Iga Świątek is currently in excellent form. Although it’s only May, she has already won four titles, triumphing in Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid, and Rome. In just a few days, she will start competing for another Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. She has won there three times and is undoubtedly a favorite this season as well. Even though she is currently off the court, she is once again in the spotlight thanks to a short documentary made in collaboration with her sponsor, ON. Titled "Beyond Number One," the 22-year-old made honest confessions about being the world’s top-ranked player, which may surprise many fans.
Świątek Didn’t Hold Back: A Strong Message. "It Wasn’t Easy"
Świątek addressed several important topics, with one of the most significant being pressure. She admitted that she feels it more as the years go by, but she is also better at handling it. She can accept poorer results and the fact that she sometimes cannot meet others' expectations. She even gave a specific example.
When I lost at the Australian Open this year, earlier than people expected, I was able to accept that there are areas in my tennis that I need to improve. Of course, it wasn’t easy, and for two weeks in Warsaw, I had to dig myself out of negative thoughts and dialogue
- she emphasized.
And she didn’t stop there. She shocked with another confession. - Sometimes I feel like I have the weight of all of Poland on my shoulders - she revealed. - The person you see in front of the camera is not that different from who I am in real life. Now, being an athlete involves being in the spotlight. When I dreamed of a tennis career, I wasn’t aware that this would be such a big part of my life - she continued.
Świątek with an Important Appeal to Fans
It seems that this pressure is particularly imposed on her by internet users and fans on social media. - Now with social media everywhere and people sharing every piece of information, I put more pressure on myself because every step we take is practically observed and often judged by people - she continued.
There is increasing talk about the impact of the internet on athletes. Many of them, like Iga, try to distance themselves from negative comments, which often turn into hate. Despite this, these negative remarks still reach them. Therefore, the Polish athlete made an important appeal to fans not to set such high expectations for athletes and to understand that they also have bad days.
I hope we will feel more empathy towards people who play sports daily and whom we see only for a fraction of time on TV screens. I also hope that fans will be understanding and realize that I am also human
- she concluded.
Now, important weeks lie ahead for Iga Świątek. She will conclude the clay court season at Roland Garros. Then she will move to grass courts, which will be a significant challenge for her. In the past, she hasn’t performed her best there, with her best result being the Wimbledon quarterfinals in her senior career.
