Former WTA star assesses Iga Swiatek’s chances of matching staggering Steffi Graf feat in 2024
Pam Shriver has given her verdict on the chances of Iga Swiatek replicating tennis icon Steffi Graf by winning a golden calendar grand slam in 2024.
The American, a doubles legend, declared that “there is a reason why it’s only been done once” and gave Swiatek no more than a “five per cent” chance of accomplishing it.
Steffi Graf is the only player in tennis history to win all four grand slam titles and an Olympic gold medal in singles in the same calendar year, having achieved the astonishing feat in 1988.
Swiatek is a four-time major champion, having triumphed at the French Open three times (2020, 2022 and 2023) and the US Open once (2022).
With the tennis event for the 2024 Paris Games to be played on clay at Stade Roland Garros, Swiatek will be the favourite to win an Olympic gold medal at a venue where she has dominated in recent years.
The 22-year-old would need to win both the Australian Open and Wimbledon for the first time if she were to do the unthinkable and win a golden calendar slam this year.
The Pole finished as the year-end No 1 and was named WTA player of the year in both the 2022 and 2023 two seasons following stellar campaigns.
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Swiatek claimed six titles and posted a brilliant 68-11 (86.1%) record last season, overtaking Aryna Sabalenka to secure top spot with her maiden victory at the WTA Finals in Cancun in November.
Speaking during a conversation on X / Twitter Spaces she was hosting, Shriver was asked: “What do you think the chances are that Iga wins the golden calendar year slam this year?”
“I’d say one per cent. Maybe, I’d give five per cent. Look, there is a reason why it’s only been done once. That was obviously Steffi Graf ’88,” the former singles world No 3 replied.
Shriver won 21 grand slam titles in women’s doubles and one in mixed doubles, and was a long-time world No 1 in women’s doubles during her legendary partnership with Martina Navratilova. In 1984, Shriver and Navratilova won all four majors in doubles to complete a calendar grand slam.
Swiatek is currently competing for Poland at the United Cup team competition in Perth, where her side are set to face China in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The world No 1 will take on 14th-ranked Zheng Qinwen in the women’s singles tie after teammate and ATP No 9 Hubert Hurkacz faces world No 58 Zhang Zhizhen in the men’s rubber. Swiatek and Hurkacz could then join forces for Poland in a potential decisive mixed doubles tie.
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