"I would focus a lot on playing aggressive on faster surfaces": Former world number two highlights where Iga Swiatek must improve next year

One-time Grand Slam winner Conchita Martinez has highlighted the areas where Poland’s Iga Swiatek must improve next year. The 23-year-old is already regarded as one of the best players currently playing in women’s tennis along with the likes of Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka.

Swiatek has had a mixed season. The Warsaw-born star lifted a Grand Slam as she won the French Open for the fourth time in five years after beating Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-1. However, other than that, she failed to continue producing the goods in other major events. In the other three Grand Slams, Swiatek only managed to qualify in the quarterfinal once whereas on two occasion, she was knocked out after losing in the third round.

Those results impacted her in the WTA Rankings as she lost the top spot to Aryna Sabalenka. That also happened because Swiatek decided not to participate. Former world number two Martinez has been recently quoted in a report in which she talked about where Swiatek must improve next year. Martinez was of the opinion that the reigning world number two must improve her forehand.

“Well, she’s been the best player in the world for quite some time – I like Iga’s game a lot. She’s got a lot of good things,” said Martinez. “But you can only progress, and you can get a little bit better in different areas for sure. I know she wants to work on her serve, to be a little bit better. I would work a lot with the powerful shots she has from the baseline. I would work with more transitions into the net, because she could do that a little bit more. I mean, she’s better on slower surfaces, so I would focus a lot on playing aggressive on faster surfaces. She moves great, she’s one of the great movers. She covers a lot of the court, but I think with the forehand she can do a lot more. I consider myself a specialist in teaching forehand and going a little more into the net, and in faster surfaces. When she has time, she’s good, but when she has less time, there’s room for improvement.”