Iga Swiatek: "I see that Poles don't really like Aryna Sabalenka, we simply have two completely different personalities colliding"

Iga Swiatek has opened up about how the stark differences in her and Aryna Sabalenka's personalities might have influenced their contrasting perceptions within the tennis community.

Swiatek and Sabalenka have developed one of the most exciting rivalries on the WTA tour, locking horns on nine occasions. The Pole enjoys a 6-3 lead in their head-to-head record, triumphing in two out of their three tour-level encounters this season.

Their rivalry intensified in the latter half of the season as they fiercely battled for the year-end World No. 1 ranking. Ultimately, the Pole claimed her second consecutive year-end No. 1 finish by emerging victorious at the WTA Finals, defeating Sabalenka en route to the title.

During a recent interview, Iga Swiatek addressed the perception of Aryna Sabalenka as the 'bad one' in tennis compared to her own 'good one' image. The four-time Grand Slam champion dismissed such labels, emphasizing her stance against contributing to negativity towards another player.

However, she acknowledged Sabalenka's apparent lack of popularity among Polish fans, attributing it to a clash between their contrasting personalities.

"I see that Poles don't really like her. We simply have two completely different personalities colliding. From here you can see the contrast. I wouldn't say I'm a good character and she's a bad one, because that puts her in a negative light," Iga Swiatek said (via Polish publication Rzeczpospolita).

"We are just different. I don't want to be one of those people who judges. I know what life is like on the Internet and I don't want to contribute to hatred towards anyone. First of all, we have great respect for each other and are kind to each other," she added.

Iga Swiatek: "2023 has been the most difficult year of my career"

Iga Swiatek

During the interview, Iga Swiatek also reflected on her 2023 season. She admitted that it was the most challenging year of her career as she lost the World No. 1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka and faced injury setbacks, among other challenges.

"Yes, this has been the most difficult year of my career, although my possibilities are also increasing and what was difficult for me two years ago is no longer so. However, the season was demanding," Iga Swiatek said.

"It's not only about adapting to the situation - I started it as number one, and then I lost the leading position - but also about injuries. Moreover, it was another year of playing at the highest level for me, so there was no time to go home and rest," she added.

Despite her immense success on tour, the 22-year-old disclosed that her enduring motivation stemmed from her innate desire to win, like most athletes.

"There are moments when the matches are a bit ordinary and I feel that the next tournament will not be something special, but when I step on the court, these thoughts disappear. I always want to win. Every athlete has it in their blood, or at least it should. We want to prove what we can do, and that is stronger than any other feeling," she said.