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After witnessing Iga Swiatek's recent performances, American tennis great Jimmy Connors has expressed his eagerness to meet the World No. 1.
Swiatek suffered a disappointing fourth-round exit at the 2023 Australian Open, losing to reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. But she made a remarkable comeback by clinching the Qatar Open title in Doha.
Jimmy Connors is convinced that players like Iga Swiatek possess the mental fortitude to overcome the disappointment of multiple losses and to identify the root cause of their defeats. He believes that this kind of resilience and self-reflection is essential for success in the world of competitive tennis, a trait that Swiatek embodies.
"It seems to me that you know there are certain players that when bad things happen, you know, they know what it takes to overcome that adversity and to figure out why that happened," Connors said on a recent episode of Advantage Connors podcast.
The 70-year-old, who has been in awe of Iga Swiatek's performances for a long time, also extended an invitation to the World No. 1 to appear on his podcast.
"I wish I could meet her. I'd love to meet her, you know love to have her on the podcast. It would be great," he said.
Swiatek solidified her position at the top of the world rankings after winning the 2023 Qatar Open title. She also broke the WTA record for the fewest games dropped en route to a title in the process.
The three-time Grand Slam champion was in a league of her own, losing only five games on her way to a second consecutive Qatar Open title. Swiatek defeated Jessica Pegula in commanding fashion in the final, dropping just three games.
Iga Swiatek loses to Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships
Iga Swiatek could not make it two titles in two weeks, as she fell to Barbora Krejcikova in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Saturday. Krejcikova capped off a remarkable week at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai by defeating the World No.1 6-4, 6-2, securing her first title of the year and the sixth of her career.
In the post-match on-court interview, Swiatek expressed her gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support throughout the tournament. She also expressed her appreciation to the WTA and to the ball kids for their hard work and dedication.
"I want to thank you guys for coming and for supporting us all week. It wasn’t easy and there were a lot of obstacles that we had to, you know, jump through. But I’m pretty happy that there are so many Polish fans and you guys are here to make the evening special," she said.
"Thank you to the WTA for the tournament, for the sponsors that supported, all the volunteers, and the ball kids without you we wouldn’t be here. It wouldn’t be as great as it is. So thank you guys. And thank you to my team and sorry for tonight," Swiatek added.
Barbora Krejcikova's previous title came in October 2022, when she defeated Swiatek in the Ostrava final in front of her home fans in the Czech Republic.
