming to Polona Hercog in Swiatek’s very first final at 2019 Lugano.
Barbora Krejcikova will be Swiatek's opponent in Sunday's final. Krejcikova thrilled her homeland crowd in Ostrava, Czech Republic by battling past reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4.
Swiatek has won both of her previous meetings with Krejcikova. Swiatek won in straight sets on the hard courts of Miami last year before a difficult three-set victory on the clay of Rome two months later.
"I know that [the final is] going to be tough, and Barbora plays a little bit differently than my opponent today, so tactically I have to be ready," Swiatek said, after her win. "It doesn’t really matter for me if it’s a final or any other round, I’m just going to give it my all."
Alexandrova had triumphed over Swiatek in their only prior encounter, which came at the Gippsland Trophy in Melbourne early last year. But Swiatek leveled their rivalry at 1-1, despite trailing Alexandrova in winners (34 to 25) and service breaks (3 to 2) on Saturday.
In fact, Alexandrova’s 17 winners in the first set was more than double Swiatek’s eight, but there were still no service breaks in the opener. In the tiebreak, Alexandrova’s errors mounted while Swiatek’s powerful shots peaked, and the top seed stole the set.
Things turned around in the second set when Alexandrova got the first break of the day with a backhand winner down the line for 2-0. Alexandrova raced to a 5-0 lead from there and held on to collect the second set.
The decisive third set was deadlocked through 3-3 before Swiatek drew errors from Alexandrova to break at love for 4-3. Swiatek pulled off a 12-point winning streak en route to 5-3, and powerful forehands helped the World No.1 wrap up the match two games later.
Friday, October 07, 2022
Iga Swiatek notches her 59th win of the season with a return to Ostrava semis
No.1 seed Iga Swiatek reached her 10th semifinal of 2022 with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat of qualifier Caty McNally at the Agel Open.
Having set a record for the longest Hologic WTA Tour winning streak between February and July, US Open champion Swiatek's active streak has now ticked up to nine. The Pole's overall season record is 59-7 -- one victory away from tying Caroline Wozniacki, the last player to win 60 matches in a single season. The former World No.1 hit that mark in 2017.
Despite being able to wrap up the win in straight sets, Swiatek required 1 hour and 54 minutes to quell McNally's challenge. There was little smooth sailing against an opponent with whom Swiatek had won the 2018 Roland Garros girls' doubles title -- and to whom she had lost both of their junior meetings.
Swiatek will next face either Seoul champion Ekaterina Alexandrova or wild card Tereza Martincova.
Match management: Swiatek faced serious scoreboard pressure in both sets. In the first, she faced break points in each of her first three service games, and was the first player to go down a break when McNally pulled off a terrific passing shot for 3-2.
In the second, Swiatek saw the momentum of a five-game run evaporate as McNally fought back valiantly, pegging the World No.1 back from 3-0 to 3-3 with determined aggression.
But at the climax of each set, it was Swiatek who raised her game. No.151-ranked McNally's swashbuckling forays to the net have lent themselves to numerous highlights already this week in Ostrava, where she has made her quarterfinal debut at WTA 500 level. But Swiatek responded with a series of exquisitely placed passing shots to deny her opponent.
Key numbers: Both players defended break points well; even Swiatek only converted four of her 10 opportunities. But McNally will rue the nine chances out of 11 that she let slip, including triple break point at the start of the second set that she squandered with a series of errors.
Swiatek and McNally both committed 23 unforced errors, but it was the top seed who found more outright winners, 24 to her opponent's 18. Indeed, given McNally's aggressive intent, that number is a reflection of Swiatek's prowess on defense as well as offense.
In Swiatek's words: "It was definitely physical -- at the beginning of the second set I could feel my energy level went down a little bit. I'm pretty happy I got it back again and I could use my experience in my important moments, because Caty played really well.
"Tactically it was easier to prepare, because I know her game style [from juniors]. She's playing differently to other players. But on the other hand, a lot of time has passed since we played last time. I knew she'd made progress and I had to be ready."
Alexandrova will be Iga's next opponent first time they played in 2021 Alexandrova won it, so Iga is going to have to be on it from the get go and fight like she did in this match.
Hopefully the cold she picked up won't bother her too much tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 05, 2022
Iga Swiatek makes winning return in Ostrava
No.1 seed Iga Swiatek became the first player into the Agel Open quarterfinals after qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic was forced to retire due to a left knee injury trailing 7-5, 2-2.
Playing her first match since lifting her third Grand Slam trophy at the US Open, Swiatek found herself embroiled in a tight tussle against Tomljanovic before the Australian started to ail in the second set. Tomljanovic began to clutch her knee in the second game of the second set, and called it quits after holding serve to level at 2-2.
Match moments: Prior to that, Tomljanovic had been pushing the Pole to the limit. Swiatek raced out of the blocks, in complete command of her game and dominating play as she leapt out to 4-1. She came up with a series of spectacular winners to come two points from a 5-1 lead, but once Tomljanovic had escaped with the hold, it was game on.
