Iga Swiatek feeling better prepared to play on Australian hard courts

James Richardson 05 Jan 2024 4:19 PM

Iga Swiatek celebrates at the WTA Finals

Iga Swiatek feels that she is much better placed to play on the faster Australian hard courts than she was in 2023.

Swiatek has started well while representing Poland in the United Cup, winning all three of her singles matches so far.

She has figured in five of Poland’s eight match wins in nine attempts, showing why her country came in with the top seeding.

Swiatek believes that she will be in better shape to challenge for the Australian Open title or improve on her 2022 run to the semi-finals.

“I feel like I’m playing well, and I [have] made progress compared to last year,” Swiatek said at the United Cup.

“I feel like I have more skills to play on these faster hard courts. I just feel like I can really be in a good place physically and mentally.”

Swiatek has added a new milestone to her impressive list of accomplishments by joining an elite group of tennis stars.

For most of the 2023 season, the 22-year-old has held the World No. 1 position, filling the hole left by the departed Australian Ashleigh Barty.

Swiatek’s list of accomplishments continues to expand as she has earned 100 as the No 1 player in the world after holding the top position for over 80 weeks.

The reigning French Open champion is presently starring in the United Cup, representing Poland in the singles and mixed doubles categories. In Team competition she has continued to win, taking her 100th victory to join the ranks of WTA legends. Serena Williams, Justine Henin, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert are among those on the elite list of players to secure a century of match wins as the top-ranked player.

Swiatek’s supremacy at the top of the standings will come as no surprise to those in the know, as she shows no signs of slowing down and has youth on her side. Nonetheless, when she participates in the 2023 Australian Open, the four-time Grand Slam champion will be seeking to add another Major trophy to her collection.

Before that though she will be taking on Caroline Garcia of France in her next singles match at the United Cup.

Swiatek has won three of her four WTA Tour matches against Garcia, most recently last year’s Beijing quarterfinals, taking the match in three sets.

“Obviously Iga is quite impressive every single time she competes,” Garcia said.

“We played some good matches in the past, so let’s see what is going to happen in this one.”