Iga Swiatek Says Being ‘Ambitious’ and a ‘Perfectionist’ Are Her Weapons of Success

19-year-old Polish star Iga Swiatek shocked the world last year when she lifted her maiden Grand Slam trophy at Roland-Garros. Now, the time has come for her to defend her crown.

Remarkably, since her triumph in Paris, Swiatek has steadily grown her presence on the WTA Tour. In return, she has earned her career-high ranking of World No. 9.

Moreover, the Pole also added two more WTA singles titles to improve her tally to three. She first conquered the Adelaide International in February, and most recently, she won her first WTA 1000 tournament in Rome.

In the Italian Open 2021 final, Iga Swiatek made history after securing a double-bagel against former World No. 1 Karolina Pliskova. So her preparations for the approaching French Open 2021 could not have been any better.

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Iga Swiatek reveals her weapons for title defense at French Open 2021

Despite the success, the teenage sensation focuses on consistently improving her game with every match. Past women Grand Slam champions and their mistakes have helped her in doing the same.

“I always try to learn from what other girls experienced,” Swiatek said. “And there are many players that have some kind of regression after winning their first Grand Slam, so I always thought that, ‘Hey, try to be different. Just work and just focus on not doing the same mistakes.'”

Furthermore, the soon-to-be 20-year-old reflected on the boost of confidence she received after winning in Rome this year. “I was kind of searching for my game, still, even though it was a quarterfinal,” she added. “It’s a big difference between my previous matches and today. My game is here, and I’m ready for everyone.”

When asked if she surprised herself with her performances, Swiatek said, “Umm, I am like surprising myself actually when I’m not doing well. Because I’m pretty ambitious, and I am a perfectionist, which I am fighting with sometimes.”

No doubt, the Pole will need both her weapons in hand to defend the prestigious Roland-Garros title.

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Who can challenge Swiatek at Roland-Garros 2021?

Ashleigh Barty, Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams, Aryna Sabalenka, and others can make Iga’s title defense more challenging. But given her the grit she shows to stay in any match, she has more than a good chance of winning Roland-Garros again.

Do you think Swiatek will defend her crown in Paris this year?

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