'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Iga Swiatek has reaffirmed her commitment to the cause of mental health awareness and support with a 300,000 PLN donation to UNICEF Poland while also calling on her fans to contribute and assist those in need of attention.
Swiatek announced that it was now a tradition for her at this time of the year to prioritize mental health as a tennis player and as a human.
The Pole has contributed to the cause of mental health in the past as well as she did after the Ostrava Open final last year. World Mental Health day is celebrated on October 10.
"Ëvery year, the time around World Mental Health Day is a time for me for me to stop and appreciate the work on myself that I do, as a tennis player and as a human. You know, it's a little tradition of mine, that every I use this time to remind you how important it is to prioritize mental health," Iga Swiatek wrote.
"I speak out loud about how important this is to me and I want to support it with concrete action, because I know actions speak louder than words - this year I will donate 300K golden @unicefpoland to help with mental health in Poland and around the world," the 22-year-old added.
The Warsaw-born player was nominated for the 2022 Rise and Raise award constituted by UN Women in the Category of Good Health and Well Being.
Back in 2021, Iga Swiatek donated $50,000 in prize money on World Mental Health Day during the course of the Indian Wells Open which was held in October that year.
Iga Swiatek wins China Open ahead of WTA Finals, closes in on WTA World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Swiatek had a phenomenal run in 2022 where she rose to become the WTA World No. 1 following the surprise retirement of Ashleigh Barty. A staggering 37-match winning streak and two Grand Slam titles catapulted Swiatek into the limelight like never before.
Despite having won five titles which included a victory at Roland Garros thus far in 2023, Swiatek hasn't quite managed to replicate the success she had last season while also losing the WTA top slot to Aryna Sabalenka.
A shock defeat to Jelena Ostapenko in the fourth round of the US Open ended Swiatek's run in the New York Major while Veronika Kudermetova got the better of her in the quarterfinals of the Japan Open last month.
In Beijing, Swiatek ended US Open champion Coco Gauff's 16-match winning streak in the semifinal before defeating Liudmila Samsonova in the title match.
Iga Swiatek's China Open triumph also helped her close in on Aryna Sabalenka who failed to progress beyond the quarterfinal stage at the WTA 1000 event.
At the year-end WTA Finals, Swiatek will thus have the opportunity to try and regain the coveted top spot from Sabalenka while also hoping to end the season on a high.
