Iga Swiatek has established herself as one of the world's best and most popular players over the last few years. Her achievements include a lengthy period where she dominated the world No. 1 ranking.
The Pole's superb results mean there is naturally much focus on her life outside of tennis. This article outlines the most interesting facts about Swiatek on and off the court, including some that may not be widely known to fans.
Swiatek was born on May 31st, 2001, in Warsaw, Poland. She is 176 cm (5 feet 9 inches) tall and weighs around 65 kg (143 lbs). At the moment, Swiatek resides in Raszyn, Poland.
Does Iga Swiatek have any siblings?
Swiatek has an older sister named Agata, who is three years older than Iga. She works as a dentist.
When did Iga Swiatek start playing tennis?
Swiatek's father, Tomasz, a former Olympic rower, wanted his daughters to become professional athletes and preferred that they take up an individual rather than a team sport. Agata played on the ITF Juniors circuit until being forced to stop due to injuries.
Iga took up tennis because she wanted to beat her sister and become more like her. She trained at Mera Warsaw before later moving to Legia Warsaw.
Who are Iga Swiatek's idols?
Rafael Nadal was Swiatek's principal idol because of his humility and willingness to work hard. She has also named Steffi Graf because of her pursuit of excellence, and Serena and Venus Williams for how they shaped the women's game.
How many Grand Slams has Iga Swiatek won?
Swiatek is a five-time Grand Slam champion. Four of those have come at the French Open, where she has dominated. Her maiden major title was at Roland Garros in 2020, when she defeated Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-1 in the final.
After losing to Maria Sakkari in the 2021 French Open quarterfinal, Swiatek responded by securing three consecutive titles in Paris. Her 2023 triumph was particularly memorable due to winning one of the best women's finals ever against Karolina Muchova, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
Swiatek's sole Grand Slam triumph outside of Roland Garros came at the 2022 French Open. That run to glory at Flushing Meadows included a dramatic victory against Aryna Sabalenka and a final win over Ons Jabeur.
When did Iga Swiatek first become world No. 1?
On April 4th, 2022, Swiatek became the WTA world No. 1 for the first time. Ashleigh Barty's unexpected retirement the previous month presented an opportunity that she grasped.
Swiatek's ascent to the No. 1 ranking occurred during an incredible first half of 2022, which included a 37-match winning streak and titles at the Qatar Open, Indian Wells Open, Miami Open, Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Italian Open, and French Open.
How many weeks has Iga Swiatek been world No. 1?
Swiatek has already been the world No. 1 for an outstanding 125 weeks despite being so young. She held the position constantly from April 4th, 2022, until the week after the 2023 US Open, when she was overtaken by Aryna Sabalenka. The Pole regained the position a few months later after the 2023 WTA Finals.
Sabalenka replaced Swiatek as world No. 1 for a second time on October 21st, 2024. The Belarusian has retained that spot since and opened up a significant lead over her rival during the opening months of 2025.
How many titles has Iga Swiatek won?
Swiatek is a 22-time WTA title winner. Her first final came in April 2019 at the Lugano Open, where she lost to Polona Hercog. The 2020 French Open success was her first title, making it an even more remarkable achievement.
Outside of the Grand Slam level, Swiatek's most significant achievement is winning the 2023 WTA Finals in Cancun. She has also claimed 10 WTA 1000 titles, six on hard courts and four on clay.
What is Iga Swiatek's favorite tournament?
There were no surprises when Swiatek named the French Open as her favorite event during
an interview with the tournament in 2024.
Has Iga Swiatek represented Poland?
Swiatek has played for Team Poland several times in the Billie Jean King Cup. She helped the team reach the semifinal in 2024 before falling to the eventual champions, Italy, after losing the decisive doubles match.
At the 2024 Olympics, Swiatek was the overwhelming favorite to win gold in the women's singles because the tennis events were held at Roland Garros. However, the four-time French Open champion was stunned by Qinwen Zheng in the semifinal. She still secured a bronze medal with a win against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
Has Iga Swiatek won any awards?
Achieving so much success at a young age means Swiatek has secured several awards. Winning the 2022 and 2023 WTA Player of the Year trophies was among the most notable and a testament to her domination at the top of the women's game.
Why was Iga Swiatek suspended?
In September, Swiatek was provisionally suspended due to testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine. The positive result came from an out-of-competition test she took on August 12th, 2024. On September 22nd, the 2022 US Open champion appealed the provisional suspension.
Swiatek successfully proved that the positive test occurred because of contaminated melatonin tablets she bought from a Polish drug manufacturer. In November,
the ITIA announced that Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension, most of which she had already served provisionally.
Due to Swiatek appealing the provisional suspension within ten days, the case was kept private until the implementation of the one-month ban. WADA chose not to appeal the suspension given, and the case was officially closed in January 2025.
Who is Iga Swiatek's best friend in tennis?
Swiatek is best friends with fellow WTA player Kaja Juvan. She spoke about not enjoying beating her 6-0, 6-1 in the 2023 US Open third round because of how close they are off the court.
What are Iga Swiatek's hobbies?
Swiatek is an avid reader and brings books with her to every tournament. She lists Gone with the Wind, Pride and Prejudice, and The Hunger Games among her favorite books. The Pole is also a fan of rock music, including Pink Floyd and AC/DC.
Is Iga Swiatek in a relationship?
Since the start of her career, Swiatek has been officially single, never having a confirmed relationship.
Does Iga Swiatek support charities?
Swiatek has supported various charitable causes throughout her career. In 2022, she organized 'Iga Swiatek and friends for Ukraine', a mixed doubles charity match involving players like Elina Svitolina and Agnieszka Radwanska that raised more than €500,000 for Ukrainian children and teenagers impacted by Russia's illegal invasion of the country.
The Olympic bronze medalist is also an advocate of mental health causes. To support and raise awareness of the issue, she has donated all or some of her prize money from tournaments for World Mental Health Day.