Iga is back! After having a “rusty” start to her first match at the 2024 WTA Finals, Swiatek made a strong comeback to seal the deal against Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) on Sunday. She defeated her by 4-6,7-5,6-2 and next up for her is American superstar Coco Gauff. Swiatek has been out of action for almost 60 days, so this win was very much needed to keep her hopes alive in regaining the top spot from Aryna Sabalenka. A lot of water has flown under the bridge during this period. While recalling these moments during an interview with Canal+ Sport, Swiatek gave a very cryptic statement surrounding all of these. What did she say?

Ever since she announced her split with her former coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, Iga Swiatek has been in the headlines for multiple reasons. She later appointed Wim Fissette as her new coach and now they have got off to a winning start, but does it end all the controversies? Well, certainly not! After winning against Krejcikova, Swiatek revealed, “I had a lot of thoughts in my head about what was happening in Poland recently. I just knew that I shouldn’t think about it during the game. Even though I had a long break, I managed to regain my concentration and not think about the things that hurt me. I have to keep fighting and I remember that I’m playing for myself.”

Was Swiatek talking about the remarks made by several experts in Poland regarding her split with Tomasz Wiktorowski? It’s not known what exactly she meant, but there have been rumors surrounding the role of her psychologist, Daria Abramowicz in her team. It has also been said that Abramowicz might have been the reason why Wiktorowski left.

If we take a look at some of those controversial comments, several experts like Jan Tomaszewski spoke about the possible involvement of the psychologist in the sacking of Wiktorowski. He said, “I agree 100 percent; something is wrong here.” Then we heard, Tomasz Wolfke say, “I don’t recall another situation in sports when the psychologist was so visible… The main role in it is played not by the coach but by the psychologist.”

Daria Abramowicz has been working with Iga Swiatek since 2020. The tennis star has time and again spoken about the role of her psychologist in her team. She revealed that their work together is not only about controlling emotions on the court but it’s also about mental training in everyday life. “She directs me to develop actions that will work for me,” said Swiatek in a previous interview.

A prominent mental trainer, Jakub B. Baczek recently stated, “Since 2019, Iga Świątek has been working with one psychologist. In fact, I have heard from our community that this is an unusual situation. This relationship will be more than just a relationship between a psychologist and a client who pays for such a service. After five years, you can lose the fuses or principles of this professional cooperation.”

Not only Daria Abramowicz, but even Wim Fissette’s inclusion in Swiatek’s team has raised a few eyebrows in the tennis world. Can Iga Swiatek keep her focus intact and win the WTA Finals amid all these remarks?

“The Polish woman is not the main favorite” – renowned journalist makes an honest confession on Iga Swiatek’s chance at the WTA Finals

Ever since the inclusion of Wim Fissete in Iga Swiatek’s team, there have been a few tennis bigwigs who have raised a few question marks on this decision. According to the former Polish tennis player and Eurosport commentator, Lech Sidor, “Fissette was always a very good analyst. He made good tactical plans, but he didn’t get into technical nuances. He wasn’t a fan of big changes, he preferred to come a bit ready-made. He’s not a man who has been introducing a revolution so far. What will happen to Iga? I think that following a similar path may not be enough to maintain the level and continue winning Grand Slam tournaments.”

Talking about Swiatek’s challenges right now, Aryna Sabalenka has a decent lead over her in terms of ranking points! If Sabalenka wins all three group stage matches in Riyadh, then she’d retain her top spot in the singles ranking. For Swiatek to reclaim the top spot, the equation is pretty simple, she needs to win the title! Can she do it? According to another tennis bigwig, Marek Furjan, “The Polish woman is not the main favorite to win the WTA Finals, Aryna Sabalenka will play this role in Riyadh.”

Not only Furjan, but even former WTA pro, CoCo Wanderweghe raised doubts over Iga Swiatek’s WTA Finals campaign. She said, “I think Iga’s been so dominant but such a question mark with the new coach and how is she feeling.”

Do you think Iga Swiatek can overcome all the obstacles and silence the doubters by retaining the top spot at the end of the season? Let us know in the comments below.