Tomljanovic levelled at 4-4 and held two break points, but could not take either. Instead, it was Swiatek who squeaked the set, converting her second set point as Tomljanovic netted a volley.
No.34-ranked Tomljanovic continued to demonstrate her competitive spirit in a fiercely contested start to the second set, in which all four games went to deuce. Two astonishing gets from Swiatek helped her come through a six-deuce second game to break Tomljanovic back, but unfortunately the match would be abbreviated two games later.
In Swiatek's words: "We played in Toronto and I saw in the US Open how well Ajla played -- it seems she's really on a roll and she's playing better and better. It was a great match and it's unfortunate that something happened -- I hope she's going to recover quickly.
"I've had a three-week break from playing matches, and after such an intense time it seems like a lot. I felt like I need to get back to the rhythm, and it wasn't easy. I had a bye, and Ajla already played a few matches. So I felt like I need to catch up. But I'm pretty happy this match was so intense, because I feel like I had to go to another level and it's going to prepare me for the next matches."
What's next for Swiatek: Swiatek moves into her 11th Hologic WTA Tour quarterfinal of the year, where she will face either home wild card Karolina Muchova or qualifier Caty McNally. Both players, renowned for their variety, delivered impressive highlight reels en route to their first-round wins. McNally's touch (and a delightful tweener) got the American past fellow qualifier Anna Blinkova 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday.
Preceding Swiatek on Center Court, former World No.19 Muchova upset No.7 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-4, 6-4, coming from a break down in both sets. It was the Czech's first win over a Top 20 opponent since defeating Maria Sakkari in the second round of Roland Garros, and continues an uptick in form this month after an injury-hit season.
Swiatek, a semifinalist in Ostrava last year where she fell to Sakkari, is bidding for her first tour-level title on indoor hard courts this week. She has won one ITF trophy on the surface -- the Stockholm W10 in 2006, her first ever pro title at the age of 15.
Tuesday, October 04, 2022
Iga Swiatek out of Billie Jean King Cup due to horrible scheduling
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek will not play in the Billie Jean King Cup and complained Monday about that event being scheduled to start immediately after the WTA Finals.
"I'm disappointed that [the] tennis governing bodies didn't come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments, giving us only one day to travel through the globe and changing the time zone," Swiatek wrote on social media. "This situation is not safe for our health and could cause injury."
The WTA Finals -- which close out the women's tennis tour's season and are for the top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams -- are in Fort Worth, Texas, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 7. The Billie Jean King Cup -- a team competition run by the International Tennis Federation -- will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from Nov. 8-13.
Swiatek, a 21-year-old from Poland, is establishing herself as a dominant force in women's tennis. She is a three-time Grand Slam champion, including the French Open in June and the U.S. Open in September. Those triumphs made her the first woman since 2016 to win two major titles in a single season.
Heading into a tournament she entered this week in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Swiatek is 57-7 with seven titles in 2022. She put together a 37-match winning streak from February to July that was the longest on the WTA in a quarter-century and helped her earn six consecutive trophies.
Swiatek said she arrived at the decision to sit out the Billie Jean King Cup after "thinking it through a lot and discussing it with my team all over again."
The other 11 countries competing there are Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United States.
As of now, other singles players in position to compete at the WTA Finals whose countries are going to be in the Billie Jean King Cup include No. 4 Paula Badosa of Spain, No. 6 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. and No. 8 Coco Gauff of the U.S.
Swiatek wrote that her withdrawal "makes me sad" and added: "I'm very sorry, because I play for Poland whenever it's possible and I always give it my best."
She said she plans to "to talk to the WTA and ITF in order to change something. This situation is difficult not only for the players like me, but mainly for the tennis fans that support our sport."
ITF President David Haggerty said his group is sorry Swiatek won't take part in the team competition "and recognises that the schedule for the two major year-end events presents a challenge for players competing in both events. We have been working with the WTA to try to coordinate suitable dates."
Haggerty added that the ITF changed the BJK Cup finals schedule so teams such as Poland and the U.S. would start as late as possible.
"We are committed to working with the WTA on the 2023 schedule," Haggerty said in a statement issued by the ITF, "so that we have a better transition between the two competitions."
The WTA Finals were moved from Shenzhen, China, as part of the suspension of all tournaments in that country because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former Chinese government official of sexual assault.
"I'm disappointed that [the] tennis governing bodies didn't come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments, giving us only one day to travel through the globe and changing the time zone," Swiatek wrote on social media. "This situation is not safe for our health and could cause injury."
The WTA Finals -- which close out the women's tennis tour's season and are for the top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams -- are in Fort Worth, Texas, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 7. The Billie Jean King Cup -- a team competition run by the International Tennis Federation -- will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from Nov. 8-13.
Swiatek, a 21-year-old from Poland, is establishing herself as a dominant force in women's tennis. She is a three-time Grand Slam champion, including the French Open in June and the U.S. Open in September. Those triumphs made her the first woman since 2016 to win two major titles in a single season.
