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Iga Swiatek recently commented on her and Aryna Sabalenka being dominant and highlighted that they have shown that the WTA Tour has consistency.
Swiatek is currently in Stuttgart competing at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. It marks her first match on clay since her title victory at last year's Roland Garros, where she defeated Karolina Muchova in the final. The Pole began her double title defense in Stuttgart by beating Elise Mertens 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 33 minutes to secure her quarterfinal spot.
During the post-match press conference, Iga Swiatek was asked if she would like to become a dominant player in the future. Swiatek replied that she and Aryna Sabalenka have proven themselves as consistent forces on the WTA Tour over the past two years.
"Well, the question is if I already did that for past two years, because I feel like I have been pretty dominant, and also Aryna has been, so we both kind of have shown that there is consistency on WTA. I remember when I was playing in 2020, 2021, I also got many questions about consistency, and I felt like some players, you know, have proven that it's possible. So I already feel like I have been pretty dominant," Iga Swiatek said.
The World No.1 stated that it was important that she maintains consistency to reach the level of other players who have been successful throughout their careers.
Swiatek acknowledged that she is just beginning her career and that she needs to continue to perform well to reach the same level of success as those who have been dominant players throughout their careers
"But we'll see what next years are going to bring. There have been players that have been dominating throughout their whole careers, you know, and I'm still at the beginning. So there is still so much work to do," she added.
Iga Swiatek on trying to win the Stuttgart Open title for third time in a row: "Not really thinking about that, it's tricky to win three times"
At the aforementioned press conference, Iga Swiatek was asked about the pressure of being the two-time defending champion at the 2024 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
In response, the World No.1 acknowledged that she always feels the pressure looming behind her. She added that despite the pressure, she is not letting it distract her from focusing on her tennis.
"There is always pressure behind me somewhere, you know. You can't avoid that on this level and when you're a favorite in every match. So I'm not really thinking about that. It's tricky to win three times. I remember how I felt in Doha at the beginning of the tournament. Things were kind of following me, and it was hard to, like, let it go," Iga Swiatek said.
Swiatek explained that the Stuttgart Open is a challenging tournament, and she does not underestimate the competition. The Pole said that she is not taking anything for granted and will focus on winning one match at a time.
"I just try to focus on the game, and I remember playing really some tricky matches during the past two years. It's never an easy tournament, so I don't expect it. You know, I'm not taking it for granted or anything. So I'll try to focus on each match at a time and not think about winning because it's still a long way," she added.
Iga Swiatek will next go up against Emma Raducanu in the quarterfinals in Stuttgart. The British wild card secured her spot in the last eight by defeating Linda Noskova 6-0, 6-4 in the second round.
