Iga Swiatek recently mentioned how she drew inspiration from Carlos Alcaraz and mentioned him once more during a recent interview to note the differences between them.
Swiatek is one of the best players in the world, but the Polish player isn't invincible, like any other human being. She's been quite open about her own mental journey, which included her transformation from a player who once cried mid-match to a ruthless player who thrashes everybody without any regard.
She's not perfect, of course, and she doesn't always handle pressure well, but she's certainly found ways to do it better than most tennis players. One notable time she failed was recently at the Olympics, where she played a dreadful match in the semi-final, losing out on the chance to contend for the gold medal.
Managing pressure is a huge topic in tennis because so much of a player's effectiveness depends on it. Every player has pressure; it doesn't matter if you're number one or number 50. They all have the same challenge: go out there and beat the player in front of you.
Swiatek has tried many things to better deal with the pressure. Recently, she admitted that she looked at Carlos Alcaraz and how much he enjoys competing as a source of inspiration to try and emulate some of that within her own game. It was a fascinating admission, but it shouldn't come as a surprise.
The Spaniard is famous for his big, bright smile during play, which shows how much he enjoys being out there. It's infectious in a way, and it's probably a valuable lesson to learn. Sinner uses a similar tactic by reminding himself how lucky he is that tennis is his job because it's something he loves.
Not everyone does something they love for a living. In another recent interview with the WP Sportowe Fakty, Swiatek admitted that while she sees Alcaraz as an inspiration, she won't copy his actions because they're quite different people.
What works for him won't work for Swiatek because not only are they different personalities, but they also like different things. Swiatek is a pretty chill introvert who likes her silence and calmness.
“Carlos Alcaraz has a completely different personality than me, he travels to tournaments with many people, enjoys life, has fun and celebrates successes in a completely different way. For me, it's more important to have peace around me, take care of simple pleasures and spend time with my loved ones. I'm an introvert, and if I did more, I would feel very tired.”
The bottom line for every tennis player is to find what works for them. That is true for the style, the surface, the approach, and the mental things that they do in preparation for matches. While some players draw inspiration from others, ultimately, every player has to find what works for them in all respects. Swiatek has done well with that so far in her career, and the hope is that she continues that.
0 Comments