Heading into a tournament she entered this week in Ostrava, Czech Republic, Swiatek is 57-7 with seven titles in 2022. She put together a 37-match winning streak from February to July that was the longest on the WTA in a quarter-century and helped her earn six consecutive trophies.
Swiatek said she arrived at the decision to sit out the Billie Jean King Cup after "thinking it through a lot and discussing it with my team all over again."
The other 11 countries competing there are Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Kazakhstan, Spain, Slovakia, Switzerland and the United States.
As of now, other singles players in position to compete at the WTA Finals whose countries are going to be in the Billie Jean King Cup include No. 4 Paula Badosa of Spain, No. 6 Jessica Pegula of the U.S. and No. 8 Coco Gauff of the U.S.
Swiatek wrote that her withdrawal "makes me sad" and added: "I'm very sorry, because I play for Poland whenever it's possible and I always give it my best."
She said she plans to "to talk to the WTA and ITF in order to change something. This situation is difficult not only for the players like me, but mainly for the tennis fans that support our sport."
ITF President David Haggerty said his group is sorry Swiatek won't take part in the team competition "and recognises that the schedule for the two major year-end events presents a challenge for players competing in both events. We have been working with the WTA to try to coordinate suitable dates."
Haggerty added that the ITF changed the BJK Cup finals schedule so teams such as Poland and the U.S. would start as late as possible.
"We are committed to working with the WTA on the 2023 schedule," Haggerty said in a statement issued by the ITF, "so that we have a better transition between the two competitions."
The WTA Finals were moved from Shenzhen, China, as part of the suspension of all tournaments in that country because of concerns about the safety of Peng Shuai, a Grand Slam doubles champion who accused a former Chinese government official of sexual assault.
Monday, October 03, 2022
Iga Swiatek rested and feeling at home in Ostrava
World No.1 Iga Swiatek admitted to feeling a different kind of pressure as she prepares for the AGEL Open in Ostrava, Czech Republic, her first tournament since winning the US Open. The WTA 500-level event is held at the Ostravar Arena, just 10 miles south of the Polish border, giving the tournament a familiar feel for Swiatek, who made the semifinals last year.
"It was pretty fun because basically most of the people in the stands were Polish so I feel like I'm at home," Swiatek said at Media Day in Ostrava. "I really like that it's so calm here because after cities like New York it's good to come to a place you can really rest here."
"Maybe my friends going to come, but only if I make it to the semifinals. So I'm under pressure."
Swiatek is keen to keep things as simple and quiet as possible this week. She is in Ostrava without coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, opting to give her team a longer break before her final season-ending push in the U.S., where she will finish her season at San Diego, California, and the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas.
"We did something like that in Dubai and Stuttgart," Swiatek said. "We already have our routines. He is always available. We're going to still do some work in terms of preparation for the match and tactic-wise.
"I feel it's good for them to stay at home a little bit longer and be more fresh for our trip to the U.S."
After New York, Swiatek finally had time to rest and reflect on her gritty US Open title run.
"It gave me the feeling I can win in any conditions," Swiatek said. "Even though I'm not feeling perfectly, I can still perform well and put pressure on my opponents."
But after a full week of rest, Swiatek was back on the practice courts in Warsaw to prepare for the last six weeks of her season.
"The conditions [in Warsaw] are similar to what we have here. This tournament could be tough because I haven't played any matches in three weeks. And coming back after winning a Grand Slam is always tricky. But tennis-wise I feel that I'm ready."
Swiatek has a first-round bye and will face either Zhang Shuai or Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round.
wtatennis.com
"It was pretty fun because basically most of the people in the stands were Polish so I feel like I'm at home," Swiatek said at Media Day in Ostrava. "I really like that it's so calm here because after cities like New York it's good to come to a place you can really rest here."
"Maybe my friends going to come, but only if I make it to the semifinals. So I'm under pressure."
Swiatek is keen to keep things as simple and quiet as possible this week. She is in Ostrava without coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, opting to give her team a longer break before her final season-ending push in the U.S., where she will finish her season at San Diego, California, and the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas.
"We did something like that in Dubai and Stuttgart," Swiatek said. "We already have our routines. He is always available. We're going to still do some work in terms of preparation for the match and tactic-wise.
"I feel it's good for them to stay at home a little bit longer and be more fresh for our trip to the U.S."
After New York, Swiatek finally had time to rest and reflect on her gritty US Open title run.
"It gave me the feeling I can win in any conditions," Swiatek said. "Even though I'm not feeling perfectly, I can still perform well and put pressure on my opponents."
But after a full week of rest, Swiatek was back on the practice courts in Warsaw to prepare for the last six weeks of her season.
"The conditions [in Warsaw] are similar to what we have here. This tournament could be tough because I haven't played any matches in three weeks. And coming back after winning a Grand Slam is always tricky. But tennis-wise I feel that I'm ready."
Swiatek has a first-round bye and will face either Zhang Shuai or Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round.
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