Iga Świątek is a professional tennis player from Poland. She currently holds the second spot in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) women’s singles rankings. Świątek has an impressive record as a four-time major singles champion, with victories at the French Open in 2020, 2022, and 2023, along with a triumph at the US Open in 2022.
Bio/Wiki
Age-22years
Height- 1.76 m
Weight- 65 kg
Full name- Iga Natalia Świątek
Born- 31 May 2001
Birthplace- Warsaw, Poland
Profession- Tennis player
Nationality- Polish
Gold medal- Tennis at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics – Women’s doubles
Grand slams won (singles)-4
Family
Iga Świątek came into the world on May 31, 2001, in Warsaw, Poland, to parents Dorota and Tomasz Świątek. Her father, a former Olympic rower, participated in the men’s quadruple sculls event during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Her mother, on the other hand, is an orthodontist. In addition to her parents, Iga has an older sister named Agata, who is approximately three years her senior and works as a dentist.
Boyfriend
Iga Świątek is currently single and not in a relationship. She has not been in a relationship before, and there is no information available about her past romantic involvements. Świątek has chosen to keep her personal life private and has not publicly discussed her dating life.
Career
Early Career
Świątek’s father had a strong desire for his daughters to excel in competitive sports and believed that individual sports offered greater control over their chances of success compared to team sports. Initially, Agata pursued swimming as her sport of choice but eventually transitioned to tennis due to challenges she encountered in swimming. Iga, inspired by her sister and driven by the desire to surpass her, also embraced tennis as her sport of choice. She admired her sister and wanted to emulate her achievements. Agata briefly dabbled in the ITF Junior Circuit at the age of about 15 but had to discontinue her tennis journey due to injury issues. Iga commenced her training at Mera Warsaw when she was 14 years old before later relocating to Legia Warsaw.
In her junior tennis career, Świątek achieved a career-high ranking of No. 5. She began competing in ITF Junior Circuit events in 2015 and clinched consecutive low-level Grade 4 titles in April and May when she was just 13 years old. Later that year, she advanced to Grade 2 events and reached the runner-up position in both singles and doubles at the Czech Junior Open. In 2016, Świątek made her junior Grand Slam debut at the French Open, reaching the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles. She also secured her best junior title at the Grade 1 Canadian Open Junior Championships by defeating Olga Danilović in the final.
The first half of 2017 proved to be a strong period for Świątek. She won both the singles and doubles titles at the Grade 1 Traralgon Junior International. Despite a loss in her opening round match at the Australian Open, she reached the doubles final, finishing as the runner-up. She then reached her first Grade A singles final at the Trofeo Bonfiglio, ultimately losing to Elena Rybakina. Her season concluded after a quarterfinal appearance at the French Open, followed by right ankle surgery that sidelined her for seven months.
Despite limited participation in Grand Slam events in 2018, Świątek finished her junior career strongly. She returned to the junior circuit at the French Open and reached the semifinals in singles, with a loss to Caty McNally. In doubles, she secured her first junior Grand Slam title, partnering with McNally. Her success continued at Wimbledon, where she won the junior Grand Slam singles title by defeating Leonie Küng in the final. Świątek also participated in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, winning the gold medal in doubles with her partner Kaja Juvan. This marked the conclusion of her junior tennis career.
Professional Career
During her remarkable 2020 French Open title campaign, Świątek displayed exceptional dominance, never conceding more than five games in any singles match. Her ascent in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings reached a significant milestone in May 2021 when she entered the top ten, driven by her victory at the Italian Open. In 2022, she achieved an even higher level of success, securing consecutive WTA 1000 titles in Qatar and Indian Wells, ultimately reaching a career-high ranking of No. 2. With the retirement of the former world No. 1, Ashleigh Barty, Iga Świątek made history as the first Polish player, male or female, to claim the top spot in singles rankings, a position she attained on April 4, 2022. Her triumphs continued as she clinched another WTA 1000 title in Miami, becoming the fourth woman ever to achieve the prestigious Sunshine Double. During this remarkable period, Świątek embarked on an impressive 37-match winning streak, marking the longest such streak on the WTA Tour in the 21st century.
She garnered recognition for her extraordinary drop shot from the baseline, winning the WTA Fan Favorite Shot of the Year in 2019. Additionally, in 2020, she was honored as the WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player of the Year. Her achievements extended beyond the tennis court as well. In 2023, she earned the title of L’Équipe Champion of Champions and was named Polish Sports Personality of the Year. Her impact transcended borders, as she also earned a spot on Time’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Coaching Team
During her early years in junior tennis, Michał Kaznowski served as Świątek’s primary coach, and their partnership continued until the 2016 French Open. Additionally, Jolanta Rusin-Krzepota played a pivotal role as her physical preparation trainer for nearly four years, concluding their collaboration at the end of the 2019 US Open. Starting in 2016, Piotr Sierzputowski took over as Świątek’s coach. Nick Brown, a former British professional tennis player and former Polish Davis Cup coach, also acted as a key consultant during Sierzputowski’s tenure. Furthermore, Świątek sought guidance from sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz and collaborated with fitness trainer/physiologist Maciej Ryszczuk to enhance her physical and mental performance.
