She was the WTA's standard-bearer in 2022, and now she's been named Poland's best athlete. Iga Swiatek was named the Polish Sports Personality of the Year on Saturday, the first tennis player to win the award since 1937.
Jadwiga Jedrzejowska, Poland's best player prior to the advent of Open Era tennis in 1968, won the award in 1936 and 1937.
Swiatek beat out soccer star Robert Lewandowski and her fellow tennis player, Hubert Hurkacz, among others, to win the award. Lewandowski, in fact, nominated her for the honor, and Swiatek admitted after her season-ending semifinal defeat to Aryna Sabalenka at the WTA Finals Forth Worth that this year's ballot was on her mind.
“Two years ago, I made it to the second place. Lewandoski was first," she said. "This year, I'm pretty curious what's gonna happen!"
Unable to attend the gala in person, Swiatek credited the support she received in her history-making 2022 season in a scenic social media post from an Australian beach where she acknowledged in the award.
After helping Poland reach the semifinals of the United Cup, Swiatek withdrew from this week's Adelaide International 2 with a right shoulder injury. She'll be the top seed at the Australian Open, which begins on Jan. 16.
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