“I’m glad my back has been better today, and I hope it will keep getting better,” was the latest update from Barbora Krejčíková regarding the painful back injury. The WTA star proved her worth by taking down notable rivals on grass and finally lifted the 2024 Wimbledon trophy. Despite not being able to score enough during the grass court season and starting to finally feel confident lately, another challenge in the form of Iga Swiatek is waiting ahead of her at the WTA Finals. Amid the concerning draw, she dropped a statement that is worth paying attention to. 

Krejcikova, ranked lower than all seven of her opponents at the event, has a challenge to bring the best tennis to the table as she takes on the former World No. 1. However, the Czech star isn’t shying away from the challenge. Krejcikova is approaching the match with a mix of respect and humor as she speaks about her upcoming clash with Swiatek. In a pre-tournament presser, when asked about the rivalry between the two players, Krejcikova didn’t hesitate to praise Swiatek. Alongside, she dished out her only expectation from this match.

“That’s a lot of questions. I’ll try,” she said with a laugh. “First to start, Iga is a great tennis player. She’s been one of the most consistent during the season. She was No. 1 for most of the season. Yeah, I mean, it couldn’t get any tougher for the first match,” Krejcikova admitted, recognizing the heavy magnitude of facing Swiatek, who had dominated the women’s circuit for most of 2024. Krejcikova appeared to be well aware of the challenge that lies ahead.

She’s maintained a sense of humor, hoping for a competitive but enjoyable match. “I hope we going to have a nice match. I hope she’s not going to kick my bu** all the way,” Krejcikova joked, adding, “Also on the other side, I feel like I can have a good chance and I can play good tennis right now. I believe in my skills.” 

She expressed her eagerness to face the Polish star, along with drawing from her previous experiences against Swiatek. “I mean, I like to play against her. I mean, I always enjoy ’cause she’s, yeah, obviously one of the best,” Krejcikova added. Their rivalry has been filled with memorable matches, with their head-to-head currently tied at 2-2. Krejcikova believes, “I like to challenge myself against the best ones. So I’m looking forward to this match.” 

Despite going into the tournament as an underdog, the Czech WTA star understands what it takes to compete at the highest level. After all, she beat Swiatek in straight sets to win the 2023 Dubai title. This stands to be a hard-court victory that could give her some confidence as she steps onto the court in Riyadh. Even if Swiatek manages to get past the Wimbledon champion, other dominant rivals wait for her in the tough draw.

Aryna Sabalenka determined to pose a threat against Iga Swiatek

Aryna Sabalenka is very close to concluding the 2024 season with a massive year-end World No. 1 ranking at the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia. After overtaking Iga Swiatek last month, the Belarusian WTA star is determined to take rivals down and retain her top spot. The 26-year-old has enjoyed an incredible year, which included massive victories at the Australian Open, the U.S. Open, and other commendable triumphs in Cincinnati and Wuhan. With such momentum, Sabalenka is focused on one target.

“I’ve always been saying that for me it’s about finishing the year as the world number one,” Sabalenka said. “I’ll do everything I can to finish the year as world number one.” Although Sabalenka’s path to end up on the top spot looks within reach, her journey will not be easy. She remembers all too well how she was in a similar position last year, but failed to fend off Swiatek in Cancun, Mexico. This time, she needs to win three matches or reach the final in Saudi Arabia to ensure she stays at the top of the WTA rankings. “Anytime we come to the tournament, we want to win. That’s the first goal,” she added. “If I’ll be able to finish the year as number one, it’ll be amazing and I’ll be super happy.”

On the other side, Iga Swiatek is hungry to reclaim the World No. 1 ranking she held for most of the season before Sabalenka’s recent surge. The Polish star has had her own share of success in 2024, winning five titles, including her fourth French Open, but a dip in form and fatigue forced her to miss the Asian swing. While she has had enough time to take rest and reset, she enters the WTA Finals with one goal in mind: to defend her title and regain the No. 1 spot.