After being the best player on the WTA Tour for much of 2022, Iga Swiatek was officially named the ITF World Champion for the first time in her career.
Swiatek has been a really good player for a while, but what she was able to do this year surprised even her most dedicated fans. The Polish player won 70 matches this year, which on its own is ridiculous.
It’s even more ridiculous when compared to 'only' 35 matches that she was able to win the year before. On top of winning 70 matches, Swiatek won eight trophies, including two Grand Slam trophies (French Open, US Open).
The full list of trophies she won includes the Qatar Open, Indian Wells, the Miami Open, the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, the Madrid Open, the Italian Open, the French Open, the US Open, and the San Diego Open.
On top of that, she stood in the Ostrava Open final as well. Part of her impressive run over the summer included a streak of 37 matches in a row, starting at the Qatar Open in Doha on February 22nd.
The next time she lost was on July 2nd, which was an incredible streak that surpassed almost all the legends of the sport. All of those efforts were more than enough for the ITF to declare her the ITF World Champion for the first time in her career.
It’s a big honor for Swiatek, but she earned it with her play on the courts. The Polish player thanked the ITF for the award, explaining that it was proof of how far she had come.
"This was a big year for me, and such significant awards show me how far I've come. I appreciate it and I want to thank the ITF. It wouldn’t have happened without my team, my family, and my fans from Poland and all over the world. Consider it our joint award for amazing adventures on court in 2022."