Iga Swiatek has described the tennis calendar as “perhaps the most challenging one in sports” and expressed concern that the schedule is “becoming increasingly hectic every year.”
The top-ranked player in the world also discussed the need to reset after a “quite stressful” experience at the Paris Olympics and outlined her plan to view the Cincinnati Open as a “practice tournament.”Swiatek was the clear favorite to win the gold medal in women’s singles at the 2024 Games, with the tennis event taking place on the clay courts of Stade Roland Garros, where she has won four French Open titles.
The Polish star suffered heartbreak in the semi-finals, losing 2-6, 5-7 to world No 7 and eventual gold medalist Zheng Qinwen.The 23-year-old bounced back admirably from the disappointment, defeating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-1 in the bronze medal match.Swiatek will be playing her first tournament since the Olympics at the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati after missing the Canadian Open in Toronto.In her pre-tournament press conference, Swiatek drew attention to the demanding tennis schedule and expressed concern that it is becoming increasingly challenging each season.
“Our calendar is insane, perhaps the most challenging one in sports,” said the Polish player.
“There are sports that are really demanding because, physically, you might get beaten up. But most sports have four months off, sometimes even six. Our schedule is insane, and it’s getting even crazier every year, which is frightening. You just have to train smartly.”
The five-time Grand Slam champion also reflected on her Olympics campaign and emphasized the importance of resetting.
“It was quite stressful and it wasn’t easy,” explained Swiatek. “But I’m happy that I could leave Paris with a medal and with a lot of self-knowledge. The most important thing for me was to learn from this experience. “I was proud of myself and happy that I could handle all this pressure and still win a medal. It wasn’t like a regular tournament, that’s for sure.
“After the Olympics, I felt the need to reset and focus on getting my technique back on track and grinding on the court. “This is the perfect place to do it. It feels a bit less chaotic, but at the same time, even before the tournament, there are many people and a lot of fans. So you still feel that it’s an important tournament regardless.”
Swiatek then looked ahead to her campaign in Cincinnati, where she is aiming to win her first title.
“I know that the first tournament on hard court won’t be easy,” she added.
“So I’m going to approach it as a practice tournament, but not in a way that I don’t care – more in a way that I want to implement all the things I’ve practiced. I think it’s the best approach for me right now. We’re taking it easy, doing everything step by step.
“Of course, it won’t be perfect from the start, but I’ve had a couple of days to get used to the surface, so I’m trying to do the best job possible every day and going into the next match knowing I can do something better.”
Swiatek will face Ajla Tomljanovic or Varvara Gracheva in her opening match in Cincinnati. She reached the semi-finals in 2023, which is her best result at the WTA 1000 tournament to date.
Photo from Iga Swiatek Instagram
