Iga Swiatek reflected on leading tennis players being called to be vocal about certain matters and how she goes about that.
There is a pretty strong push nowadays for people with a platform to use that platform. The range of topics they're asked to talk about varies widely, but in most cases, it's expected to be something they can relate to in some form or shape.
Swiatek has been quite good at that, using her platform to raise awareness about mental health, which is very close to her heart. She also vocally supported Ukraine at a time when not many dared to speak up about it; however, it's not always easy to do so.
Ahead of the 2024 Qatar Open, she spoke about the pressure she faces as the leading player on the WTA Tour to speak about matters and always take a stand.
"I feel like people expect us to sometimes take a stand and to be loud about what we think and our opinions. But I always try to remember that if I don't feel comfortable doing that, I can always just say that and mostly people respect that, journalists (smiling)."
The responsibility isn't just outside of tennis; it's in tennis as well. As the number one ranked player, Swiatek is often expected to really take the lead when it comes to tennis matters and speak up for women in the sport.
"But for sure there is some responsibility, even when I'm practicing or working, I feel like because I'm at the top of the WTA I should have some standards. Sometimes it's a little bit harder to kind of take it easy, because you feel like everybody is chasing you."
She's done a pretty decent job so far and hopefully will continue to do so - leading by example.
"Sometimes you feel like the society kind of force you to do it differently than you would, but it's good to remember who you are no matter what your ranking is (smiling)."
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