Iga Swiatek is the odds-on favorite to win the 2024 Australian Open, but she has cast aside sky-high expectations ahead of the tournament.
Swiatek is among our Top 5 candidates to leave Melbourne Park with the year's first Grand Slam crown. Having forged an 11-match winning streak from the back end of last season, with title wins in Beijing and Cancun, Swiatek surfs into the new season with immense confidence.
With such irresistible form, it was only logical that reporters were interested to hear her point of view on whether she felt ready to win the Australian Open in 2024. In five visits to Melbourne, Swiatek's best result has been a semifinal run she put together in 2022.
Last season, she hit a snag when Elena Rybakina sent her packing in the fourth round. Nevertheless, Swiatek's results on Australian soil have been on an upward trajectory. Her first hard court title on the WTA tour was won on this part of the continent in Adelaide two summers ago.
"Well, I did semifinals the year before. Last year was fourth round. I don't feel like I need to defend a lot. But honestly I never think about stuff like that. When you are a defending champion, obviously there is something else to the tournament."
"I feel like I can kind of take it easy. I haven't won Australian Open yet, so I can only kind of look forward and try to achieve my goals."
The Pole is not losing sight of her goals at the start of the Australian swing, which will see her partake in the second edition of the United Cup for her country. Poland has been paired in the same group as Spain and Brazil in Perth.
Swiatek's aim is to try and put into application what she learned in practice during the preseason. Delving into her chances of winning the Australian Open feels a bit premature, and she will focus on getting into the right rhythm and not look beyond her next match.
"But really for now, we're just starting the season, so I'll focus on the first matches to get into the rhythm and to just see what I learned during the pre-season and how I can just, yeah, put it into matches."
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