Iga Świątek (1. WTA) is preparing to compete in the Olympic Games in Paris. She was originally supposed to compete in singles and mixed doubles, but due to the withdrawal of Hubert Hurkacz (7. ATP), she is left with only the singles game. Specialists from her team are taking care of her achieving the best possible result.
Iga Świątek sweats profusely during training. Maciej Ryszczuk reveals
It would be much harder for the 23-year-old to achieve sensational results if not for her physical preparation coach Maciej Ryszczuk. He has been working with the player since 2019, so he has had a huge contribution to her greatest successes (including five Grand Slam titles). They are a reward for the very hard work that has to be done beforehand.
– High-intensity endurance training lasting more than 10 seconds is not liked by anyone I work with. To put it more simply – these are exercises to be done on an air bike, for example. These are the famous workouts that, if lasted for a longer period of time, can end with vomiting from the exertion – Ryszczuk revealed in an interview with “Sports Review” by Onet.
The trainer approaches cooperation with Świątek in a specific way. He points out that she is an emotional player, which is why “comparisons to a machine are not entirely accurate”. – She herself says that she is first and foremost a human being – he reminded. For this reason, they attach great importance to physical aspects. – Just as machines can be unreliable and therefore require servicing and repairs, Iga is no different in this respect – he noted.
Maciej Ryszczuk doesn't mince his words about Iga Świątek. “A lot can be worked out”
It might seem that the Polish woman is naturally very agile and resilient, which is why she copes so well. But Ryszczuk sees it a bit differently. – People often think that the genetics we are born with play a key and fundamental role, but in reality, a lot can be developed, thereby gaining an advantage – he explained, emphasizing the importance of appropriate training, without which it is difficult to achieve success even with innate predispositions.
How is it in the case of Świątek? – Everything that is now is the result of many sacrifices and very hard work on various levels. And people often forget about that. It's not that she was born with a huge talent in this physical field and with superhumanly developed motor skills, but she worked hard for it – her physical preparation trainer admitted directly.
The man points out that proper regeneration is just as important as training, because this is when the body rebuilds and adapts to greater effort. In this case, variety is recommended. Świątek plays volleyball, throws frisbee or American football, swims in the pool or rides a bike. There is an additional goal behind this. – This is to introduce variety and break the routine, which is very important in the life of an athlete – he concluded.
The cooperation between Świątek and Ryszczuk brings tangible benefits, as best demonstrated by 22 WTA titles, as well as 113 weeks as the leader of the world ranking. The Pole is missing an Olympic medal, which she will fight for in Paris. The tennis tournament at the games will be played from July 27 to August 4.