"She would have been number one even if Barty hadn't retired" - Chris Evert on Iga Swiatek

Iga Swiatek was always destined to become the world No 1 and she would have claimed the top spot even if Ashleigh Barty didn’t retire, according to tennis icon Chris Evert.

The 20-year-old Swiatek became the first Polish No 1 on Monday as she replaced Barty, who bowed out of tennis in March, at the top of the WTA Rankings and she celebrated her rise by winning the Miami Open. The 2020 French Open champion has been on an impressive run so far this year though as she is 17-0 having won three consecutive WTA 1000 tournaments, having also won the Qatar Open and the Indian Wells Open.

Speaking with Eurosport, Evert said:

“I always have thought that to put together seven matches in a Grand Slam was really hard, to be at a high level, but she’s put together 16. To put together 16 matches in a row with this field with this depth in the women’s game and not having a real dip, not having a let-down, is almost unheard of in the women’s game and that’s what makes her so special and that’s what makes her the number one player in the world."

She further said:

“I think even if Ashleigh Barty hadn’t retired, Iga would have reached the No 1 spot. What impresses me about her is – very much like Alcaraz – is the hunger. I keep going back to hunger but she wants it so bad, she wants it so badly and she’s so committed to the game that she forces herself to be in the moment and she’s in every single point. And that mental strength of hers is really propelling her to the top. She’s mentally the toughest player out there by far right now, she’s on another level.”