Iga Swiatek's father asked about Pole's relationship with Aryna Sabalenka

Advertisemen

Tomasz Swiatek says he has never directly asked Iga Swiatek about her relationship with Aryna Sabalenka but added he is certain that his daughter and the Belarusian share mutual respect for each other. Swiatek, 22, and 25-year-old Sabalenka have formed one of the biggest rivalries in today's women's tennis. Swiatek has four Grand Slams and she is ranked at No 1 in the world, while Sabalenka captured her first Grand Slam title at this year's Australian Open and she has since been ranked at No 2. Swiatek and Sabalenka have played against each other eight times, with the Pole leading their head-to-head 5-3.

"We never talked about it, but I'm sure they respect each other as players. It's also not like all these girls are sitting together in the locker room and socializing there. Rather, they just go in to change before and after the game or training, just for a while, and go back to work with their team," Tomasz Swiatek told Rzeczpospolita.

Swiatek's father tells an anecdote about his daughter

Swiatek, who turned 22 in late May, is already a four-time Grand Slam champion and she has been ranked at No 1 since 2022 April. One of the biggest reasons behind Swiatek's early success is her competitive level. According to her father, the Pole has always been like that. 

"She was always a kid who wanted to compete. First with her older sister, then with rivals on the court. As a ten-year-old, she said: 'Let's go to a tournament for older girls, because we've already beaten everyone here. She was always looking for new challenges, that's what she had left. I remember her winning junior Wimbledon in 2018. She was happy and it seemed to her that she had achieved everything, but it was only a moment. I explained that this is only the beginning," Tomasz Swiatek said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/lVEyIrQ

Advertisemen

 Tennis