Iga Swiatek has achieved so much in her young career that former World No. 1 Andy Roddick placed her in the same bracket as some of the most iconic WTA former players.
Swiatek, who is only 22, is a four-time Grand Slam champion and has held the World No. 1 ranking for 95 weeks—the 10th most in history. At this year's Qatar Open, she became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to three-peat in a tournament.
Last week, she won Indian Wells for a second time without dropping a set. Her dominance is reflected in the manner in which she sweeps aside her opponents with impeccable ball striking and extraordinary court coverage.
The Polish star is the most dominant champion of her generation and received special praise from former US Open champion Roddick. The American believes Swiatek is currently on par with Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport, and Kim Clijsters in terms of excellence.
Roddick was speaking on Tennis Channel, where he also commented on the probability that one of Carlos Alcaraz or Iga Swiatek will complete the Sunshine Double, having each conquered the slow, hard courts of Indian Wells last Sunday.
"Probably Iga Swiatek because at this point, I don't know, she has been more bankable over the course. Something like, as good as we all know Iga is, her career at this point is almost undersold, right?"
"Four Slams, eight Masters 1000s, 19 wins, she's approaching rare air of like, Henin, Sharapova, our Lindsey Davenport, Kim Clijsters, she's like right there and she's also 22 years old. She's a bad woman, man! She can play."
Swiatek missed out on competing in Miami last season because of an injury. But she is healthy and firing on all cylinders this time. She will begin her quest to become just the second woman in history to win the Sunshine Double multiple times (after Steffi Graf) when she faces power-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi on Friday.
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