Iga Swiatek - Sport News

TENNIS

Iga Swiatek stands firm on ‘crazy’ scheduling comments and insists tennis is going in the wrong direction

By Admin August 28, 2024

The tennis season is too long and things need to change, says Iga Swiatek as the world No 1 called on the “people who are in charge” to fix the crammed calendar.

Swiatek has not been afraid to voice her opinion about the lengthy tennis schedule in recent months as at the Cincinnati Open she complained that tennis authorities are “pushing and pushing for us to play more” and pleaded that “we deserve to rest a little bit more”.

The Pole added: “Obviously it is not our decision, but for sure I think we have too many tournaments in the season. It’s not going to end well.”

READ: Coco Gauff bringing the vibes again as she makes confession about ‘feeling off’ before US Open

Former world No 1 Yevgeny Kafelnikov did not agree with Swiatek’s comments and he lashed out on social media writing: “”Is someone pushing you to play??? All you fricking do is complain!!

“I’ll tell you what you deserve! You deserve to get paid a lot less than you do now!! How about that??”

Swiatek, though, is not the first player to complain about the schedule and she won’t be the last and the five-time Grand Salm winner stuck to her guns following her first-round win at the US Open when asked about the calendar.

“It would be easy to fix for people who are in charge, but they already made plenty of decisions and they promised so many things to tournaments, basically, I mean, WTA, for example, that it would mean for them to change their mind, which is tricky because it’s business,” she said.

“But I think players are aware that this is crazy what’s going on and the schedule is really tough.

“I spoke about it in Cincinnati, for example, and there are people saying that I don’t have to play so many tournaments. But truth to the fact is that we have so many mandatory tournaments that we literally need to show up and we don’t have time to work on stuff or live peacefully because from one tournament we’re going straight to another.

“We don’t even have time at the end of the year because literally the first tournament starts on the 29th of December. So yeah the season is for sure too long.

“I think it needs to be changed because also I think it’s going to be better for fans and because they’re not going to see their favourite players like pull out or getting injured so much, I think, and we can present better quality, I would say.”

Previously there were only 15 mandatory tournaments on the WTA Tour, but the rules were changed in 2019 and that figure now sits at 21.

Players now have to compete in the four Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 events, six WTA 500 tournaments and the WTA Finals (if they qualify).

On top of that, several of the WTA 1000 events have been expanded to two weeks, adding to the already compact calendar.

Swiatek added: “I said at the beginning, I saw from last year that we don’t have much influence on what’s going on upstairs and basically these rules have been changed without us even knowing about them.

“These decisions about mandatory tournaments were shown to us after we spoke to WTA about it, we want to at least be in the loop, you know, but it would be nice for us to have some impact because I don’t think our sport is going in the right direction because of that.”

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TENNIS

[VIDEO] US Open 2024: More Pressure on Coco Gauff to Defend

By Admin August 26, 2024

The US Open is here, and with it comes a wave of excitement and anticipation that sweeps through tennis fans worldwide. But with all that excitement, there’s also a hefty dose of pressure, especially for the local favorite, Coco Gauff.

As the American sensation steps onto the court, she’s not just playing for herself—she’s carrying the hopes and expectations of millions. The buzz around her is electric, but with the buzz comes the weight of responsibility.

In a video shared by the official X account of the US Open, several fans can be seen predicting the title winner. On the men’s side, there seemed to be a draw between Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, with several fans supporting either of the two as the probable title contender. But on the women’s side, Gauff emerged as the clear favorite. Although the names of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek can also be heard in the video, the number of people backing them is very few.

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We asked fans for correct answers only 🤔 pic.twitter.com/yQlLN3XjpA

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 25, 2024

Gauff has not witnessed a remarkable season in the American hard-court swing this year, so far. She was ousted in her second match of the Canadian Open, where she faced a defeat from Diana Shnaider. Similar situations unfolded for the star player at the Cincinnati Masters, where she was baffled in her opening match itself, against Yulia Putinsteva. But despite the setbacks, Gauff has found great support from her fans and well-wishers ahead of the US Open.

