Latest news with #WimFissette
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Iga Swiatek finds her mojo as she digs in and stages thrilling comeback to beat Elena Rybakina and avoid punishing French Open knockout
A euro for the thoughts of tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, who runs her prime-time night sessions like a snooty Pall Mall gentleman's club, after four superb women's matches at the French Open. Aryna Sabalenka 's tight straight-sets win over Amanda Anisimova, Zheng Qinwen's three-set victory against Liudmila Samsonova, Elina Svitolina 's Houdini act from a set and 4-1 down to Jasmine Paolini - any of these would have graced Philippe Chatrier under the lights. But the match of the day was Iga Swiatek against Elena Rybakina. The four-time champion Swiatek, so wobbly this year, so vulnerable to sustained aggression, lost eight of the first nine games. At 6-1, 2-0, former Wimbledon champion Rybakina was in sublime form. So close to another humiliating defeat, the real Swiatek emerged and said: Not this time. The No 5 seed dug in and after two sets of sensational ball-striking back and forth, prevailed 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. 'It means a lot,' said the Pole, 24. 'I needed that kind of win to feel I'm able to win under pressure, even if it's not going the right way. It's a great confirmation. I'm happy that I fought and problem-solved.' Swiatek has been doing neither of those things recently, and if she goes on to deliver a fourth title in a row here and relocate her mojo, this match can be chalked up as the turning point. Kudos, too, to her coach Wim Fissette, whose excellent resume has not been improved by presiding over her decline. Swiatek began to stand further back to return Rybakina's serve and that gave her the breathing room she needed. 'Wim convinced me to try it out,' said Swiatek. 'I wasn't sure if that's my thing, because a few years back when I started being more aggressive, I started winning more. 'But girls are serving faster now, there are limits to what you can react to. The coaching really helped me today; I wouldn't come up with this myself.'
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Iga Swiatek's French Open of the mind starts with good tennis habits
ROLAND GARROS, PARIS — The French Open started just three days ago, but it has already seen a few different versions of Iga Świątek, who has essentially owned this tournament the past three years. On Friday, there was the version of Świątek whose tennis career has, of late, morphed into a somewhat public psychology experiment. Each match and each appearance in front of a microphone becomes a representation of the inner workings of her brain, rather than a discussion about the inner workings of her tennis, which is peerless at its best. Advertisement On Sunday, there was the Świątek who has long been a Rafael Nadal follower. Clad in one of the burnt-orange 'Merci Rafa' T-shirts, Świątek teared up amid the 15,000 fans who gathered to celebrate the 14-time Roland Garros champion on Court Philippe-Chatrier. On Monday, the most familiar Roland Garros version of Świątek appeared: the four-time champion who has won three titles in a row. The player who has not lost in this tournament since 2021, who mostly rolls through opponents with a relentless efficiency. Even better for Świątek's purposes, she was a combination of the old and new versions of herself against Rebecca Šramková of Slovakia on the way to a 6-3, 6-3 win. She resisted any urge to revert to bad habits in stressful moments. Instead, she made the sort of decisions that she and her coach, Wim Fissette, have been trying to ingrain since they started working together last year. Perhaps that had something to do with playing on her favorite court, where her dominance had plenty in common with the guy she was getting misty about 17 hours before she won. It's not a magical elixir, but this is the first time in a while that Świątek hasn't shown up to Roland Garros on the back of a dominant clay court season. It's something. 'For sure, I feel a lot of good energy, and I feel like I'm ready to fight, you know, I am willing to fight,' Świątek said in a news conference after it was over. 'And it's great to be pumped up before the match because of that, so I'm using it.' The win took her French Open record to 36-2. Nadal went 112-4. And the conversation was about what was going on inside her head rather than in her hands. The two are very much related, and there was plenty of evidence of that against Šramková — but not the evidence of the past year. Of late, when Świątek falls behind to an opponent like Šramková, who can slash winners from all parts of the court and roll downhill with little warning, she has fought fire with fire. Her formula for a while has been that when swinging hard isn't working, swing harder, which has led to more frustration than wins. Early in the second set of their match, Šramková caught fire. She cracked forehands down the line and slid about the court, keeping Świątek on her heels and going 3-1 up with a break of serve. Świątek was unmoved. She held serve for *3-2 Šramková and then got to 0-30. Then she then jumped on the next two serves, but she didn't try to bang her way out of trouble, as she has for months now, she curled an inside-in backhand into an open area well inside the sideline. Then she did the same thing with an inside-in forehand. She'd hit those winners with both her hands but also with her head, something that had been missing in recent, one-sided losses to Coco Gauff and Danielle Collins in two of her past three matches. Advertisement She'd said in Rome that her shortcomings were all about her 'mindset,' that she wasn't showing up ready to fight like she says she has done in Paris. Few players in the modern game have put more emphasis on their psyche. Arguably the most important member of her team is her sports psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, who is a constant travel companion, in her box for nearly every match and usually on the court during practices. Świątek said she has leaned as hard as ever on Abramowicz in a trying past year, in which she lost the No. 1 ranking and went through an anti-doping investigation and suspension. Those experiences, she said, have caused her to struggle with her focus on the court, and occasionally lose her temper, as she did when she smacked a ball out of the court during a loss at Indian Wells to Mirra Andreeva. In an email earlier this month, Świątek wrote that her state of mind is a priority, now and moving forward. 