Playing Style
Świątek’s playing style is predominantly centered around an aggressive offensive approach, resulting in a notable balance of winners and unforced errors in her game. Her description of her clay court style emphasizes a strong serve, topspin, and a penchant for executing backhand shots down the line. It’s worth noting that despite her aggressive tactics, she employs a strategic approach, patiently constructing points until the opportune moment arises for her to unleash a winning shot.
Achievements/ Awards
2019
- WTA Fan Favorite Shot of the Year
2020
- WTA Most Improved Player
- WTA Fan Favorite Singles Player
- Gold Cross of Merit
- European Sportswoman of the Year – Evgen Bergant Trophy
2022
- Chris Evert WTA World No.1 Trophy
- WTA Player of the Year
- ITF World Champion
- WTA Fan Favorite Shot of the Year
- European Sportsperson of the Year
2023
- Polish Sports Personality of the Year
- L’Équipe Champion of Champions
Net Worth 2023
She has achieved an impressive net worth of $20 million, reflecting her remarkable success in her tennis career. According to her official WTA page, her earnings have exceeded $19 million.
US Open 2023 Result
Iga Świątek’s US Open Upset: Losing the Title and Top Ranking
Iga Świątek’s title defense at the US Open came to an end as she was defeated by Jelena Ostapenko, and this loss also resulted in her losing the world number one ranking.
In the women’s singles fourth round of the US Open, Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) defeated Iga Świątek (POL) with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. In another match, Coco Gauff (USA) secured a victory against Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) with a scoreline of 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
Unfortunately, Świątek’s loss also means that her reign as the number one player in the WTA rankings will conclude next week, as Aryna Sabalenka, the current number two, is set to take the top spot for the first time.
Świątek struggled to find her accuracy on Arthur Ashe Stadium, and she had a tough time dealing with the powerful shots from the 20th-seeded Ostapenko, who previously won the 2017 French Open.
Ostapenko, speaking after the match in which she accumulated 31 winners compared to Świątek’s 18, emphasized the importance of her aggressive approach, which played a crucial role in her victory.
The outcome wasn’t entirely surprising given their previous head-to-head encounters: Ostapenko has now extended her unbeaten record to 4-0 against Świątek. No other player has managed to secure four victories against the woman who has held the WTA’s top ranking since April 2022.
Ostapenko commented, “I was just thinking that I have to play until the very last point, until we shake hands. I didn’t really give her many chances.”
After a strong start to the second set, where she led 4-1, Ostapenko faced a momentary setback, allowing Świątek to break back and narrow the gap to 4-3.
However, that was just a minor hiccup. With Świątek struggling with her serve, potentially influenced by the noise from Ostapenko’s squeaky shoes during the ball toss, the momentum quickly shifted. Ostapenko went on to claim seven consecutive games, taking a commanding 5-0 lead in the third set.
Ostapenko secured one final break to seal the victory, winning seven of Świątek’s 13 service games during the match.
Ostapenko’s reward for reaching her first quarterfinal at Flushing Meadows is a showdown with Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old American who defeated Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 earlier on the same day.
Ostapenko and Gauff have previously split two meetings, with Ostapenko winning their most recent encounter in the fourth round of the Australian Open in January.
Ostapenko expressed her respect for Gauff, saying, “She’s a great young player. Of course, it’s going to be another tough match. I don’t expect any easy matches at a grand slam.”
Fun Facts
Świątek’s Personal Interests:
- Pet Affection: Świątek is an avid cat lover and proudly owns a black female cat named Grappa.
- Literary Pursuits: She finds solace in reading novels and considers this pastime enjoyable and enriching.
- Musical Tastes: Prior to her matches, Świątek immerses herself in rock music, with a particular fondness for bands like Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and AC/DC. Additionally, in her leisure moments, she indulges in alternative music, jazz, soul, and pop genres. She has expressed her admiration for the music of Taylor Swift.
- Role Models: In an interview with Tennis Channel, she praised Mikaela Shiffrin as a commendable role model and expressed deep respect for her achievements.
- Hollywood Favorites: Świątek has revealed her appreciation for actress Sandra Bullock and the films in which she stars, highlighting her admiration for the renowned actress.
- On October 10, 2021, Świątek marked World Mental Health Day by contributing $50,000 of her tournament winnings to the cause. This generous gesture took place as she advanced to the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
- Starting in 2021, Świątek has actively participated in activities organized by The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.
- As of March 20, 2023, Świątek has secured a sponsorship deal with the Swiss company On, which is supported by Roger Federer. Notably, this sponsorship makes her the inaugural female tennis player to be endorsed by On for clothing and footwear.
