Iga Swiatek’s Plan Is Falling Into Place

Swiatek’s father, the former Olympic rower Tomasz Swiatek, is still involved in her career and is organizing a WTA tournament in Warsaw later this year. Her parents are divorced. Her mother, an orthodontist, is “not in the picture,” according to Abramowicz.

Swiatek, whose career prize money just passed $9 million, has purchased a small apartment in Warsaw but still lives at the family home in the suburb of Raszyn.

Her road trips have been very successful of late as Swiatek, tight to the baseline, imposes her rhythm and shrinks the open space: walking briskly between points and setting a torrid pace once points begin.

Her confidence in her aggressive Plan A is palpable. This full-court press is by design: part of the plan recommended by Witkorowski, who previously worked with Agnieszka Radwanska, a former world No. 2 and Wimbledon finalist who retired in 2018.

Witkorowski joined Swiatek in December during the off-season after she split with Piotr Sierzputowski, her coach for five years. Witkorowski has emphasized the positive, which became clear as they watched videos of her matches. Swiatek wanted to watch defeats to learn from her mistakes. He insisted on watching victories as well to focus on her strengths.

“This kind of attitude helped me believe that I can be more aggressive on court and actually use the strengths I have,” she said, “Before I was more like analyzing how my opponent was playing and adjusting to that. But this year I want to be more proactive. I want to lead.”

Radwanska, a trick-shot artist nicknamed The Magician, was the most successful modern Polish player until Swiatek, but “Aga” was an underpowered counterpuncher in comparison with “Iga”, whose signature shot is her explosive inside-out forehand, a bludgeoning blow that features heavy topspin.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/24/sports/iga-swiateks-plan-is-falling-into-place.html