'Uncomfortable': Swiatek Determined To Learn During Grass Season

| by Zlatko Vodenicharov

Iga Swiatek will begin her grass season in Bad Homburg with the hope of improving a bit on the surface leading up to Wimbledon.

Some players love grass, some players don't love grass. Iga Swiatek is in the middle. She doesn't mind the surface but she understands that she's not the best at it. It's the same problem many players have - a lack of experience.

The grass season is only 5 weeks long and most players simply haven't played on the surface enough, including Swiatek. Her total number of matches on grass is less than half of the wins she has at Roland Garros alone. It makes her very self-aware of her limitations on grass as she admitted that she's not figured out the winning formula at Wimbledon.

Even so, the World No. 1 on the WTA Tour is keen to improve on the surface approaching every year with an open mind ready to learn more about the surface. It's easier for her to do that on grass because there is less pressure as her struggles on the surface are known.

"Basically before every grass-court season I just want to keep being open-minded and just learn a lot. I feel like there is maybe a little bit less pressure, but on the other hand when I just go on court, I feel like I know how I can play tennis and I know how I can play on other surfaces."

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The goal for Swiatek was always to win all four Grand Slams and that includes Wimbledon. It will take a while to get to that level but she's ready to learn as much as possible until she finally gets a chance to fight for the trophy.

On grass sometimes it’s tougher and I still have to learn a lot, but I just feel like you’re going to go on court and not play the way you should or the way you could; so this thing is adding more pressure.

The more she plays the better it is and her first grass event of 2023 will be in Bad Homburg. She's hoping for a good run and plenty of matches which will help her get more comfortable on the surface as she's still a bit uncomfortable on it.

Maybe there’s going to be a chance to play more matches. But I’m pretty sure that still when I’m going to play these matches, I’m going to feel a little bit uncomfortable. But I also trust that every year I’m going to learn more and more and I’m going to progress anyway. But it’s a short season, only three weeks, so the challenge is tough.

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