Iga Swiatek's new coach, Wim Fissette, thinks the four-time French Open champion is a better athlete than every other woman who has played the sport.
Swiatek split from her longtime coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, earlier this month. During their successful partnership, the pair won three French Opens and the 2022 US Open.
In her statement announcing the news, the Pole thanked Wiktorowski for his influence and said the 43-year-old deserved to rest after traveling for so much of the year with her since they started working together in 2021.
Swiatek subsequently announced Naomi Osaka's former coach, Wim Fissette, as Wiktorowski's replacement. The Belgian split with the Japanese star for the second time after the US Open.
Osaka and Fissette won the 2020 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open in their first spell together. She re-hired the coach, who had been working with Qinwen Zheng, for her return to tennis this year before parting ways again.
Fissette was also Angelique Kerber's coach when she won Wimbledon in 2018, defeating Serena Williams in the final. Kim Clijsters, Simona Halep, and Petra Kvitova are other players he has coached.
His first tournament as Swiatek's coach will be at the WTA Finals next month. The Pole is also set to play at the Billie Jean King Cup, having initially said she would not do so because of the lengthy tennis calendar.
The importance of those events means getting immediate results matters for Swiatek, but one of Fissette's long-term goals is to help the 23-year-old win more Grand Slams outside the French Open.
Fissette's recent comments demonstrate how highly he rates his new player. According to Tennis365, he told Belga that Swiatek is the best athlete to have ever competed on the WTA Tour.
"Iga is probably the best tennis athlete of all time. She’s very fast, defends extremely well, is very solid. And she puts a lot of spin on the ball, which makes it difficult for her opponents."
That is a bold claim from Fisette. Coco Gauff is considered the best athlete by some, especially on hard courts, but the difference between her and Swiatek is minimal.
The Belgian also thinks some aspects of Swiatek's game can be improved but believes implementing those enhancements may take some time.
"I hope to be able to improve her game, because there are certainly some aspects that can be improved. It will probably take a little time, because I will have to get to know her."
Fissette is thrilled to have a chance to work with someone as successful as Swiatek. The 44-year-old stated that he hoped an opportunity with someone of the five-time Grand Slam champion's class would arrive after he split with Osaka.
"After the end of my collaboration with Naomi [Osaka], I was hoping to receive a call from another player, and if possible from someone like Iga. It’s obviously a great honour. And very special to be able to coach a world No 1."
Fissette may also feel he has something to prove after his somewhat underwhelming second spell with Osaka. Working with Swiatek is the perfect opportunity for him to show his coaching abilities.
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