If you follow tennis closely over the past couple of years, then you cannot help but notice the rise of Iga Swiatek.
She continues to grab the headlines time after time, and just recently, she arguably put herself in Serena Williams’ territory with her French Open title. The interesting thing is that this is her fourth Grand Slam win – remember that she is just 22 years old.
Joining an Elite Company
Knowing the above-mentioned facts, no one should really be surprised to hear that Iga Swiatek is now ranked the No. 1 singles player in the world by the Women’s Tennis Association.
She obtained that spot by winning against Karolina Mucova in the French Open Final back in June – a game in which Swiatek had to dig deep to secure the trophy.
After that final, news outlets were quick to report that only three other players in tennis history have won each of their first four major finals:
- Roger Federer
- Monica Seles
- Naomi Osaka
Just a reminder – Swiatek is 22 years old, so she is the youngest four-time women’s champion since Serena Williams back in 2002, when she won the US Open at just 20 years old. So, after winning the 2022 French Open, 2022 US Open and the 2020 French Open, it is easy to see why the comparisons between Swiatek and Williams flood in.
We can now even consider Swiatek a favourite for the next tournaments. If you are interested in backing her with your bets, then you can find the best betting sites on Squawka.
A Quick Rise
Swiatek managed to enter the top of the WTA rankings back in 2021, and just a year later – in May 2022, she was already the No. 1 women’s tennis player.
Her rise has been nothing short of astonishing, and her latest win against Mucova was the first time Swiatek went to three sets in a major final. Moreover, Swiatek is the first singles player in the Open Era to win their first seven major final sets, which is simply astonishing.
Doubts Over Her Long-Term Ability
Of course, with so much attention, there is the inevitable dose of scrutiny, doubt and criticism. Swiatek is no immune to that.
We have seen bizarre claims about her hat styling not being great for women’s tennis, but that is not the only thing we talk about.
It is clear that Iga Swiatek is the perfect example of an underdog who has been one of the biggest success stories in tennis history. She is from a “non-tennis country”, but her love and passion for the sport have proved to be more than enough to make her succeed.
However, comparisons with Serena Williams are inevitable, and while some are convinced Swiatek will be the next big thing, others are not so much.
Former world No. 1 Mats Wilander is one of the doubters. In a recent interview, he said that Swiatek may not be able to dominate women’s tennis. He says that he thinks the opposite of other people when Swiatek is in question.
First off, the pressure that comes with the comparisons with Serena Williams may just prove to be too much for the young Polish tennis star.
Moreover, there are no guarantees yet that Swiatek will be as dominant as Williams on all different surfaces. He notes that we are yet to see how she copes against different surfaces and opponents, so we shouldn’t make the comparisons just yet.
Time Will Tell
Well, one thing is sure here – time will tell whether Swiatek is going to at least match the success and longevity of Serena Williams.
Pressure is inevitable at the top level, so that is something Swiatek will have to get used to. It is now up to her to prove that she can be the next big thing in the world of women’s tennis.
There were plenty of teenage sensations in the past that have caught the eye of the tennis public, but very rarely have they gone straight to the top. Iga Swiatek certainly has the potential to become a world-beater, but she has to continue where she left off – hard work is a necessity to reach the top level.
