Iga Swiatek will open the Wimbledon Center Court on Tuesday, replacing the now retired and former Championships winner Ashleigh Barty. She is referred to by everyone as the big favorite of the tournament, but the Pole has never made it past the Round of 16 in London and is not as clearly at an advantage (as she is on clay-court).
Swiatek comes from 35 consecutive victories and there is great curiosity about her debut on the Chirch Road lawns. In the traditional presentation press conference, Iga shared her impressions in view of the tournament. Here are his statements: “There was a lot of discussion about who was to open the central court on Tuesday, but the reality is that we certainly didn’t ask for it.
Certainly, however, it is a great satisfaction, several legends of this sport have had this privilege. Big favorite? It’s a difficult matter and honestly I need time to pick up the pace on this surface, we will see match after match.
This year I only played ten days on grass and that’s not much. I didn’t have much time to prepare and now I’m just trying to have a positive mind. The few matches of this period? Well, I didn’t have any physical problems, but I think that after such an intense season so far I needed to rest.
It wasn’t easy to play all these tournaments in a row and I think this rest is the right choice.”
Iga Swiatek on Rafael Nadal
Then the young Polish girl continued: “Pressure from being number one? Honestly, everything is normal for me.
Maybe it seems strange to me just to say that I’m number one, but day after day I got used to it. Rafael Nadal? It is incredible what he does, I have seen the Australian Open final live and I have been able to see all the work he does to stay competitive at the highest level.
Sometimes, even if she’s not playing the best tennis, he can pull himself out of tough situations. Rafael Nadal is a great inspiration for me and the way he deals with injuries is also extraordinary for me. “
