Iga Swiatek ‘open-minded’ about grass season ahead of Wimbledon, expects to be ‘uncomfortable’ on surface

Iga Swiatek is staying open-minded” about her Wimbledon chances and says she still expects to be “uncomfortable” when starting out on grass this summer.

Swiatek has been the dominant force on the WTA Tour since the start of 2022 and recently won her fourth Grand Slam title at the French Open.

She is also into her 64th consecutive week as world No. 1.

However, on grass she has a 6-5 win-loss record and her best showing at Wimbledon was making the fourth round in 2021.

“I feel like there is maybe a little bit less pressure, but on the other hand when I just go on court, I feel like I know how I can play tennis and I know how I can play on other surfaces.

“On grass sometimes it’s tougher and I still have to learn a lot, but I just feel like you’re going to go on court and not play the way you should or the way you could; so this thing is adding more pressure.

“But I would say that the pressure from the outside, yes it’s maybe a little bit less, it depends on you guys [the media] and what questions you ask.”

Swiatek was a junior champion at Wimbledon at 2018 but last year saw her 37-match winning streak ended in the third round of the Grand Slam by Alize Cornet.

This summer she plans to play a grass event in Bad Homburg, Germany ahead of Wimbledon in a bid to get some extra time on the surface.

“Maybe there’s going to be a chance to play more matches,” she said.

“But I’m pretty sure that still when I’m going to play these matches, I’m going to feel a little bit uncomfortable. But I also trust that every year I’m going to learn more and more and I’m going to progress anyway. But it’s a short season, only three weeks, so the challenge is tough.”

Swiatek became world No. 1 in April 2022 following Ashleigh Barty’s retirement.

She is now 11th on the all-time women’s list for weeks spent as No. 1, alongside Simona Halep.

She has, though, not been as dominant this year as in 2023, with Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina both making up ground in the rankings.

“I would say at the beginning of the season this year I felt like in Australia I should play better as a world No. 1 and reach further rounds, and it wasn’t easy for me back then to cut it out and just play the game of tennis and enjoy it,” she said.

“Last year I didn’t really feel like I was being chased because I felt like all the things that are happening were so new that I was just focusing on achieving.

“That’s what I also tried to do after Australia this year and I think it’s working.

“Even though the difference in points is smaller (between myself and the world No.2), I feel like it’s a great achievement for me to keep a consistent level with all that pressure. Because there is pressure; and you can see it on social media and everything.”