Polish superstar Iga Swiatek began her early tennis development under the guidance of her father, Tomasz, but the 60-year old has long split ways with his daughter in a coaching capacity in order to focus on being a parent.
Tomasz himself is a former athlete, having competed for Poland in rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He would later guide Iga during her early years as a tennis player, before handing the reigns over to other coaches in an effort to support his daughter as a father.
Being there for Iga as a parent was the right choice, says Tomasz
I didn't cut her off, because I'm still with her, I go to many tournaments,” said Tomasz in a interview with Polish outlet WP SportoweFakty. “However, I try to have my own life and let Iga live and work the way she wants. I talked to her about it before I came to the Olympics. She agreed, she wanted me to be with her during the tournament.
"I'm glad that I can be with her in the role of a parent. It's really more beneficial for everyone when there's a division of roles and responsibilities. The result is good results on the court. We are, above all, a family, and family is not work. Iga has specialists for that."
"I'm glad that I can be with her in the role of a parent. It's really more beneficial for everyone when there's a division of roles and responsibilities. The result is good results on the court. We are, above all, a family, and family is not work. Iga has specialists for that."
Although he found it difficult to step aside and let someone else coach his child, Tomasz believes it was the right choice and expressed his disapproval for parents who opted to become their child's head coach.
"And they are part of the crazy parents committee,” he added. “Of course, it wasn't easy for me at first, but there was a moment when I went through a lot of things and understood what my role was.
But that was quite early, before Iga started her career on the WTA circuit. I'm glad I understood it so quickly. Iga is so intelligent and independent that we don't even talk about it. I don't suggest or advise anything. She has coaches for that. I stepped aside."
But that was quite early, before Iga started her career on the WTA circuit. I'm glad I understood it so quickly. Iga is so intelligent and independent that we don't even talk about it. I don't suggest or advise anything. She has coaches for that. I stepped aside."
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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