Iga Swiatek makes ‘overachieved’ confession about hopes of joining Djokovic, Federer and Graf
Iga Swiatek has proclaimed she is not thinking about the prospect of joining three tennis legends if she wins the 2024 Miami Open to complete the Sunshine Double for a second time.
The world No 1 also revealed the 2024 Olympics in Paris are a “priority” for her this season and recognised there will be “a lot of pressure” on her because the event will be played on clay.
Swiatek crushed Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-0 in the final of the 2024 Indian Wells Open to claim her second title of 2024, having won the WTA 1000 event in Doha in February.
The four-time Grand Slam champion can win the Sunshine Double for the second time if she triumphs at the Miami Open, having won both tournaments in 2022.
The 22-year-old will become just the fourth player in tennis history to win Indian Wells and Miami in the same season multiple times after three icons: Steffi Graf, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
READ MORE: Former world No 1 compares Iga Swiatek to Roger Federer and feels ‘her career has been undersold’
In her pre-tournament press conference in Miami, Swiatek played down talk of a second Sunshine Double and suggested she overachieved by accomplishing the feat two years ago.
“I don’t feel like we should talk about ifs. I’ll do everything step by step, as usual. No need for me to like, go and already think about winning the trophy, because I haven’t even practised here,” she asserted.
Iga will now be going for her second Sunshine Double 🏆 pic.twitter.com/F8jZZ1wmao
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 17, 2024
“I still have many matches to play so we’ll see how it’s going to go. Obviously, it would be a dream come true. It’s not an easy task. I felt like I even overachieved two years ago. So this time, I’m just going to do everything as usual, and I think that is the best way to go.
“In terms of the conditions here, it’s always difficult, it’s humid and hot. But I remember I really felt comfortable, you know, on the surface two years ago, so I’ll see what my practice brings me.
The Pole explained how her mentality has shifted since the same period in 2022 ahead of her opening match against Camila Giorgi in Miami.
“For sure, I’m in a different place. I really learned so much and I kind of proved a lot. I feel like that was the main theme at that time two years ago, to prove to everybody that I’m in the right place,” Swiatek added.
“So now I don’t feel like I need to do that. I feel like I already kind of did my job pretty well and I want to continue that. I feel like for sure I feel more peacefully and just that I’m in the right place, and I’m doing great job.”
Swiatek also addressed the importance of this year’s Olympics, with the tennis event to be played at Stade Roland Garros — the venue where she has won three French Open titles.
“Well, yes, they are in the plans. I mean, it’s a priority, honestly. But for now, there are so many tournaments before that, I’m not really focussing on them (the Olympics). They’re on a different surface, you know, different continent,” said the 22-year-old.
“So, for now, I’m taking everything step by step. I don’t have any expectations because I know how tough this tournament is. And how hard it is to handle it sometimes?
“I know there’s gonna be a lot of pressure on me because it’s clay, it’s Roland Garros. But honestly, I was in Tokyo. I’ve been through all this, you know, Olympic vibe even though it was in COVID times, you could feel it.
“And I just hope that I’m going to do a better job at managing it. But, you know, in terms of the performance, I think there’s no sense to talk about it because it’s a long time until the Olympics.”
