WTA World No. 2, Iga Swiatek, has reviewed her 2022 campaign and believes that she may not have another season like 2022 but she will try her best to replicate the success.
Talking about the expectations placed on her in some quarters following the stellar 2022 season, the 22-year-old said that she feels they are stopping her. Swiatek could conclude the season with more wins than those charted in last calendar and could reclaim the world No. 1rank from Aryna Sabalenka who steal that from her after a deep run at Flushing Meadows.
Swiatek registered a remarkable 67-9 (88.2 win%) record in 2022 as she clinched eight titles that included 2 majors, 4 Masters 1000s and 2 WTA 500 titles. The pole also recorded a 37-match win streak last year – a win-all run that saw her sweeping straight titles from Qatar to Roland Garros.
While Swiatek admitted that she at times didn’t carry the weight of “ridiculous” expectations, she is just closing another sublime campaign in 2023. The four-time Grand Slam champion has won 5 titles this year so far which include her beloved French major, China Open, 2 WTA 5000 and a WTA 250 title.
Talking to the reporters ahead of the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, the 22-year-old was asked about the expectations she faced during the current season.
“For sure sometimes I felt like it’s just kind of ridiculous because people got used to me winning. It’s not like it’s going to happen all the time,” said the Pole.
“This season was kind of more normal, I would say, like most of the seasons we play, for even the top players. I think the main thing that I want to avoid is forgetting that this was also a good season, and I still won some great tournaments. I won a Grand Slam.
“Comparing everything to 2022, I can tell you pretty confidently that I may not have a season like that again, but I’m going to do my best. For sure, the expectations from the outside, it was the thing that really sometimes stopped me this season. I’m going to work on not letting it stop me this time.”
The World No. 2 also added that the field is open at the year-end championships and anyone can win the showpiece WTA event.
“Honestly, so many things can happen this week. I think any one of us can win this tournament. I mean, Caro Garcia last year, she wasn’t in the top three and she still won. Same with [Garbine] Muguruza in Guadalajara [in 2021]. History shows that it’s not about who’s the favourite,” assessed Swiatek.
Swiatek is in the Chetumal Group at the WTA Finals in Cancun accompanied by the 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff, as well as #7 seed Marketa Vondrousova and #6th seed Ons Jabeur.
The 22-year-old recovered from trailing 2-5 and a double break in the opening set against Voundrousova to win her first match 7-6(3), 6-0 on Monday.
Swiatek will kick off her WTA Finals campaign against Cezch Marketa Vondrousova on Monday evening.