Iga Swiatek must ‘work on how to handle pressure’ after Elena Rybakina loss, says Agnieszka Radwanska

Agnieszka Radwanska thinks Iga Swiatek needs to “work on how to handle pressure” after her surprise fourth-round loss at the Australian Open.

Poland’s Swiatek was the dominant force on the WTA Tour in 2022 and started as the strong favourite to win the Australian Open.

“I think she’s going to have a really tough season because of all the pressure from last year,” former world No. 2 Radwanska told Eurosport.

“She is defending everything, pretty much every single week, so it’s hard, and it’s not easy that everybody wants to beat you because you are world No. 1.

“She really needs to work on how to handle the pressure, that’s the main key. But I think that she’s still going to do great things this year, and she’s just lost against Rybakina, who just won Wimbledon, so it was a tough one.

“Rybakina was playing solid tennis from the beginning until the end, but the season’s not over, so I think she’s still going to do great.”

Swiatek has said that the loss will be “motivating” as she looks ahead to the rest of the 2023 season.

Swiatek’s exit does not end Polish interest in the Australian Open.

Men’s 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz might also be out following a five-set loss to Sebastian Korda, but 30-year-old Magda Linette shocked fourth seed Caroline Garcia to reach the quarter-finals.

“I think she always had potential to get to the second week of a Grand Slam,” said Radwanska.

“With her, it was always in her mind that she really didn’t play her best in those third rounds (previously). I think here, she is playing amazing tennis from the first round, and she killed it today, and in the third round before as well.

“Now is her time. When I was playing, she was always the second [best Polish women’s player]. Now it’s Iga playing, she is also the second one. I think now, when she can play a little bit without the pressure, and really finally step up, she did it, and I think she proved here that she can really play great tennis.

“I really loved how in today’s match she closed it up, and I think she can do even more, and I really can’t wait for the quarter-final.”

Linette faces former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova in the quarter-finals.

It will be Linette’s first major quarter-final while Pliskova has contested two major finals and twice lost in the semi-finals.

“I think especially at a Grand Slam it’s all about a little bit of pressure at the beginning of a match,” added Radwanska.

“So I think it’s all about how she is going to step in on the court, and then we see from that. I think she knows exactly what she has to do, and she’s had a lot of experience, so I can’t wait to see that.”

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