'Mental health awareness has always been, and will continue to be, a significant topic for me,' she wrote. 'I have consistently been open about the vital role that both mental preparation and maintaining mental health play in top-level sports. It's crucial that we recognize the distinction between a momentary lapse in focus or facing a couple of minor challenges, and genuinely struggling mentally, as these phrases convey very different meanings. 'To be clear, I am content with my life and my mental well-being. However, that doesn't negate the fact that I could sometimes be more efficient with my focus and energy management, which is an area I'm actively working on, as a part of my performance. I truly appreciate the support and guidance my team provides, both on and off the court, as they share their knowledge and expertise with me. It's all about finding the right balance that works for me, and I will make my decisions based on that.' Advertisement On Monday, she said she might also lean on the advice of her tennis hero for the rest of the tournament, which continues against Britain's Emma Raducanu. Świątek spoke of looking to Nadal at times when she felt lost. She sees someone who never lost sight of his goals and his values, even in adversity. Even Nadal would sometimes come to Roland Garros in a bad run of form. More often than not, he found his way. Świątek ran into him in a Paris hotel in 2021, after he had lost to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. 'I was devastated that he lost,' she said. Nadal was at breakfast. She approached and asked him how he felt. 'He was chill, like, 'Oh, it's just a tennis match. I'll get many more chances.' 'I was like, 'What? Why am I crying if he's not crying?'' she said.
Independent Singapore
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Independent Singapore
Iga Swiatek stands by coach and psychologist despite recent winning struggles
INTERNATIONAL: World No. 2 Iga Swiatek stood up for her coach and psychologist after being questioned about her recent struggles, especially in her sporting career. The well-known athlete has not yet won any tournament this season and is losing her top world ranking. Swiatek's season so far The past few months have been difficult for Swiatek, who has won five Grand Slam titles, on and off the tennis court. Last October, she parted ways with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, whom she had for three years. In November, she also accepted a one-month ban after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine. In her attempt to turn this around, she added Belgian tennis coach Wim Fissette to her team. However, since her French Open victory last year, the athlete has had a hard time finding her best form once again, which made her the top player in the world back then. Recently, her attempt to win a title ended in disappointment, as Coco Gauff defeated her in the Madrid Open semifinals, with a final score of 6-1, 6-1. Due to these unfortunate events, reporters directly asked Swiatek if her new coach had something to do with her lack of success. Swiatek answered: 'No, this is a very harsh and unfair statement… I can only look at the coach from my own perspective, which is the only right one for me, that is, what our work looks like every day.' She added: 'The worse results coincided with many other challenges in recent months, also in family life. I found myself at a stage of my career where I had to reformulate my thinking about myself… The level of tennis in the world is getting higher and higher. The girls got to know my game, they developed themselves… Coco Gauff, who has always been a great talent, is older today and has more experience. Aryna (Sabalenka) managed to make it through the semi-finals and began to win titles.' Moreover, when asked about her six years of working with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz and if it produced positive outcomes, Swiatek declared: 'No. People don't know it, but practically every year, there are different challenges… When I was suspended, I didn't want to go out on the court at all for a few weeks. It was the most difficult experience of my career. Daria is a constant support for me, a person I trust. This is my team, I decide who is in it.' She further stated: 'I am irritated by headlines talking about falling apart or a mental crisis. Of course, sometimes I get annoyed on the court. Sometimes I'm not as focused as I'd like…But I work, day in and day out, week in and week out, to be better. So there is no reason to make strange judgments or look for fatigue or burnout.' Aside from her team, Swiatek has been receiving support from her fans. In her recent social media post, Swiatek shared her experience at the Madrid Open with a caption: '🇪🇸Thank you Madrid. Another solid tournament in a row even if I was fighting for the better result. I had also most amazing time in the city, really enjoyed as always.' Netizens expressed their support for her in the comments section: 'You could win or lose a game but please enjoy this amazing sport 🫶', 'We are proud of you champ! Well done 🧡💪🏼', 'Always behind you Iga, we'll never let you go 🫶', and 'Every tournament is a new experience .Take your time, Champ !! You will come back stronger 💪 Vamos !!'
