- Swiatek burst into the limelight in 2020 after winning her first Grand Slam title at the French Open
- She instantly became a tennis celebrity, much more so in 2022 which remains her best WTA season yet
- She later won the French Open and the US Open in 2022
Iga Swiatek Indian Wells victory in the women’s final against Maria Sakkari on Sunday is a result of good physical and mental state, she said.
Swiatek burst into the limelight in 2020 after winning her first Grand Slam title at the French Open. She instantly became a tennis celebrity, much more so in 2022 which remains her best WTA season yet.
She won the French Open and the US Open in 2022 thereby, becoming the first Polish tennis player to win major single titles.
Iga Swiatek Indian Wells Victory
Swiatek acknowledges that she is proud of the way she has handled all that has been thrown at her, nearly two years after becoming world No. 1.
The Pole took over from retired tennis player Ashleigh Barty who called in time shortly after winning the 2022 Australian Open.
Swiatek won the Miami Open, Indian Wells and Qatar Open winning two majors in New York and Melbourne. It was a huge success for a 20-year-old in one season and it came with a lot of scrutiny from tennis and public circles.
Iga Swiatek with her Indian Wells trophy. Photo/Eurosport
Her world No. 1 ranking, has made her the main target for critics and she admits that the first few months were the most challenging, but she has since managed the pressure well.
Swiatek now says that she feels a lot more at ease at the top these days.
“I remember everything [after first becoming No 1], honestly. It was pretty crazy. I’m pretty proud of the way I adapted to all these challenges that I had to face,” she said after winning Sunday’s final match against Sakkari.
She still holds that sitting at the top of the charts has a lot of pressure but it also helped her win another round in California.
“First becoming world No 1, then actually feeling comfortable with it and using it on the court and being the target of many players that wanted to beat particularly me, you know, and then starting next season as world No 1. So I’m really proud of how I handled everything.”
How Did Iga Swiatek Defeat Maria Sakkari to Win at Indian Wells?
Swiatek continued her ruthless reign atop the WTA rankings, defeating Sakkari 6-4, 6-0 to claim the 2024 BNP Paribas Open title at Indian Wells.
In a rematch of the 2022 final, Swiatek displayed her trademark baseline power and defensive brilliance to dismantle her opponent.
The opening set was a tight battle, with both players showcasing impressive shot-making. Swiatek edged ahead with a late break of serve to clinch it 6-4.
The second set was a different story. Swiatek raised her level significantly, leaving Sakkari with a tough game to overcome.
World No. 1 tennis player Iga Swiatek. Photo/NBC News
Her aggressive forehands and relentless returning pressure forced errors from the Greek player, and Swiatek raced through the set 6-0 to secure her second Indian Wells title.
Swiatek is now enjoying her 96th week at the top of the standings this week. Iga Swiatek Indian Wells victory extends her winning streak to 17 matches and marks her eighth WTA 1000 trophy.
With this dominant performance, she has 1 has solidified her position as the clear WTA favourite heading into the upcoming Miami Open 2024.
Her victory comes after she disclosed why she did not return for Netflix tennis documentary, ‘Break Point’ after the first season.
Break Point, was a huge flop, with far fewer viewers than anticipated. It didn’t do well; in 2023, it was placed 617th among the finest TV shows.
Data indicates that it earned 30.5 million hours in the first season, which was less than anticipated in terms of viewership. Break Point was a huge failure in contrast to other sports films like Formula One’s “Drive to Survive.”
However, Swiatek turned her back in the second season over hateful remarks that her staff got from the first season.
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