Iga Swiatek is already guaranteed to spend at least 52 consecutive weeks at world number 1, as she will soon join all-time greats like Serena Williams on a very exclusive roster. On April 4, 2022, Swiatek reached world number 1 for the first time in her career.
Since then, 44 weeks have passed and there has been no change in the women’s world number 1. Following Aryna Sabalenka’s withdrawal from Doha, Swiatek is guaranteed to keep her number 1 for at least eight more weeks. As Swiatek enters her 52nd consecutive week in the top spot, she will join the likes of Williams, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Justine Henin and Ashleigh Barty.
The start of the season did not go as planned for Swiatek. Swiatek, who entered the Australian Open as the top seed for the title, suffered a shock loss in the round of 16 to Elena Rybakina. Two weeks earlier, Swiatek had lost 6-2, 6-2 to Jessica Pegula in the United Cup.
After her participation in Australia did not go as planned, Swiatek admitted that she needed to change her approach. “I felt that I had taken a step back in the way I approach these tournaments, and that maybe I had pushed myself too much.
So I’m going to try to relax a little more. That’s all,” Swiatek said. Furthermore, Swiatek admitted that she felt a lot of pressure to do well and that, in the end, the pressure from her was too much for her. “I felt the pressure, and I felt like I didn’t want to lose instead of wanting to win.
So that’s the base I have to focus on for the next two weeks,” revealed Swiatek. The world number one will return to action at the Abu Dhabi tournament to be played next week, an appointment where Swiatek hopes to regain the confidence she could not have at the Australian Open, where she was considered the great candidate for the title.
Joe Pytka pays tribute to Serena
Serena Williams might have retired from professional tennis five months ago. “Serena had this power and charisma that was overwhelming, more than any athlete I’d ever worked with,” Pytka said.
“The first time I commented on her stroke looking a little strange, her handler told me she was hitting left-handed. We had to get a male pro to hit with her because the female pro we had hired couldn’t get the ball back properly. She is the most impressive athlete I have worked with, male or female. Magic”.
