"She deserved it": Iga Swiatek came to terms with Aryna Sabalenka ending long World No.1 reign
WTAFriday, 08 December 2023 at 13:30
Iga Swiatek came to terms with Aryna Sabalenka taking her World Number One spot off her she admitted in another show of how the pressure ultimately came off when the reign since April last year concluded.
But now returning to World No.1, she also said that this 2023 season exceeded expectations especially completing it in the chaos of Cancun at the 2023 WTA Finals and battling through that to victory.
“It was certainly a demanding season that taught me a lot and which makes me even more proud. This year-end result exceeded all my expectations,” she told Eurosport Poland.
“The fact that I came back to No 1 and that it happened in Cancun with all the pressure and strange circumstances.”
Before going onto discuss Sabalenka and that the World No.1 spot saw her change her attitude after the US Open knowing the impending change was coming.
“She deserved it,” she said of Sabalenka “She had a great season. She won a Grand Slam, was in the final of another Grand Slam and in two semi-finals, so it was an amazing season.
“I just preferred to focus on other things, because the pressure related to the No 1 spot was a bit overwhelming in the middle of the season.
“For this reason, I didn’t play very freely until the US Open, and then I knew that I just had to change this attitude and approach the next tournaments differently, just be a different player who didn’t focus on all that things. Although I always try to do it, but it doesn’t always work out.”
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.
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