Iga Swiatek admits it is the reality that she has a lot to learn about grass courts but adds she believes she can eventually improve and be a much better player on the fastest tennis surface. Swiatek was on a 37-match winning streak before suffering a surprise defeat to Alize Cornet in the Wimbledon third round.
Wimbledon was the first and lone grass tournament Swiatek played this year. “Above all, I felt that I still had a lot to learn about grass courts. It’s not an excuse, it’s the reality – I have the aptitude to play on grass but I can’t yet do it on a satisfactory level.
After that match, I was also very tired. Many months of playing tournaments, six finals in a row made it all very demanding and maybe it was a time to rest a bit. The second half of a season is difficult because players are more tired physically and mentally, away from home for many months.
That’s why I’m glad I had a few days to rest. I have learnt my lessons from the short season on grass and will approach the next one wiser with this year’s experience,” Swiatek told Przeglad Sportovy.
Swiatek on changing her atttiude
Swiatek used to be very hard on herself after losses and there was time she believed others would only judge her by her results.
Now, with the help of sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz, Swiatek has a much healthier attitude. “Absolutely. When I was younger I thought that losing a match impacted what people thought of me, how they perceived me.
Defeat affected my self-esteem. Working with psychologist Daria Abramovicz and others changed it. Now I am much more aware and I realised how important it was to work on that,” Swiatek said. Meanwhile, Swiatek is kicking off her summer on hard courts this week in Toronto. Swiatek is the top-seeded player in Toronto and she has a first round bye.
