Iga Swiatek would pick Rybakina, Nadal, Sabalenka, Sinner, Jabeur, Djokovic and Alcaraz on NBA Celebrity All Star team

Iga Swiatek shared her ideal team for an NBA Celebrity All-Star team upon her arrival at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship. The Polish player played it safe and selected the best tennis players from both the ATP and the WTA, including Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Carlos Alcaraz, and Jannik Sinner.

The World No. 1 arrived at the second WTA 1000 of the year just days after clinching the title at the Qatar Open with an impressive victory over Rybakina (7-6, 6-2). Despite the disappointing fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, Swiatek continues to widen the gap between herself and Sabalenka at the top of the rankings.

When asked upon her arrival in Dubai about her dream team of tennis stars, considering players from both tours, the 4-times Grand Slam champion admitted that she does not follow the NBA and even had doubts about what constitutes an All-Star.

“If you would pick All-Stars to play a basketball game with you from the tour, who would you pick?”

Iga: “I don't really watch this. I don't really watch NBA. AlI-Star?”

“They bring people from every different team.”

Iga: “Really. I don’t know of the best NBA players. They just make a team?”

“Yes, like the celebrities?”

Iga: “Yes (laughter). I'm European. I don't watch NBA (smiling). Well, I would say me, Aryna, Novak, Sinner, Alcaraz, Elena and Ons. I mean, that's the obvious answer. And Rafa.”

The current world No. 1 is eagerly anticipating her debut at the Dubai Open, where she receives a BYE in the first round as the first seed. In the second round, she will face the former US Open champion Sloane Stephens (No. 39), who advanced past the first round by defeating the qualifier Clara Burel (No. 46) by 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.