Swiatek chuffed with ‘unexpected' breakthrough at Wimbledon
Yet, for a good part of the last year, she looked far from the player who was once on the path towards dominance. She had no trophy to show since winning the 2024 French Open, and since then until Wimbledon 2025, she had a 9-8 record against fellow top-10 players, a middling metric.
But her victory on Saturday at the All England Club, which came with a chastening 6-0, 6-0 defeat of Amanda Anisimova, has brought her firmly back into the conversation.
'It's just surreal,' Swiatek said after the triumph which will help her return to the WTA top-three on Monday. 'I feel like tennis keeps surprising me, and I keep surprising myself. It means a lot, especially after a season with a lot of ups and downs, and a lot of expectations from the outside.'
Asked to compare her grass breakthrough with her other Slam successes, the four-time Roland-Garros winner chose not to rank it but said it was 'special' and 'unexpected'.
'Roland-Garros, I know I can play well, and show it every year. Here [at SW19], I wasn't sure of that. I also needed to prove that to myself. So this one and the US Open for sure feel like just 'better' because no one expected.'
Swiatek was the eighth seed at Wimbledon but the 24-year-old said that it was neither an advantage nor a disadvantage.
'It didn't really matter because I focused so much on just developing as a player on grass. For sure, I was surprised with the consistency. I don't think I [have] ever served so well.
'I know in my mind that I can be focused and not waste points. My level of tennis helped keep that at a constant level.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen takes short break from WTA Tour after elbow surgery
World No. 6 Zheng Qinwen has announced a brief break from tennis after recently undergoing elbow surgery. The 22-year-old, who claimed a gold medal at the Paris Olympics last year, revealed that she had been experiencing pain in her right elbow during practices and matches. After consulting specialists, she opted for arthroscopic who finished as the runners-up in the Australian Open 2024, stated that she will now fully focus on her rehabilitation, aiming to return stronger and better than want to share a quick update with you all. Over the past months, I've been dealing with persistent pain in my right elbow during training and matches. Despite trying various treatments to manage it, the discomfort never fully went away. 'After consulting with elbow specialists and discussing thoroughly with my team, we decided that arthroscopic surgery was the best option to fully resolve the issue. Yesterday, I underwent the procedure successfully, and I'm grateful to have it behind me,' Zheng wrote in a post on Instagram. Courtesy: Zheng Qinwen Instagram 'Now begins the recovery journey. Over the next few weeks and months, I'll be focusing entirely on rehab—doing everything I can to come back stronger and healthier.'This is just a short break, and I see it as a necessary step toward a better version of myself on court. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement. I can't wait to be back—see you soon!' Zheng last competed at Wimbledon, where she was eliminated in the opening round of the women's singles. She fell to the Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakov—current World No. 1 in doubles—in a hard-fought match, 7-5, 4-6, focused fully on her recovery, Zheng aims to return to full fitness ahead of the upcoming US Open, scheduled from August 24 to September 7. She has promised to come back stronger and as an improved version of herself.- Ends
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
'Back Again': Venus Williams Set For Peyton Stearns Challenge On DC Open Return
Last Updated: Williams is scheduled to take on compatriot Stearns in the first-round single clash, and will also feature in the doubles section alongside partner Hailey Baptiste. The legendary Venus Williams is set to make her first competitive appearance in 16 months as the former World No.1 is slated to make her presence felt at the DC Open. Williams is scheduled to take on compatriot Peyton Stearns in the first-round single clash at the event in Washington, and will also feature in the doubles section alongside partner Hailey Baptiste. The 45-year-old Williams, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, last contested a draw at Miami in March of 2024. The North American summer hard-court season has officially begun with the release of the main draw for the WTA 500 DC Open on Saturday. Twenty-eight women will compete for this year's title, including five Grand Slam singles champions. The top four seeds receive first-round byes. World No. 4 Jessica Pegula leads the field as the No. 1 seed. Pegula won her first career WTA singles title in Washington six years ago in 2019. An all-American first-round match between Hailey Baptiste and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin is featured in the other side of this quarter. No. 6 seed Kenin won their only previous meeting at the 2021 Roland Garros. Venus Williams is in the second quarter, which features No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion. After her first-round bye, she will face either rising Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko or Anastasia Potapova. Clara Tauson of Denmark is the No. 4 seed and has received a first-round bye in the fourth quarter. Tauson is enjoying her first week as a Top 20 player following her second-week run at Wimbledon. At the other end of this quarter, former Top 10 player Danielle Collins of the United States will take on No. 8 seed Magda Linette of Poland in the first round. Collins leads their head-to-head 1-0, with a win in 2018. Another American, Emma Navarro, anchors the draw as the No. 2 seed in the last quarter. After her first-round bye, she will meet either 2023 Washington finalist Maria Sakkari or Katie Boulter. This quarter also features two major champions. First, 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu meets No. 7 seed Marta Kostyuk in the opening round. Kostyuk leads their head-to-head 2-1, including a win on clay in Madrid this year. Next, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka faces Yulia Putintseva in her opener. Osaka and Putintseva have a tied 3-3 head-to-head record overall, but Osaka has won their last three matches, including two meetings last year. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘I don't know': Novak Djokovic's reply to Nick Kyrgios' question on why is he still playing
Novak Djokovic looked primed to go clear of Margaret Court and become the player with most Grand Slam singles titles ever when he had won the 2023 US Open. After all, he had won all but one Major tournament that year, something he had done in 2021 as well. Cut to July 2025 and Djokovic's tally of Grand Slam singles titles remains 24, having not been able to win another after the 2023 US Open. Most of his runs have been stopped by either Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz, who have won all of the Majors that have been played since Djokovic's win at Flushing Meadows. Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, who Djokovic beat in the 2022 Wimbledon final, has now said that the Serbian great has indicated to him that he might be coming to the end of his prolific career. 'I think he's got to be finished soon,' said Kyrgios on the All on the Table podcast. The 30-year-old said that Djokovic indicated in a recent conversation that he had of his desire to spend more time with his family. 'Like, come on, what more? I asked him this at Indian Wells this year. We were in the locker room and I said 'why are you here? Why are you playing?' He just goes 'I don't know.' I go 'what about your kids, I know you want to spend time with your family'. He said 'yeah, I don't know'. That was the first time I think he missed his family a lot,' he said. 'I can't see him playing for more than another year. Not again. Not the whole year again. He is so professional. I am just speaking from my experience if I had a family like his and kid,' he added. Djokovic himself made quite a strong indication that 2025 might just be his last year on tour after his semi-final exit at the French Open this year. Speaking during the post-match press conference, Djokovic said, 'This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don't know. That's why I was a bit more emotional even in the end.' 'If this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd,' Djokovic added. 'Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months here again? I don't know. That's all I can say for the moment,' he remarked.
