“She is so good on clay”: Serena Williams’ ex-coach reveals Iga Swiatek reminds her of two former world number one players

Rennae Stubbs, the ex-coach of former world number one Serena Williams, has stated that Poland’s Iga Swiatek reminds her of Steffi Graf and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. The 22-year-old is already regarded as the best player currently playing in the women’s singles category, having won as many as four Grand Slam titles so early in her career.

Three of those titles came while playing at the Roland Garros, which shows that she loves playing on clay. Not only that as the current world number one recently registered an impressive triumph in the Spanish capital, where she lifted the Madrid Open after beating the current world number two Aryna Sabalenka in the final with a score of 7-5, 4-6, 7-6.

Stubbs was recently quoted in a report in which she heaped praise on the four-time Grand Slam winner’s performances, especially while playing on clay. She stated that her performances remind her of two former world number ones, Graf and Sanchez Vicario, who combined won the French Open nine times in their illustrious careers.

"It was one or two points where it really came down to it, where Iga Swiatek got the ball back cross court but in the middle of the court," said Stubbs. "So, through the middle of the court, I call it the tunnel. It's a very big thing for me and I coach it. Hit it through the tunnel, especially on clay and you're gonna find a shitty bounce in the middle of the court there, where everybody runs.

"You might get a dirty bounce. But I get it back, and because Iga is such a great mover on clay. She is so good on clay, she reminds me of Arantxa Sanchez and Steffi Graf and the great claycourt movers, where you know they can get a ball that not many can, because they can just glide to the shot."