Iga Swiatek is set to play Agnieszka Radwanska in a charity match overseen by Elina Svitolina to support Ukraine in its efforts to fight off Russia's illegal invasion of the country.
Understandably, Swiatek's incredible performances on the court this season have generated most of the media attention surrounding her. The Pole is on an extraordinary 35-match winning streak, with her last defeat coming back in February against Jelena Ostapenko.
Swiatek's second title at the French Open was her sixth tournament win in succession. The world No. 1's other successes were in Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Stuttgart, and Rome. Her level has been among the best seen in women's tennis.
However, the 21-year-old is also known for her strong support for Ukraine since Russia's invasion. An example of that is when Swiatek used her French Open winner's speech to tell Ukraine to stay strong.
Swiatek's solidarity with Ukraine makes her the perfect player for a charity match, alongside former Wimbledon runner-up and fellow Pole Radwanska. But Swiatek's PR manager Paula Wolecka said she is not ready to announce the project yet officially.
“We are working with the entire team of Iga on a certain aid initiative for our friends from Ukraine, but we are not ready to talk about this project yet. In due course, we will officially announce it with all the details,"
The planned event would undoubtedly be significant. It is not clear whether Svitolina will play any significant role or whether the Ukrainian, who recently announced she is pregnant, will take a smaller part in the match's proceedings.
In Swiatek, Svitolina has found another athlete who sincerely cares about Ukraine. The world No. 1 is making a concerted effort to use her public image to create positive change in areas that she is passionate about. It will be fascinating when more details about the charity match are released.
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