With the retirement of Serena Williams last year, there were fears that no female player would be able to fill the void left by one of the greatest players of all time. However, the emergence of 21-year-old Iga Swiatek could ensure that we are entering a new period of dominance on the court. The Polish star has already won three Grand Slam titles in her short career to this point, and there could be yet more standout titles added before the end of the calendar year.
Recent Performances
Following the Australian Open, Swiatek has been playing in a number of prestigious WTA Tour events. The most recent was staged in the Middle East, as the 21-year-old reached the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships. It was a strong showing by the top-ranked player in the world, as she didn’t drop a single set on her way to the final, earning her the top spot in the betting markets of the leading Arab online sportsbook. The standout victory was achieved against Coco Gauff in the semi-finals, as she dropped just six games when taking the clash between the two talented players. However, ultimately she fell just short of winning the title, as Swiatek was beaten in the final by Barbara Krejcikova.
It was a disappointing end to the tournament for the Polish superstar, as she was easily brushed aside in straight sets. However, her showing in reaching the final only offers further hope that the Pole may add to her collection of Grand Slam titles in 2023.
Grand Slam Success
Swiatek has been one of the fastest-growing stars in the world of tennis since making her breakthrough in 2020. This is certainly a part of the season where she often reaches her peak level of performance, with two of her Grand Slam titles coming at the French Open. Swiatek’s first win was an unexpected one in France, as she was the lowest-ranked player to win the tournament since rankings were introduced in 1975.
In claiming victory, she also failed to drop a set in any match to claim the top prize. It was also a historic success for Poland, as she became the first player from the country to land Grand Slam success in France since 1939, and was the first Polish woman to reach a Grand Slam final since 2012.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the tennis world finally saw the very best of Swiatek in the 2022 season. She battled through to the semi-finals at the Australian Open, before dominating the field at Roland Garros at the French Open. The Polish star dropped just a single set on her way to winning the title, and it extended her perfect record of winning 25 straight matches. The victory also saw her become the youngest player to win multiple Grand Slam titles since Maria Sharapova.
Success Away From France
Swiatek’s dominance on the clay was assured with a second victory at the French Open, but it was time for her to showcase her very best at the other Grand Slam events in 2022. She managed to reach only the third round at Wimbledon, but she returned in excellent form for the US Open later in the year. Going into the U.S. event, she had only reached the fourth round on one previous occasion, but she looked like a woman on a mission at Flushing Meadows.
She was extremely strong throughout her run to the final and made history along the way by becoming the first Polish woman to reach the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and final at the U.S. Open. In the final, she easily landed victory with a straight sets win over Ons Jabeur, and in the process, she became the youngest woman since 2008 to win three major titles.
Her multiple victories in Grand Slam events in 2023 also saw her become the first player on the WTA Tour to win multiple majors since Angelique Kerber in 2016.
Eyes On Next Grand Slam
Swiatek will go into the French Open as one of the standout contenders once again in 2023, as she bids to win a fourth Grand Slam title. The Polish star looks set to dominate the world of women’s tennis over the coming years, but one prize that she will likely be more than most is Wimbledon. She is yet to progress past the fourth round of the most prestigious Grand Slam, but with the way that she is playing this year, it could be hard to bet against her.