Iga Swiatek opens up on dealing with pressure and her battle with Aryna Sabalenka

Iga Swiatek admits she is feeling the pressure with Aryna Sabalenka hot on her heels for the world No 1 ranking, but the Pole also believes the battle for top spot has helped her to take her game to the next level.

The four-time Grand Slam winner has now spent 64 consecutive weeks at the top of the WTA Rankings and is level with Simona Halep in 11th place for most weeks at No 1.

However, the gap between Swiatek and the chasing pack has narrowed this year as the Pole enjoyed a 6,000-point advantage over Sabalenka at the start of the campaign, but that lead has been reduced to 929 points.

Sabalenka can move even closer this week as a title run at the Berlin Open could close the gap to 459 points heading into Wimbledon as Swiatek has opted not to play any warm-up events on grass.

There is no doubt that the Pole is feeling the heat, but it is a case of so far so good.

“I would say at the beginning of the season this year I felt like in Australia I should play better as a world No 1 and reach further rounds, and it wasn’t easy for me back then to cut it out and just play the game of tennis and enjoy it,” the world No 1 told Arab News.

“Last year I didn’t really feel like I was being chased because I felt like all the things that are happening were so new that I was just focusing on achieving.

“That’s what I also tried to do after Australia this year and I think it’s working.

“Even though the difference in points is smaller [between myself and the world No 2], I feel like it’s a great achievement for me to keep a consistent level with all that pressure. Because there is pressure; and you can see it on social media and everything.”

Swiatek is the first to admit that she is yet to master the art of playing on grass as she has a 6–5 record on the surface.

Last year she reached the third round at Wimbledon with Alize Cornet ending her 37-match unbeaten run while the previous year she made it to the fourth round.

The Pole, though, says she is still in the learning phase when it comes to playing on grass.

“Basically before every grass-court season I just want to keep being open-minded and just learn a lot,” the 22-year-old said.

“I feel like there is maybe a little bit less pressure, but on the other hand when I just go on court, I feel like I know how I can play tennis and I know how I can play on other surfaces.

“On grass sometimes it’s tougher and I still have to learn a lot, but I just feel like you’re going to go on court and not play the way you should or the way you could; so this thing is adding more pressure.

“But I would say that the pressure from the outside, yes it’s maybe a little bit less, it depends on you guys [the media] and what questions you ask.”

READ MORE: Former world No 1 picks Wimbledon favourite and it’s not Iga Swiatek