Iga Swiatek enters 2024 as the top-ranked player in the world and is likely to dominate again.
She didn't quite dominate 2023 as opposed to the previous year, but she did enough to win a Grand Slam, finishing as number one and winning the WTA Player of the Year award.
Her tennis didn't go back, but her opposition stepped up considerably. Players like Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and others improved their level and gave Swiatek more trouble, and yet she ended up as number one.
That sort of competition will help her develop as a player, which she has always explained is the goal. Milestones are important, but the goal is to improve as a player.
In 2024, she will kick off at the United Cup, where she'll suit up for Poland. Already in Australia, Swiatek was asked to predict which player would give her the most trouble next year.
It's honestly too hard to predict. Yeah, it's impossible for me to know which. I mean, for the past years there has always been one player that was suddenly did a breakthrough and won a Grand Slam or was suddenly in top five. Obviously I think these three players that you mentioned, I feel like we are more consistent than the others.
I hope we're going to kind of save that consistency for next seasons, but I have no idea who is going to stand out. Ons is also a really consistent player when she's not injured. I guess it all depends on their preparation. The season can go in different ways, as well, in terms of the injuries. Hard to predict. We'll see.
It was a very diplomatic response from Swiatek, but it is truly tough to predict. It could be anybody, but Sabalenka, Gauff, Rybakina, and players like that are certainly more likely to. Some even think Swiatek will dominate again. Time will tell.
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