For Gauff, this support comes at a time when the star player herself admitted the increased pressure on her shoulders. Remember, the 20-year-old would be entering the US Open as the defending champion and hence, expectations from her to win the title are immense. Gauff reflected upon this and said, “Obviously, coming in as defending champion is a little bit of pressure, but also more of a privilege, because as my new motto is: If you defend, that means you won something before.”

But the major question that emerges amidst the support is: Can Gauff rise to the occasion? While the increased anticipation might result in increased pressure, the American star opened up about her form ahead of the US Open.

Coco Gauff might have underperformed at the American hardcourt swing this season so far, but that does not nullify the challenge that she would be posing for her opponents. Ahead of the final grand slam of the year, Gauff revealed that she is well-poised and is having great practice sessions.

Speaking in the pre-tournament presser, the reigning US Open champion said, “The last couple of practices have gone really well, which before, like, during Cincinnati wasn’t having great practices, in Toronto wasn’t having great practices. Here I’m having great practices, which, you know, doesn’t mean I’m going to go out on the match and play great, but it does give you more confidence when you’re actually practicing great the week before a tournament, yeah.”

With Gauff’s first match less than 24 hours away, it would be interesting to see if her intense practice sessions amalgamated with the support she is receiving help her win big at the US Open. Can she defend her title?

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TENNIS

Scars Still Fresh for Coco Gauff as She Reacts to the US Open Implementing Latest Technology Demanded by Her

By Admin August 24, 2024

Controversies on the tennis court? Oh, they’re as old as the game itself! But nothing frustrates a player more than a dubious call from the umpire, especially when there’s no way to challenge it.

Just ask Coco Gauff, who’s had her fair share of these gut-wrenching moments. But this time, she can breathe a sigh of relief. The US Open organizers have decided to roll out the VAR system more extensively, meaning those questionable calls might finally have some backup.

The American tennis sensation engaged in a pre-tournament presser, ahead of her campaign at the US Open. She expressed her happiness over the expansion of the Video Assistant Review (VAR) technology, which was initially introduced in the previous edition of the tournament.

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Speaking in the interview, Gauff highlighted the fact that many other sports, despite not being as financially backed as tennis, have a video review system. “I definitely think that, you know, it should be, especially at the slams, it should be here and 1000 tournaments.” While Gauff acknowledged that the facility should be present in every tournament, she shared that it should begin with important events like the slam.

“US Open had it last year. I didn’t have to use it. Hopefully I won’t have to use it this year, but I think it’s a great thing.” Continuing further, she reflected upon the agony that players go through in the absence of such technologies. “You know, the worst is when you get apologized to afterwards, and it’s kind of just like, thanks, but, you know, what is that going to do for me now? I think it’ll just hold everybody accountable.” For the unversed, the US Open organizers have decided to extend the facility to eight courts this season.

This development is poised to enhance the fairness of the competition. It would also minimize the frustration of players that emerge from controversial umpiring decisions. Gauff, meanwhile, has been at the center of such controversies time and again. In this year’s French Open, Coco Gauff expressed her anger over the absence of a video review system in tennis.

Coco Gauff: “I feel like in tennis, we should have a VAR system because these points are big deals. Usually, afterwards they apologize. It’s kind of frustrating when the sorry doesn't help you once the match is over.”

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) July 30, 2024

In the second set of the match, Iga Swiatek’s serve was called out just as Gauff hit her return long. But when the umpire overruled the call and awarded the point to Swiatek, Gauff furiously insisted that she hit her return after the ball had already been called out. “I think tennis is the only sport where not only we don’t have the VR system, but a lot of times the decisions are made by one person,” she said after the match. Similar scenes unfolded for her at the Paris Olympics.

Gauff faced Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the third round of the Paris Olympics. A shot by Vekic in the second set was called out by the line umpire. Coco perceived that she won the point and hit the ball out herself. The American was made to suffer with Vekic being awarded the point. The 20-year-old was seen engaging in a heated debate with the umpire and crying her heart out. “This isn’t fair, I’ve been cheated,” she said. But with the US Open once again introducing the system, Gauff definitely can be less worried. However, she is not the only player to have demanded such changes in the sport.

