In a recent interview, Iga Swiatek shed some light on the atmosphere of tennis and the financial difficulties during her early days to become the player she is today.
Iga Swiatek is one of the most accomplished tennis players in the women’s singles category. She is a four-time Major champion and currently ranked No.1. She completed another season with great success in 2023. She recently won the WTA Finals and finished the year as the No.1 player.
Her father is a former rower and wanted his daughters to become competitive athletes and take up an individual sport.
As she looks back, she mentions the lack of facilities for tennis players in Poland. She faced the same as a young girl and sometimes had nowhere to play as a limited number of courts were available.
“Poland doesn’t have that ‘system’ yet per se. The conditions aren’t great for the athletes, the money’s not there. Sometimes growing up I had nowhere to play, so my dad always had to adjust.”
-Iga Swiatek in an interview
Iga Swiatek’s father, Tomasz:
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 25, 2023
“From where she came. She is, after all, a Polish woman who’s won 4 Slams. We should appreciate it & respect it. I am also proud bc she graduated from school, had good grades, & is still conscientious & organized. She knows exactly what she wants” pic.twitter.com/2K4jpsTCfp
She added the struggles of her dad in the journey. Her dad was himself an Olympian and understood what it takes to play at the top. So, he did everything possible from hiring a coach to having a court to practice on despite financial difficulties.
“And it wasn’t easy for him to put all that money into hiring a coach, and having a court to practice on. The part is the hardest to think back on and share openly, but I want to be honest. When I think about my dad, it wasn’t so smooth all the time. I think he tried really hard to protect me from reality outside of tennis. He used to be an Olympic rower, & I think his main goal from the beginning when he first noticed me and my sister’s talent for sports, was to kind of make us better athletes than he was.”
-Iga Swiatek in an interview
She feels that her dad had a ‘Polish thing’ of not being really open with emotions. He always stood strong behind her and never let them worry about any of the struggles.
“He’s not really open with his emotions. I would say that’s also a Polish thing, for people from that generation not to open up a lot. I mean, it’s not easy to talk about. Especially, I think, when you’re a dad. You want to be strong and not show your kids that you’re worried about something. But, the emotions are still there. At that time, money was tight, so it couldn’t have been easy for him, I don’t think.”
-Iga Swiatek in an interview
“Imagine if she could win the French Open and the Olympics at Roland Garros” – Barbara Schett on Iga Swiatek emulating Andy Murray’s run
Former tennis player Barbara Schett believes that World No.1 Iga Swiatek has a chance of emulating the record of Andy Murray in London.
Andy Murray won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics defeating Roger Federer. Prior to the Olympics, Murray narrowly missed the Wimbledon Open title as he lost to Federer in the finals in four sets. Murray’s wait for Wimbledon Open titles came later in 2013 and 2016.
2024 is one such chance where a player can win a Grand Slam and the Olympic gold medal at the same place. Iga Swiatek has won four Grand Slams three of them coming at the French Open.
In a recent interview, Barbara Schet mentioned the similarities between Murray’s form in the grasscourt and Swiatek’s dominance in the clay court.
“It reminds me a little bit of Andy Murray when the Olympics were in London, in Wimbledon and he’s done well. I think she’s going to embrace that. Imagine, if she could win the French Open and the Olympics at Roland Garros? That would be incredible. And I think that’s something which is on her radar. I think that’s something she would like to achieve as well.”
-Barbara Schett in an interview
