Iga Swiatek didn't enjoy all of her time as world number one on the WTA Tour because the amount of pressure it created at a point became too much.
When you're number one in tennis, all attention is basically on you. It's not something all players desire, and you have to be a special kind of athlete to really handle it. Most learn it in passing, as not all have it immediately.
Swiatek is certainly a player who had to learn on the fly because, at one point in time, the number one rank became a burden. Everything revolved around that, and she didn't enjoy it much.
Then, at the US Open, Swiatek finally lost it. It felt good for the Pole, as strange as it sounds. In a recent interview with Sportowe Fakty, Swiatek recalled the process of going from burdened to free.
In the middle of the year I carried a burden related to - I do not like this term and I try to avoid it - maintaining the ranking. Aryna Sabalenka had many chances to jump over me, it finally happened. Then I felt free.It was a bit easier for me to focus only on my game again.
Most of what Swiatek likes doing has very little to do with the ranking. She likes to play and compete but that's only part of the story. There is prize money, there are rankings, and many other things.
It's not something she likes to focus on as she simply prefers to practice and become better. By the conclusion of this year, Swiatek regained the number one rank and this time around will be better prepared to handle what comes with it.
We'll see how she handles it because that will ultimately be proof, but she bounced back after some disappointing summer results so there is no doubt that she'll handle it well.
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