The controversial call saga from umpires was witnessed in the recently concluded Cincinnati Masters as well. During the R16 match Felix Auger-Aliassime hit a shot, which touched the court before Jack Draper attempted his volley. Despite Draper’s return touching his side of the court first, the umpire missed noticing it and awarded the point to Draper, ultimately leading to Aliassime’s exit from the tournament. This seemed to make Nole furious.

Taking to his X, Novak Djokovic wrote, “It’s embarrassing that we don’t have video replay of these kind of situations on the court. What’s even more ridiculous is that we don’t have the rule in place that would allow chair umpires to change the original call based on the video review that happens off the court.”

The tennis community has resonated with the demand for VRS time and again. With the US Open actually implementing it, it would be interesting to see how much can Coco Gauff and other players benefit out of it.

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TENNIS

Emma Raducanu gets daunting US Open draw as Iga Swiatek faces big rivals

By Admin August 23, 2024

World No 1 Iga Swiatek has been handed a challenging draw at the US Open, with potential matches against Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins in her quarter of the draw.

Swiatek could face a run of matches that includes a fourth round clash against rising star Mirra Andreeva, who pushed her all the way in a compelling contest in Cincinnati last week.

Pegula or Collins could then lie in wait in the quarter-finals, with Eleyna Rybakina a possible semi-final opponent before a showdown with Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

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Meanwhile, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu has been handed a daunting draw at the US Open as she seeks her first win in New York since winning the title in 2021.

The 21-year-old shocked the world when she won at Flushing Meadows three years ago but lost in the first round in 2022 and then missed last year with injury.

The draw has been unkind to the British No 2, who has drawn former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, currently ranked 55th, in the first round.

If she wins that then American sixth seed Jessica Pegula is likely to be waiting in the second round before a possible all-British third round tie against Katie Boulter.

Raducanu has been criticised for taking time away from tennis ahead of the US Open and former British No 1 Tim Henman told Tennis365 those snipes are misplaced.

“There is almost a borderline obsession about different elements of her game and where she is going wrong,” Sky Sports Tennis analyst Henman told Tennis365 in an exclusive interview.

“She hasn’t played in Canada and Cincinnati over the last few weeks… big deal!

“It’s two tournaments out of 52 weeks, she has played plenty of tournaments this year and she is top 50 in the WTA Race.

“She is continuing to build and get fitter, stronger and faster. Her game is fantastic. She will be top 20 or top 30 before long, so we need to stop this level of scrutiny.”

Defending women’s champion Coco Gauff begins against Varvara Gracheva and she could face No 2 seed Sabalenka if they both get through to the semi-finals.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova could be a last eight opponent for Gauff, but she will be relieved to be in the opposite half of the draw to Swiatek.

Meanwhile, there is a blockbusting meeting of former grand slam champions as Naomi Osaka takes on Jelena Ostapenko.

Former British No 1 Tim Henman gave Tennis365 his verdict on the women’s draw, as he prepares to play a central role in the Sky Sports Tennis team at the US Open.

“I think Swiatek has to be the favourite,” added Henman.

“She played so well in the Slams, but there will be so many players in the women’s draw who fancy their chances.

“Coco Gauff is defending champion, Sabalenka will be in there, I’d love to see Ons Jabeur win one and I’d also keep an eye out on Jes Pegula.”

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TENNIS

Iga Swiatek criticised for using ‘bad habit’ tactic to disrupt opponents

By Admin August 20, 2024

Tennis great Lindsay Davenport has criticised Iga Swiatek, claiming the world No 1 uses bathroom breaks as a tactic to disrupt her opponents.

The three-time Grand Slam champion asserted that Swiatek uses the tactic every time she loses a set and labelled it a “bad habit that should be patrolled by the powers that be.”

Swiatek’s tendency to leave the court to take lengthy bathroom breaks after losing sets in matches has been highlighted in recent months by some tennis pundits and fans.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka rises to No 2 after breaking the wall in rivalry with Iga Swiatek

The world No 1 took a break after losing the first set in her 3-6, 3-6 defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the Cincinnati Open semi-finals. The 23-year-old Polish star also left the court after losing sets in her matches against Danielle Collins at the Paris Olympics.