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Swiatek Defends Coach and Psychologist Despite Disappointing Results
Iga Swiatek has failed to win a tournament in almost a year, but the Polish world number two has defended her coach and psychologist despite the poor run of results and losing her place at the top of the world rankings in a difficult period. Swiatek parted ways with her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski in October after three years, adding Belgian Wim Fissette to her team and in November accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for banned substance trimetazidine. The five-time Grand Slam winner has drawn a blank since winning last year's French Open, and her latest result saw Swiatek lose her Madrid Open title in a crushing 6-1 6-1 semi-final defeat to Coco Gauff last week. "Sometimes I'm not happy with the way I play. It's natural, especially with my perfectionism. This can be seen on the court," Swiatek told Polish media outlet SportoweFakty in an interview. "However, when I come off it, I can look at the season from a broader perspective. "Then I find a lot of positives. Reaching the quarter-finals or semi-finals is a good result. Again, I am the most even player of the whole season." According to Reuters, Swiatek was asked if new coach Fissette was responsible for the lack of success. "No, this is a very harsh and unfair statement," Swiatek said. "I can only look at the coach from my own perspective, which is the only right one for me, that is, what our work looks like every day. "The worse results coincided with many other challenges in recent months, also in family life. I found myself at a stage of my career where I had to reformulate my thinking about myself. Swiatek believes others have improved rather than her regressing. "The level of tennis in the world is getting higher and higher. The girls got to know my game, they developed themselves," Swiatek said. "Coco Gauff, who has always been a great talent, is older today and has more experience. Aryna (Sabalenka) managed to make it through the semi-finals and began to win titles." The 23-year old has been working with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz for the last six years and Swiatek was asked if there was a moment when she thought their cooperation had run its course. "No. People don't know it, but practically every year there are different challenges," Swiatek replied. "When I was suspended, I didn't want to go out on the court at all for a few weeks. It was the most difficult experience of my career. Daria is a constant support for me, a person I trust. This is my team, I decide who is in it. "I am irritated by headlines talking about falling apart or a mental crisis. Of course, sometimes I get annoyed on the court. Sometimes I'm not as focused as I'd like. "But I work, day in and day out, week in and week out, to be better. So there is no reason to make strange judgements or look for fatigue or burnout."
Reuters
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Swiatek defends coach and psychologist despite disappointing results
May 6 (Reuters) - Iga Swiatek has failed to win a tournament in almost a year, but the Polish world number two has defended her coach and psychologist despite the poor run of results and losing her place at the top of the world rankings in a difficult period. Swiatek parted ways with her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski in October after three years, adding Belgian Wim Fissette to her team and in November accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for banned substance trimetazidine. The five-time Grand Slam winner has drawn a blank since winning last year's French Open, and her latest result saw Swiatek lose her Madrid Open title in a crushing 6-1 6-1 semi-final defeat to Coco Gauff last week. "Sometimes I'm not happy with the way I play. It's natural, especially with my perfectionism. This can be seen on the court," Swiatek told Polish media outlet SportoweFakty in an interview. "However, when I come off it, I can look at the season from a broader perspective. "Then I find a lot of positives. Reaching the quarter-finals or semi-finals is a good result. Again, I am the most even player of the whole season." Swiatek was asked if new coach Fissette was responsible for the lack of success. "No, this is a very harsh and unfair statement," Swiatek said. "I can only look at the coach from my own perspective, which is the only right one for me, that is, what our work looks like every day. "The worse results coincided with many other challenges in recent months, also in family life. I found myself at a stage of my career where I had to reformulate my thinking about myself. Swiatek believes others have improved rather than her regressing. "The level of tennis in the world is getting higher and higher. The girls got to know my game, they developed themselves," Swiatek said. "Coco Gauff, who has always been a great talent, is older today and has more experience. Aryna (Sabalenka) managed to make it through the semi-finals and began to win titles." The 23-year old has been working with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz for the last six years and Swiatek was asked if there was a moment when she thought their cooperation had run its course. "No. People don't know it, but practically every year there are different challenges," Swiatek replied. "When I was suspended, I didn't want to go out on the court at all for a few weeks. It was the most difficult experience of my career. Daria is a constant support for me, a person I trust. This is my team, I decide who is in it. "I am irritated by headlines talking about falling apart or a mental crisis. Of course, sometimes I get annoyed on the court. Sometimes I'm not as focused as I'd like. "But I work, day in and day out, week in and week out, to be better. So there is no reason to make strange judgements or look for fatigue or burnout."
