In the quarter-final match at the Japan Open, Iga Swiatek faced a tough defeat at the hands of Veronika Kudermetova, with the final score line of 1-6, 6-2, 4-6. As she readies herself for the upcoming China Open, she seeks to refine her game. Świątek recently talked about her new mindset as she readies herself for challenges ahead.
Iga Swiatek has undergone a shift in her mental approach to the game. This transformation comes on the heels of Swiatek’s relinquishing her world no. 1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka. The gap between the two players currently stands at 1071 points. The alteration in her ranking status has made a marked change in Swiatek’s perspective.
In her own words she explains, “I felt like there was some baggage off my shoulders, and I could focus more on getting back to the more peaceful and normal rhythm of practicing. It’s a little bit easier to come back to the mindset of chasing somebody…” This highlights the relief she experienced upon coming out of the spotlight of being the top-ranked player.
Iga Swiatek says her goal is to develop as a player & not chase the rankings:
“I felt like there was some baggage off my shoulders & I could focus more on getting back to the more peaceful & normal rhythm of practicing.. It’s a little bit easier to come back to the mindset of… pic.twitter.com/cx6YGUGbOs
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 30, 2023
Swiatek has indeed found comfort in the role of a challenger, which will help her focus on improving as a player. In the China Open, where she is seeded No. 2, Swiatek talks about her primary goal. She says, “My main goal in China is to try and do some stuff differently on the court in terms of technique and tactics to develop as a player.”
Iga Swiatek’s new mindset signifies a shift from the pressure of defending her top ranking to a dedicated focus on enhancing her skills and refining her game. Her pursuit of excellence seems to be undeterred!
Iga Swiatek’s potential showdowns at China Open
In her debut match at the prestigious WTA 1000 tournament, China Open in Beijing, Iga Swiatek secured victory. The no. 2 seed, Swiatek began her campaign with a convincing win over Sara Sorribes Tormo, emerging victorious with a score of 6-4, 6-3. Her next opponent in the tournament draw is Varvara Gracheva, who also secured her place in the second round.
Classic from Iga 🤌@iga_swiatek | #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/0u1F8FP3Ic
— wta (@WTA) October 2, 2023
In the round-of-16 in Beijing, Swiatek is anticipated to face a seeded player namely the No. 14 seed Victoria Azarenka. Should she advance further, the quarterfinal stage could see Swiatek potentially crossing paths with the 2023 Wimbledon champion, Marketa Vondrousova.
The semifinal round holds the prospect of a rematch from the 2022 French Open final, with Swiatek potentially meeting Coco Gauff on the court. If she wins that match, the grand finale of the Beijing tournament could witness Swiatek battling it out against the no. 1 seed, Aryna Sabalenka. As Swiatek strives for success in the China Open, she faces a tough battle ahead.
