Iga Swiatek just had a long week at the 2024 Qatar Open in Doha, and she knows that playing immediately in Dubai might not be the best idea.
Swiatek loves playing in the Middle East because she's had quite a bit of success in the region. She has won the Qatar Open three times so far and played in the Dubai Championships final, which is a hugely successful run at these WTA 1000 events.
The final triumph happened recently as she bested Elena Rybakina in the Qatar Open final. Winning it for a third year in a row matched a rare feat last done by Serena Williams about a decade ago.
She's planning to play in Dubai next, and it's going to be tricky. She had to rush to travel to Dubai and prepare to play quickly.
It's basically the same scenario that happened last year, which was also a bit rushed, but she managed to get used to it and even make her way to the final. She also talked about the possibility of injury but noted that it's always present, and there is no reason to really think about it as an athlete.
"For sure, it feels like we have to kind of rush it little bit. Last year it was similar. Even though Doha was a smaller tournament, one match less, I was able to manage. I think that was the second time also after Indian Wells, Miami where I didn't have much time to recover."
"I just played another tournament straightaway. Well, there's always possibility for injury. There's no point in professional sports to overthink it or try to see the future 'cause I'm well-prepared physically."
The Pole is in form right now and certainly could do some damage in Dubai. The run in Doha wasn't that demanding as she mostly cruised through all of her matches, so she should be fresh enough.
"Yeah, it also depends what the intensity of the matches will be. In Doha, I would say the final was pretty intense, but the other matches I had under control. It's not like I played three-setters."
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