1994 Wimbledon winner and Mirra Andreeva's current coach, Conchita Martinez, analyzed where Iga Swiatek can improve her game ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Swiatek made her first appearance since the US Open at the WTA Finals. In the opening round, she began with an impressive comeback from 4-6, 0-3 down against the Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.
That was followed by losing to the eventual champion, Coco Gauff, for just the second time in 13 meetings. Swiatek never found her best tennis during an uncharacteristically error-strewn performance.
Despite thrashing the alternate Daria Kasatkina in her final round-robin contest, Swiatek did not qualify for the semifinal. That made the Pole just the fourth woman in the last 20 years to win two round-robin matches at the WTA Finals but not qualify for the next stage.
The season-ending tournament was Swiatek's first with new coach Wim Fissette. She parted ways with long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski a few weeks after the US Open.
Fissette had two spells with Naomi Osaka, the most recent of which ended after this year's US Open. The Belgian has also worked with several other players, including helping Angelique Kerber win the 2018 Wimbledon Championships.
Attempting to make adjustments to a game as formidable as Swiatek's could be challenging. A balance must be found between not breaking what has worked for the four-time French Open while improving in other areas.
Speaking ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, where she is tournament director, Martinez said that while she likes Swiatek's game, the 2022 US Open champion can improve areas such as her serve.
"Well, she’s been the best player in the world for quite some time – I like Iga’s game a lot. She’s got a lot of good things. But you can only progress, and you can get a little bit better in different areas for sure. I know she wants to work on her serve, to be a little bit better."
"I would work a lot with the powerful shots she has from the baseline. I would work with more transitions into the net, because she could do that a little bit more."
Martinez also mentioned how Swiatek struggles more on faster surfaces, with her forehand, in particular, not as potent a weapon when the 23-year-old does not have as much time on the shot as she would like.
"I mean, she’s better on slower surfaces, so I would focus a lot on playing aggressive on faster surfaces. She moves great, she’s one of the great movers. She covers a lot of the court, but I think with the forehand she can do a lot more."
"I consider myself a specialist in teaching forehand and going a little more into the net, and in faster surfaces. When she has time, she’s good, but when she has less time, there’s room for improvement."
Swiatek's long spells at No. 1 until recently prove she is an excellent player on hard courts as well as clay. However, only one of her five Grand Slams coming outside the French Open shows there is room for improvement on faster courts especially.
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