Iga Swiatek will commemorate this year's World Mental Health Day by donating 300,000 PLN (roughly $70,000) to assist in the field of mental health in her native Poland.
In spite of being one of the world's best tennis players, Swiatek puts greater emphasis on her mental health and is often outspoken and committed to leading the fight against mental health issues.
In addition, the World No. 2 has now made it a customary tradition to donate towards the cause. In each of the last two years, Swiatek has contributed in monetary terms to mental health charities.
Last year, the 22-year-old donated her entire prize money from the tournament in Ostrava to benefit Polish mental health non-profit organizations.
The move garnered a massive degree of honor and respect from all corners of the world, and Swiatek was nominated for the UN Women's Rise and Raise Others award for her initiative.
In a recent post on X, Swiatek penned a statement as a moment of self-reflection towards mental health and also called for people to help those in need.
World Mental Health Day is celebrated annually on October 10th. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one in eight people is living with mental health conditions worldwide, and worryingly, affecting a large number of adolescents and young people.
Each year, the special day is meant to raise awareness of mental health issues globally and to pool the efforts of all the advocates in support of mental health. Tennis players are not immune from mental health struggles, and Swiatek has been a victim in the past.
The Polish star has been working with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz since 2019. In as much as Swiatek's success has been built around extraordinary athleticism and pure ground strokes, the pillars of mental strength have helped Swiatek stay at the top of her game for over four years.