"I prepare my players": Iga Swiatek's new coach reveals strategy to overcome rivals

World number one Iga Swiatek’s new coach, Wim Fissette, has provided an update about preparations for beating close rivals. The 23-year-old is already regarded as one of the best players currently playing in women’s tennis in the singles category, along with the likes of Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka and America’s Coco Gauff.

Swiatek has recently hired a new coach after a series of disappointing results, according to her own high standards. The reigning world number one’s most recent appearance in a mega-event was in the US Open, where she was knocked out after losing in the quarterfinal to America’s Jessica Pegula in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-4.

After that result, Swiatek decided to take a break from tennis and did not participate in two WTA 1000 events in the China Open and Wuhan Open, which allowed the likes of Sabalenka to close the gap in the race to finish top in the WTA rankings this year. Swiatek is ahead by 69 points to her closest rival in the WTA rankings as things stand.

The Warsaw-born star’s new coach Fissette has been recently quoted in a report by Tennis 365 where he stated that he will try to help the five-time Grand Slam winner prepare better against the closest rivals. He also explained that the biggest motive of their partnership is to win more Grand Slams on other courts.

“Our goal is for Swiatek to start adding more Grand Slam titles on other surfaces as well,” he said. “The clay-court season has its own twists. There are a lot of matches and tournaments played in a short period of time. Top players want to play big matches, that’s their main motivation. They usually don’t have problems with it, it makes them happy. How do I work? I have information, videos. I prepare my players, we discuss strengths and weaknesses, prepare tactically and draw conclusions. In the case of tennis players like Aryna Sabalenka or Elena Rybakina, you make an analysis and look for a way to beat them.”