It is worth noting that Swiatek has not broken any rules and she is by no means the only player to take extended bathroom breaks.

The five-time major winner has also left the court to take breaks after winning sets, which challenges the suggestion she only does it to disrupt opponents when losing.

Speaking on Tennis Channel, former world No 9 Coco Vandeweghe weighed in on the debate about Swiatek’s use of bathroom breaks.

“It’s been spoken about, Iga’s tactic of going to the bathroom, changing her kit, taking her time, always after losing a set,” said the two-time major semi-finalist. “If I was still playing, I would definitely be very aware of it — she’s trying to disrupt my rhythm.”

Davenport, a former world No 1, condemned the apparent tactic and called for Swiatek to be “patrolled.”

“It’s a bad habit that probably should start to be patrolled a little bit by the powers that be,” argued the American. “Lose a set, you leave the court — never used to be like that. But it happens every time.”

The WTA rulebook states there is a time limit of three minutes for players taking a “toilet break only”, which can be taken between sets or before a player’s own service game.

There is a five-minute limit for a “change of attire break” or a “change of attire break taken with a toilet break”, which can only be taken between sets.

The rulebook clarifies that “an authorized break is timed from when the player enters the toilet or change area to when she leaves the toilet or change area.”

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TENNIS

Aryna Sabalenka rises to No 2 after breaking the wall in rivalry with Iga Swiatek

By Admin August 19, 2024

Aryna Sabalenka believes she has achieved a breakthrough win over Iga Swiatek as she moved closer to another big title.

Sabalenka advanced to her first WTA Cincinnati Open final, defeating Swiatek 6-3, 6-3 in their semi-final clash.

The Australian Open champion had been eliminated in the last four on three prior occasions, including the past two tournaments, but she defeated her Polish opponent in straight sets for the first time.

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Sabalenka kept the points short and snappy in their third match of the season and first on hard court, thanks to a precise serve and return game.

Swiatek leads the circuit in both service and return game wins, but she failed to break through on both counts on Sunday.

While WTA Tour star from Minsk served at only 52 per cent, she was able to win 67 per cent of her first serves and 53 per cent of her second.

Swiatek, the world No 1, was also aiming for her maiden final in Cincinnati, but a woeful 20% success rate off her second serve contributed significantly to her defeat.

The rankings queen might have gone down in straight sets but Sabalenka felt she couldn’t make any mistakes against a relentless foe.

“It sounds like I broke the wall, finally,” Sabalenka said, after beating Swiatek.

“Of course, I’m super happy to be in the final after such a tough battle against Iga.

“I kept telling myself, that’s why she’s world No. 1. She’s going to fight till the last point so you have got to stay aggressive and keep doing your job.”

On Tuesday, the Belarusian will overtake Coco Gauff to reclaim the No 2 spot in the PIF WTA rankings. Consequently, she is expected to be the No 2 seed in the US Open.

Sabalenka will also leapfrog Elena Rybakina to reach to second place on the PIF Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard, trailing only Swiatek, who has already qualified for the season-ending tournament.

She admitted that she prefers to be cast in the underdog role but accepted that her rise in the rankings is down to her strong efforts.

“I feel comfortable being in the bottom half of the net, but I’ll be more comfortable to see myself on the top half of the net,” Sabalenka said, “I’m trying my best to get there.”

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TENNIS

Iga Swiatek leads Serena Williams with sensational record highlighting her WTA 1000 excellence

By Admin August 18, 2024

Iga Swiatek has improved a stunning statistic that demonstrates her remarkable consistency at WTA 1000 tournaments by reaching the semi-finals in Cincinnati.

The world No 1 won an enthralling first encounter with 17-year-old Russian star Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the quarter-finals in Cincinnati.

Following her win against the world No 24, Swiatek said: “She’s playing and behaving like she’s older.

“I felt like we were playing at a similar level. It was really tight. Every point mattered at the end. It wasn’t easy.”

