Iga Swiatek had a few words to share about when Novak Djokovic praised her back in August at the US Open. The Serb stated that Swiatek is a ‘warrior’ who possesses a ‘fighting spirit’, and he admired the professionalism with which she approached her games.
In a recent interview with Polish outlet Super Express (posted on their website on Thursday), the WTA World No. 1 was taken aback by the reporter and reminded of what the 24-time Grand Slam champion said about her game in August.
Swiatek was then asked whether her fighter and warrior spirit was innate or if she had to learn it over time. Swiatek then responded that she always gives her all when doing anything but that there was a time when she simply couldn’t play with the same focus and intensity.
“I remember I always didn’t feel like wasting time on the court, and when I was doing something, I always felt I had to do it one hundred percent. There was a time when I simply couldn’t play like that, with the same focus and intensity. It was only in 2022 when I reached such a level that everything came together and started to work”, Iga Swiaitek said.
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The 22-year-old also commended her psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, whom she has been working with since 2019, for helping her focus and be the best on tour.
“These are also the results of my work with psychologist Daria Abramowicz. because when it comes to focus, I have never been the best at this element before. And now I’m the best on the tour and many players can learn from us. That’s why I’m proud of myself and the team”, she added.
Iga Swiatek answers which season was her best between 2022 and 2023
2023 WTA Finals – Final Day
2023 WTA Finals – Final Day
During the interview with Super Express, Iga Swiatek was asked which season she is more proud of between 2023 and 2022.
The Pole stated that 2022 was quite a smooth ride, reminiscing about her 37-match winning streak, her victory at Roland Garros, and how she easily met her targets.
“It’s hard to compare. In 2022 everything was going very smoothly, this 37-match winning streak started and I honestly don’t know how it all happened. I won Roland Garros, we knew what we were aiming for and we achieved it without any serious problems”, Iga Swiatek said.
Swiatek further stated that she had injuries that kept her out but it could have been worse had she not handled it well. And her rivalry with WTA No.2 Aryna Sabalenka intensified this season, with Swiatek leading their head-to-head 6-3.
“This year was different because I had two injuries that were serious and could have kept me out for a longer time if we had handled them poorly and managed everything worse. There were a lot of ups and downs when it comes to my form, and the rivalry with Aryna Sabalenka became very intense”, she said.
