Iga Swiatek Makes Sarcastic Remarks Over Journalist’s Question About Change in On-Court Behavior After Relinquishing the World No.1 Spot

Iga Swiatek breezed past Yuan Yue in straight-sets as she advanced to the third round of the Beijing Open.

Iga Swiatek Makes Sarcastic Remarks Over Journalist’s Question About Change in On-Court Behavior After Relinquishing the World No.1 Spot

Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jimmie48 Photography)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

After advancing to the third round of the WTA 1000 in Beijing, Iga Swiatek addressed reporters at a press conference. She was asked about the changes in her on-court behavior and how she has managed her emotions in recent months. The discussion was mainly around her behavior changes with regards to losing the World No.1 ranking last year.

Alongside those questions, the bigger story remains her battle for the year-end No. 1 ranking. Swiatek is in a tight race with Aryna Sabalenka, with both players putting together standout campaigns in 2025. Each has captured one Grand Slam title, keeping the rivalry intense. Swiatek said in her post-match press conference:

Well, thank you for your in-depth analysis, but… I don’t even know how to answer that, because no, I’m not a different person because I’m No. 2. I don’t behave differently because I’m No. 2. I don’t particularly think about it during the match. I’m different because I’m older or more experienced. But the ranking has nothing to do with it, I would say.

Swiatek lifted the Wimbledon trophy, while Sabalenka claimed the US Open. These results have kept them neck-and-neck in the rankings and have added extra weight to every match they play late in the season.

Sabalenka, however, has shown steadier results across the tour. She won the Miami Open and reached the finals at both the Australian Open and Roland Garros. That consistency has given her a slight edge in the push for the top spot.

Iga Swiatek easily wins Beijing opener

Iga Swiatek continued to make history at the China Open with a commanding 6-0, 6-3 win over Chinese wildcard Yuan Yue. The top seed needed just 74 minutes to close out the second-round match, converting five of her 11 break chances. With the result, the Polish star became the first player ever to record at least 25 victories at WTA 1000 tournaments in three straight seasons.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via X/Jimmy48 Photography)

Swiatek arrived in Beijing fresh off her Korea Open triumph earlier this month. Her dominance was clear from the start, as she dropped just nine of 36 points in the opening set. The world No. 2 now advances to face Colombia’s Camila Osorio, who edged past Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. Swiatek will also be aiming to repeat her Beijing title run from 2023.

Elsewhere, No. 4 seed Mirra Andreeva powered into the third round with a strong 6-2, 6-2 performance over Lin Zhu. The 17-year-old Russian continues to impress with her quick rise on the tour.

Jessica Pegula, the fifth seed, also booked her spot in the last 16. She cruised past Ajla Tomljanovic 6-0, 6-3 in just over an hour. Pegula will next face Britain’s Emma Raducanu, who played a sharp match in her 6-3, 6-3 victory over Cristina Bucsa, saving seven of eight break points along the way.

Iga Swiatek puts pressure on World No.1 ranking

Coco Gauff’s struggles this season have put her position at the top of the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) in danger. The young star faces pressure from Iga Swiatek, who staged one of the biggest comebacks of the year with her Wimbledon triumph. Unlike the official WTA rankings, where Aryna Sabalenka holds the No. 1 spot, the UTR system tells a slightly different story.

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek (Image via Punto de Break)

The latest update to the UTR women’s singles list shows Gauff still at No. 1, but her lead is razor-thin. She sits at 12.95 points, while Swiatek is right behind her with 12.93. The gap of just 0.02 points means any slip could cost Gauff her spot. Her early exit in the fourth round of the US Open weakened her standing, while Swiatek’s quarterfinal run in New York strengthened hers.

Sabalenka, despite leading the WTA rankings, is placed third in UTR with 12.84 points. This makes the current race less about Sabalenka and more about Gauff versus Swiatek. Their upcoming matches this week could decide who takes the lead, as the margin is so small that a single result could change everything.

For those unfamiliar with UTR, it is a rating scale from 1.0 to 16.50 designed to measure a player’s current level. It uses a player’s last 30 matches within the past year, factoring in opponents’ ratings, games won, and the weight of recent results over older ones. In short, it offers a real-time reflection of form rather than just accumulated titles.

Also Read: Daniil Medvedev Says There’s no Hard Feelings Between Him and Former Coach Gilles Cervara Despite Their Split