Stuttgart Open: Fearless Elise Mertens Takes On the Iga Swiatek Litmus Test with a Bold Gameplan

Facing the world number one, Iga Swiatek, is the toughest battle a WTA player could ever hope for. With her tremendous all-around gameplay and unwavering drive, opponents must be on high alert to avoid being caught in her crosshairs on the tennis court. Now that the Pole is currently playing in the Stuttgart Open, she will face Elise Mertens to move past the second round.

Even though this will be their first head-to-head against the 22-year-old Polish player, Mertens talked candidly about her preparations to face the former US Open champion. With 22 victories from 25 matches, including championship runs in the Qatar Open and the BNP Paribas Open, Swiatek has had an incredible start to the season and is now one of the strongest opponents.

Elise Mertens wants to carefully study the tapes ahead of showdown with Swiatek

After defeating Tatjana Maria in the first round of the tournament, the Belgian tennis player was asked about what strategy she was going to employ against her second-round opponent, Swiatek. She stated, “My plan? Of course I’m going to look at a bit of her matches in the past. I actually haven’t played her yet in singles.”

Further, she also highlighted how they have only played against each other in doubles in Indian Wells when she had Su-Wei on my side. However, it’s been years since that face-off, and she is going to have to devise a completely new battleplan to vanquish her opponent in a singles tournament.

In addition, she said, “But yeah, I think I just have to dominate a little bit, go into the court, not hesitate at all, because she will get that ball back. She will hit the ball. Of course she has a lot of experience on these courts already, winning it twice. Yeah, let’s see what I can do against her. Yeah, lets see what i can do against her. In tennis, you never know.”

Interestingly, she’s not the only one who thinks it’s difficult to take on the world’s top player. Even Coco Gauff, being one of the the best in all forms, fell short against Swiatek on multiple occasions. This brings us back to a fundamental question: Why is Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff’s biggest nightmare in tennis? Is it Pole’s skillful play, her tactical approach, or something more subtle that affects Gauff’s mental state each time they play on the court?

Gauff acknowledges Swiatek to be her toughest opponent

With Swiatek emerging victorious in 8 out of their 9 meetings, the matchup promises high stakes and intense competition. Conversely, Coco Gauff’s lone victory highlights the difficulty she endures in dealing with a tough opponent like Swiatek.

The 20-year-old tennis player’s admission of Swiatek’s superiority is in line with the actual results of their face-to-face meetings. “Right now, head-to-head, definitely Iga,” she acknowledged. Having yet to prevail over the Polish player, Gauff acknowledges that she poses the greatest threat to her.

Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Swiatek bringing a whole new competitive level to the court? Do let us know in the comment section below.

Read more: Iga Swiatek Announces Her Withdrawal From the Next Tournament After Writing Her Name in the History Books