By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday November 1, 2024
Picture Supply: Matthew Calvis
As she ramps as much as play for the primary time since this 12 months’s US Open, issues will probably be very totally different on the floor for Iga Swiatek. Gone from her teaching field is Tomasz Wiktorowski, the person who helped information her to 4 of her 5 main titles. In is Wim Fissette, one other supercoach with a extremely regarded pedigree.
Chatting with reporters forward of this 12 months’s WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Swiatek says that we shouldn’t anticipate an excessive amount of too quickly from the change – her resolution was made with long-term development in thoughts.
“I spent this time nonetheless enjoying tennis and for positive specializing in discovering new coach,” she mentioned of the time between right this moment and the tip of her US Open, the place she misplaced to Jessica Pegula within the quarterfinals. “Making this transition, it is all the time difficult. For me it is a resolution hopefully for years as a result of I have a look at my profession form of long-term.”
What kind of issues does the five-time Grand Slam champion and former World No.1 hope to be taught from Fissette?
“I feel it is form of apparent,” she mentioned. “I for positive need to enhance my serve, as I have been doing for previous years. I really feel like I nonetheless have to proceed that. For positive I am not an entire participant. I feel tactically there are numerous methods I may go and have extra selection on courtroom. Wim has some good concepts.”
Swiatek, who’s 54-7 on the season with 5 titles, says she’s comfortable to take issues gradual. The true deep dive will occur within the pre-season leadup to the 2025 Australian Open.
“Actually for now we have simply been getting ready for this event and attending to know one another,” she mentioned. “The true modifications, we will discuss them in the course of the low season as a result of that is the correct time to do it. For now I have been making an attempt to simply be in the most effective form for this event. Some technicalities, we will work on them within the pre-season.” The Hunt for No.1 a Non-Issue
The media likes the narrative of a duel for the No.1 rating on the WTA Finals. They’ve it this 12 months because the Pole may recapture the No.1 rating from Sabalenka by making a title run, however Swiatek says it isn’t necessary for her in the meanwhile.
Does she know what number of factors she must take again the highest spot from Sabalenka?
“I do not. I need to play the most effective form of tennis. That is what I have to do,” she mentioned, including: “She’s an amazing participant. She additionally form of deserves to be world No. 1. For positive I’ll struggle for me to be in that place.”
