Iga Swiatek Hopes to Explore Family Connections in Seoul Following Her Debut Win at the Korean Open

Iga Swiatek will face the winner between Emma Raducanu and Barbora Krejcikova in the quarter-finals of the Korean Open.

Iga Swiatek Hopes to Explore Family Connections in Seoul Following Her Debut Win at the Korean Open

Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jimmie48 Photography)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Iga Swiatek kicked off her Asian swing campaign with an impressive performance against Sorana Cirstea in the second round of the Korean Open. The tournament is held in Seoul, the same city where the 1988 Olympics games took center stage and it was there that her father, Tomasz Swiatek, represented Poland in rowing.

The Korean Open is Swiatek’s first tournament since losing in the quarter-finals of the US Open to Amanda Anisimova. The former World No.1 got off to a great start against Cirstea, an opponent she has only dropped one set against, which came at the 2022 Australian Open. Swiatek went after the World No.66 with her fast-paced game, securing two consecutive breaks.

She led 3-0 in just minutes into the match, before Cirstea managed to break Swiatek in the fourth game. The Polish star struggled with her serve but did well to break back to lead 5-1, but she failed to round up the set, which gave her opponent a chance to win two more games. In the second set, Swiatek came out with more aggressiveness, winning the first three games.

But she was still untidy in a few moments of the match, which led to her hitting 19 winners to 21 unforced errors overall, but nonetheless saved all three break points against Cirstea. She went on to win the match 6-3, 6-2, booking her place in the quarter-finals of the WTA 500 event in Seoul.

During her on-court interview, she was asked how she felt being in the same venue her father competed in the men’s quadruple sculls event at the 1988 Olympics. The World No.2 admitted she was happy about it and hopes to explore the city, while appreciating its Olympic tradition:

The Olympics in 1988 were the highlight of his career, and he’s been telling us stories about it since me and my sister were kids. So I’m happy to explore this city — he’s been talking about being here as a great adventure. I play a different sport, but still we’re at the Olympic venue and I’m surprised by how the whole city is still appreciating the Olympic tradition. It’s great, because this event is the best the world has in any area.

Swiatek didn’t participate in any tournament during the Asian swing last year. So, that allows her to claim more ranking points, which will help her get closer to Aryna Sabalenka in the World No.1. Also, she’s a debutant at the tournament as she had often skipped it for the China Open.

Iga Swiatek says she’s not the clear favorite to win the Korean Open

Iga Swiatek is the top seed at the Korean Open and the favorite to win the tournament. She has been in remarkable form for the past three months, winning 22 of her last 25 matches on tour. The 24-year-old claimed two titles during that period, including the Wimbledon Championships in July.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via Punto de Break)

When she arrived at Seoul, she was asked during her press conference if she already sees herself as a champion. The former World No.1 revealed that despite being the top seed at the event, other players cannot be written off:

Great players come here. So I’m just going to really take it step by step. Just think about my first match. I only came here yesterday, so I really need to use my time to just focus on here and now, and the practices and the first match. We’ll see how I’m going to feel, how I’m going to play, and there are many players who can play in the final. So we’ll see.

Swiatek is into her 13th quarter-finals in her last 15 tournaments in the women’s circuit. She will face the winner between Emma Raducanu and former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova next.

Also Read: Daniil Medvedev Finally Opens Up on the Major Changes He Made in His Coaching Team Following His US Open Loss