"Honestly there is no point on focusing on defending anything": Iga Swiatek gives honest take on defending Qatar Open title and points

Monday, 12 February 2024 at 17:00

Iga Swiatek will defend her Qatar Open title over this next week and begins her defence against Sorana Cirstea shortly in Doha. But after having the World No.1 taken away from her and learning to deal with not having the pressure, the same can be said or the returning World No.1 in the Middle East.

Giving an honest take on her situation in Doha and whether it is points to defend as well as the titles, it is very much a new tournament for the Polish ace and it is very much a step by step for Swiatek as she navigates a new season.

Read also

“Honestly, I learned from last year that there is no point on focusing on defending anything, so it's a totally different chapter and totally different story. So I'm going to take it step by step and not really think about what happened last year or two years ago, because, you know, we are all at different points in our lives," said Swiatek.

Our tennis is also different, so, I will take it step by step. I'm not really thinking about that. Obviously it would be nice if I could play well here, but I already learned that you can't expect a lot in tennis because it's going to surprise you. So really I'm trying to take everything step by step.”

The Tennis Letter

@TheTennisLetter

·Follow

Swiatek says she learned from last year there’s no point in focusing on ‘defending’ titles or points “You come here as a defending champion. Always we describe it as ‘you have points to defend,’ and for your mindset, do you come to the tournament to defend the points or it's

7:27 PM · Feb 11, 2024

250

Read 11 replies

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

See author's posts

claps 0visitors 0

"He won't shout from the rooftops how great he is": Coco Gauff glad Andy Roddick shone a light on father Corey amid black father stigma

Sarcastic dig from Andy Murray towards Taylor Swift after constant Super Bowl coverage gains barrage of abuse