Swiatek triumphs in grass court opener, looks forward to Wimbledon
Swiatek is now considered one of favourites for upcoming Wimbledon title with her grass-court campaign off to strong start
June 27, 2023
In a highly anticipated grass-court debut, world number one Iga Swiatek emerged victorious in a thrilling three-set match against Tatjana Maria at the Bad Homburg Open.
Swiatek's triumph comes as she sets her sights on the upcoming Wimbledon tournament, where she hopes to continue her impressive form.
The Polish tennis sensation, fresh from her French Open victory, encountered a challenging start as Maria capitalised on a series of unforced errors to break Swiatek twice and claim the first set. Undeterred, Swiatek regained her composure and unleashed her powerful game, ultimately dominating the match. She won the next two sets with remarkable conviction, dropping just two games in the process.
Expressing her determination to adapt to the grass surface, Swiatek commented, "I just feel like you're going to go on court and not play the way you should or the way you could; so this thing is adding more pressure. But I'm pretty glad that I figured it out, because I guess problem-solving on grass is the most important thing."
With her grass-court campaign off to a strong start, Swiatek is now considered one of the favourites for the upcoming Wimbledon title. Despite her remarkable achievements in recent years, including winning three of the last five Grand Slam titles, she has yet to showcase her full potential on grass, holding a career record of 7-5 on the surface.
Swiatek's triumph at the Bad Homburg Open marks a significant milestone in her quest for grass-court success. The 22-year-old, who previously won the junior Wimbledon title in 2018, has her sights set on surpassing her previous fourth-round best at the prestigious tournament.
As she embarks on her grass-court journey, Swiatek embraces the opportunity to continue learning and improving. "Basically before every grass-court season I just want to keep being open-minded and just learn a lot," she explained.
"I feel like there is maybe a little bit less pressure, but on the other hand when I just go on court, I feel like I know how I can play tennis and I know how I can play on other surfaces."
With Swiatek's confidence soaring and her game reaching new heights, tennis enthusiasts around the world eagerly await her performances at Wimbledon, where she aims to add another remarkable chapter to her already illustrious career.