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Swiatek will face world No 3 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals in Cincinnati in what will be the pair’s 12th meeting. She holds an 8-3 record against her Belarusian rival and won their two previous encounters this season.

The Polish great is through to her 17th WTA 1000 level semi-final and she holds the record for the highest percentage of last four appearances at this category of tournament.

Here are the five players with the highest rate of WTA 1000 semi-finals reached since the format was introduced in 2009.

1. Iga Swiatek – 17 semi-finals from 31 appearances (54.8%)

Swiatek is playing the 31st WTA 1000 event of her career in Cincinnati and she has reached the last four or better in 54.8% of her appearances.

The 23-year-old has won 10 WTA 1000 titles from her previous 30 tournaments at this level and is looking to triumph in Cincinnati for the first time.

2. Serena Williams – 26 semi-finals from 49 appearances (53.1%)

Serena Williams progressed to 26 semi-finals at the 49 WTA 1000 tournaments she competed in, giving her a 53.1% semi-final rate.

The American legend won 13 WTA 1000 titles after the category came into force.

=3. Maria Sharapova – 22 semi-finals from 50 appearances (44%)

Maria Sharapova made 22 last four appearances from the 50 WTA 1000 events she featured in, giving her a 44% semi-final rate.

The Russian great claimed eight WTA 1000 titles from 2009 onwards.

=3. Ashleigh Barty – 11 semi-finals from 25 appearances (44%)

Ashleigh reached the semi-finals at 11 of the 25 WTA 1000 tournaments she played, which equates to 44% — an identical percentage to Sharapova.

The Australian icon secured three WTA 1000 titles.

5. Simona Halep – 29 semi-finals from 86 appearances (33.7%)

Simona Halep has advanced to 29 WTA 1000 semi-finals from her 86 appearances at this level to date, leaving her with a 33.7% last four rate.

The Romanian star has collected nine WTA 1000 titles so far in her career.

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TENNIS

Iga Swiatek hits yet more milestones as she cruises into Cincinnati quarter-finals

By Admin August 17, 2024

It was business as usual for Iga Swiatek on Friday afternoon, with the pole dispatching Marta Kostyuk in straight sets to keep her Cincinnati Open campaign alive.

Swiatek faced a little bit of unnecessary drama versus French qualifier Varvara Gracheva in her opening match on Wednesday, spurning a 5-2 lead in the second set and five match points before eventually prevailing in three sets.

But, against the 15th seed, the world No 1 had a much smoother time of things.

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Kostyuk broke in the very opening game but was unable to match Swiatek’s consistency after that point, and the five-time Grand Slam winner picked up a comfortable 6-2, 6-2 victory to become the first woman to seal a place in the last eight.

Swiatek hit some notable milestones with her emphatic victory – as now seems commonplace any time the 23-year-old wins a match.

This is now her sixth WTA 1000 quarter-final of the season, only failing to reach the last eight in Miami, when she lost in round four, and at last week’s Canadian Open – where she did not play.

In the past decade, only one player has reached more WTA 1000 quarter-finals in an individual season – herself in 2023, where she reached seven WTA 1000 quarter-finals.

With WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Wuhan coming later in the season, Swiatek is well-placed to eclipse her own personal best.

It is also a 14th straight match win for her at WTA 1000-level, having won Madrid and Rome back-to-back earlier in the year.

That is the second-longest streak by any player since she made her first WTA 1000 appearance in 2019 and, once again, it is her own record she is now potentially in line to break.

She won 23 straight matches at this level in her dominant 2022 season, spanning from Doha to the Canadian Open.

Swiatek has now also reached 13 WTA 1000 quarter-finals across the past two seasons, with Agnieszka Radwanska’s record of 14 across 2012-2013 now under threat.

The world No 1 will face an intriguing quarter-final next, either against fifth seed Jasmine Paolini or teen sensation Mirra Andreeva.

However, with the likes of defending champion Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina already out of the tournament, she will likely fancy her chances of claiming a first Cincinnati title.

