Posted by Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 6, 2024
What should happen Iga Swiatek to become a Wimbledon champion? After her 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 loss to Yulia Putintseva on Day 6, the Pole says she knows what to do.
“I know I have to change, and I'm going to do that,” Swiatek told reporters Saturday night in Wimbledon's main press room. “But the grass season is over, so it's not like I have to think about this game to analyze next week because it's actually going to be completely different in shape and intensity.”
Now is not the time to think about it. Swiatek has the Olympics coming up in Paris, a very important event for him, and an entire hard court season in North America.
When he revisits his situation on the grass, he will have to find a way to do two things. First, fully refresh and recharge his batteries, which is no small task considering how much he invests in his seasons on clay courts. Swiatek, winner of four of the last six Roland-Garros titles, is usually the last woman off the wall in early June, and that puts her at a disadvantage when she steps on the grass.
Fatigue, as they say, is real.
Second, he just needs to find a way to spend more time on the surface so he can improve his comfort on clay and hard courts.
Lessons learned 👏🏼 @iga_swiatek
See you soon, champ 🫶#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/En0WsMbAdJ
— Tennis (@Tennis) July 6, 2024
It makes sense to Swiatek, more than it is technical or tactical.
“I feel like on grass I need a little more of that energy to continue to be patient and accept some mistakes,” he told the press. “Like in my mind, I didn't do that well in this competition. I need to recover better after the clay court season, physically and mentally.”
It's not that Swiatek isn't equipped or gifted enough to win on grass, he just has to find a way to transition and get into that deep focus that characterizes his success on clay.
“For me to go from this type of tennis where I felt like I was playing the best tennis of my life to another place where I struggled a bit, it's not easy,” he said, adding: “I lost.” the third round. I felt like I failed a little. But it's tennis, so you have to move on. I will have many more opportunities this year to show my game. I'll just focus on that.” Grass continues to be a problem for the five-time major champion, and Wimbledon continues to be a major obstacle as he tries to extend his Grand Slam reign. Of course, he would like to win the coveted career Grand Slam – winning all four majors at least once – and he has plenty of time to achieve those goals. He also has more than enough talent. He'll need to spend more time making sure he's in the right head position, and the right comfort zone, the next time he steps on the grass. It is the same challenge that the King of Clay Rafael Nadal had to face every time he wins Roland-Garros. The grass was unfamiliar to him. The calendar was tight, but he found a way to do it at Wimbledon. Iga is no Rafa, but he can use the Spaniard for inspiration on grass, as he does on clay.
Keep in mind that Swiatek is only 23 years old, and his success on the wall has caused him to face some tricky obstacles when it comes to playing on grass. In time, he'll probably fix it, and become a more reliable force on the lawn than he is now.
There is no need to panic. He is a five-time major champion and just turned 23 years old. If he doesn't win Wimbledon in five years, we can ring a few bells. For now, it's back to Paris and the quest for gold.
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