Iga Swiatek unbothered by expectations in Australian Open

• Iga Swiatek intends to tune out the external noise and extra attention in Australia
• The world No. 1 says she doesn’t care much about the expectations
• When she ignores what people think and say, she focuses on her skill

Iga Swiatek intends to tune out the external noise and extra attention that comes with being the world’s top woman as she plays at the Australian Open 2023.

The world No. 1 says she doesn’t care much about the expectations people have of her. Swiatek is currently in Melbourne getting ready for the Australian Open tournament starting on January 16.

She said that when she ignores what people think and say, she focuses on her skill, and she comes out as the best and 2022 taught her this skill.

“When I don’t care about what people think and what their expectations of me are, it’s easier for me to succeed. In 2022, I made an effort to do that,” she told BBC Sports.

Iga Swiatek. Photo/Eurosport

Swiatek began the previous season still having doubts about her ability to compete at the top continuously and hoping to catch Ashleigh Barty, the world’s best player at the time.

She finished the year with two Grand Slam victories—the US Open and French Open—and a firm hold on the top spot.

Reaching the semi-finals in Melbourne set the stage for even bigger things. Swiatek was already establishing herself as the dominant force on the WTA Tour when Barty unexpectedly announced her retirement in March, just over a month after winning the Australian Open.

Swiatek won her next four competitions, Miami, Stuttgart, Rome, and Roland Garros, as part of a 37-match winning streak, having already secured the Doha and Indian Wells titles.

The victory streak is one of the longest on the tour since 1990 and ended at Wimbledon on her least preferred surface, the grass.

However, on-court success draws more focus away from it. For Swiatek, who herself as an introvert, being recognised on the street feels “weird and confusing,” and seeing her face on a digital billboard in New York City during the US Open was another experience that seemed detached from reality.

She says that she loves recognition and discovered that people like her and always treat her well. However, she can’t recall any strange or challenging fan-related situations.

But, she is certainly, there is some animosity on the internet, but the insults that come after a defeat are not a new thing because athletes are already used to them.

Iga Swiatek Miami Open. Photo/Getty Images

Swiatek began working with the management firm IMG last year to manage her tour schedule and negotiate business opportunities. IMG is the same agency representing British star Emma Raducanu and previously managed former world No.1 Maria Sharapova.

Her main tennis support group from last year, including physio Maciej Ryszczuk, coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, and psychologist Daria Abramowicz, is still in place.

She remarks that her team is constantly considering her health, her well-being and finding a balance between her training routine and off-the-court commitments.

They work on flexible arrangements that are not too demanding for her. They restrict her free time activities to prevent her from being overextended or depleted.

She now understands why balancing is important for an athlete of her stature.