Andrea Petkovic is one of the most respected analysts and commentators in tennis, and she outlined how she knew Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek would win Grand Slams when they were 17 years old.
Swiatek and Sabalenka have established themselves as the outstanding players in women's tennis. There are many excellent competitors on the WTA Tour, but those two have been the best for a few years.
They are locked in a race to end the season at No. 1 in the rankings. Swiatek currently occupies that spot, as she has since April 2022, except for a few weeks after last year's US Open before she reclaimed the mantle at the 2023 WTA Finals.
However, Swiatek's chances of ending 2024 as the world No. 1 were hit after she withdrew from the China Open due to personal reasons, handing an opportunity to Sabalenka to close the gap in Beijing.
It takes many elements for players to become the best, and the work to do that starts from a young age. ATP and WTA stars work for years to prepare themselves to compete for the biggest trophies in the world.
Having the right people around the players is pivotal to their development. Swiatek's father recently spoke about the importance of him knowing when to step away and allow his daughter to work with professionals.
Sabalenka has worked with her coach, Anton Dubrov, since 2020. Their strong relationship helped Sabalenka move from a talented player to one of the best in the game.
Although fans enjoy debating which players will reach the top of the sport, analysts who have played the game often have particularly great instincts about which players are destined for greatness, which applies to Petkovic.
The German reached the 2014 French Open semifinal during her solid career on the WTA Tour, but she has since become an excellent analyst who offers superb insights into the sport.
In a recent appearance on the Sit-Down Podcast, Petkovic said noticing the patterns that make great players during her career helped her realize that Swiaek and Sabalenka would win Grand Slams, a prediction she made when they were 17 years old.
"When I [first encountered] Sabalenka when she was 17, and same with Iga Swiatek, I already knew and told my coaches: 'Oh, these two will win Slams, will win major titles for sure.' You can just feel that there is something else within them."
Petkovic's instincts were impressive. Sabalenka is a few years older than Swiatek, but she correctly predicted their success when they were 17 years old, noticing something special in both.
Sabalenka and Swiatek's rivalry could become one of the greatest in tennis history. This year's Madrid Open final, won by Swiatek in a final-set tiebreak after saving match points, was one of the greatest WTA Finals ever played.
It would be interesting to hear who Petkovic thinks will have the upper hand in their rivalry by the end of their careers. The German again showed that her views can be trusted after predicting Sabalenka and Swiatek's successes at such a young age.
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