Utilizing the term ‘practice tournament’ for such a significant event like a WTA 1000 event is not a sentiment shared by many players, but when it comes to Swiatek, she was simply being truthful. The Polish player has consistently practiced candidness, and that is her way of expressing herself. Her most recent competition was at the Paris Olympics, where she finished in third place and secured the bronze medal.
The medal was not her primary objective, but the responsibility lies solely with her. She was unable to perform at her best during the crucial match against Qinwen Zheng, and that is a defeat she will have to accept for some time. After opting to skip the Canadian Open in order to rest, Swiatek will make her return to tennis at the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati. Expectations are not particularly high for Swiatek since this is her first hard-court tournament in quite a while. It has been several months since her last hard-court matches, and there are numerous factors that will make it challenging to quickly adapt to the conditions. After taking some time off following the Olympics, she will utilize this event to readjust to the hard courts.
“I felt the need to reset after the Olympics and solely focus on regaining my technique and grinding on the court. This is the ideal place to do it…I believe I have established a different routine here, where our focus is solely on the practices I have. This allows me to rest off the court. I am not anticipating a mid-season break, so I am not thinking in that manner at all!”
One advantage that the current World No. 1 player may have at the upcoming event is the usage of lighter tennis balls, which have returned this year after being discontinued following the 2022 season. She emerged victorious at the 2022 US Open and displayed great dominance; however, it will take her some time to readjust to the lighter balls. These particular balls have not been used for two years, so she will require some time to acclimate to them.
“Last year, we tested Wilson’s Heavy Duty balls, and this year we have returned to Regular Duty. We have not played with these specific balls in around two years, which is another factor to consider when stepping onto the court because we players naturally take these things into account.”
“They are lighter, and their weight diminishes after a while due to the loss of fur from the ball after approximately 15 minutes. I played with them in 2022, so I need to recollect how it was.”
“With all the changes in the playing surface and the balls, one cannot simply expect to make consistent progress. It is necessary to concentrate on adapting, and that is precisely what I will do now.”
Photo from Iga Swiatek Instagram