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TENNIS

Coco Gauff admits she is struggling in key area ahead of US Open as she looks to hit reset button

By Admin August 16, 2024

Coco Gauff’s US Open preparations suffered a massive setback as she made an early exit from the Cincinnati Open and the American admits she needs to up her game ahead of her title defence in New York.

The reigning US Open champion has not had a good run of late as she lost in the round of 16 at Wimbledon, the third round of the Olympics, the third round at the Canadian Open and now the second round in Cincinnati.

Gauff was the defending champion in Ohio and her defeat to 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 defeat to Yulia Putintseva means she will head into the US Open with only three matches (two in Toronto and one in Cincinnati) under her belt on hard courts.

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That is a far cry from her 2023 form where she won the Washington DC title (Gauff skipped the Citi DC event this year due as it clashed with the Paris Olympics), reached the quarter-final in Canada and won the Cincinnati Open. Those results effectively set her up for her title run in New York.

The 20-year-old’s latest loss will also result in a drop to No 3 in the WTA Rankings and it means she will be seeded third in New York behind world No 1 Iga Swiatek and second seed Aryna Sabalenka.

Gauff admitted there is one thing she currently lacks.

“I feel like I have to work on consistency, overall,” she told the WTA Tour. “[I will] probably go home and try to reset.

“Obviously, I have a lot coming up soon with the US Open, so I think just trying to reset and be ready for that.”

Gauff served nine double faults with four of those coming in the deciding set with her first serve percentage at 56% while she won only 54% of her service points.

Despite her struggles, she broke to love in game six of the deciding set to 4-2 up, but Putintseva hit back immediately as the “tricky” Kazakh player won the final four games of the match.

“I made a lot of errors, especially when I was up 4-2 [in the third set]. I think most of the points she won were off my errors,” Gauff said.

“She’s always a tricky opponent to play. She mixes up the ball, has drop shots, slices. She’s someone that makes you earn the match.”

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Iga Swiatek closes in on Serena Williams record after opening Cincinnati win

By Admin August 15, 2024

Iga Swiatek could be in line to break a Serena Williams record after surviving a second-set wobble to reach round three at the Cincinnati Open.

After receiving a round one bye, Swiatek saw off French qualifier Varvara Gracheva 6-0, 6-7(8), 6-2 to keep her quest for a first title at the tournament alive.

However, the scoreline, while showing it was a battle at stages, does not tell the full story outright.

READ: Iga Swiatek makes ‘scary’ admission as she highlights concerning tennis issue

The world No 1 led 6-0, 5-2 at one stage and held five match points in the second set, though was pegged back and forced into a decider.

But the five-time major winner held her ground and bounced back in the decider to set up a round three clash versus 15th seed Marta Kostyuk.

“Honestly, I knew I had the game to win it because I had five match points,” she said on court afterwards.

“It was my fault that I didn’t close it – but it happens.

“I didn’t want to have any regrets. I looked forward and tried to take a lesson from what happened and start playing differently, in the same way I played the beginning of the match.”

Victory for Swiatek continues her fine form at WTA 1000 events in 2024, with four titles at that level to her name coming into Cincinnati.

The Pole was triumphant at Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, and Rome, and other strong results include a semi-final run in Dubai.

She now has 28 wins at that level this season, eclipsing her previous best total of 27 from 2023.

And that has put her in striking distance of Williams’ record for most WTA 1000 wins in an individual calendar year.

The American picked up a staggering 36 WTA 1000 match wins in 2013, in one of the most impressive seasons of her legendary career.

However, Swiatek now has a genuine chance of beating that tally.

The world No 1 has an opportunity to potentially pick up another four wins in Cincinnati – hypothetically winning the title in the process – and then has two more WTA 1000 events to play in 2024.

Swiatek will go into the China Open as the defending champion in September, before the return of the Wuhan Open the following week.

Meanwhile, the 23-year-old also extended her current record for the highest percentage of sets won 6-0 at WTA 1000 tournaments.

Swiatek has now picked up a bagel in 11.2% of sets she has played at WTA 1000s, well ahead of the likes of Williams, Victoria Azarenka, and Garbine Muguruza in the all-time standings.

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