Serena Williams’ ex-coach backs Iga Swiatek to become a ‘legend’ under newly-appointed coach Wim Fissette
Iga Swiatek recently lost her World No.1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka, but could regain it at the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
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Iga Swiatek, Wim Fissette (Images via Time, HLC)
Serena Williams‘ former coach and doubles legend Rennae Stubbs remains optimistic about Iga Swiatek’s new approach under coach Wim Fissette. The Polish star announced her decision to work with Fissette earlier this month.
Swiatek’s coaching change came after her US Open quarterfinal exit, marking the end of her partnership with long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. Stubbs, who has extensive experience coaching elite players, hopes Swiatek can elevate her career to legendary status with her new coaching team.
Listen what do I think about how it’s going to go. I think it’ll go great because Wim will come in with new ideas and fresh ideas, he’s a little bit and not a little bit, he’s a lot more upbeat and a lot more positive than Tomasz [Wiktorowski]. Working with Iga or something ‘cause Iga clearly when she’s on the court, she gets very stressed and all the things you see and you have to be able to monitor that. think Iga will probably do great and will look like a legend.
Rennae Stubbs said on her podcast
Swiatek has faced challenges since her Roland Garros win in June. She lost in the third round at Wimbledon and then suffered a heartbreaking semifinal loss to Qinwen Zheng at the Paris Olympics, leading to her loss of the World No. 1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka.
Swiatek’s choice of Fissette is largely driven by her goal of achieving similar success outside of clay. So far, her only Grand Slam title outside Roland Garros is the 2022 US Open.
Former US Open champion heaps special praise for Iga Swiatek
Sloane Stephens recently shared openly about her struggle to match the intense drive of players like Iga Swiatek. The 31-year-old admitted that maintaining a high level of effort every week is not her strength.
I have the utmost respect for those who compete week after week; it’s truly commendable. Honestly, I can’t fathom how they manage it because just one long week leaves me feeling drained. After one tough week, I’m ready to head home. Not every player is cut out to compete every single week, and that’s what makes our sport both unique and thrilling. It’s unrealistic to expect everyone to achieve No. 1 status, and while Iga is exceptional in that role, I wouldn’t trade places with her – it’s an exceptionally tough job.
Sloane Stephens during an appearance on the Tennis Insider Club
Stephens first gained fame in 2013, when she defeated Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarterfinals. She went on to win her first Grand Slam at the 2017 US Open and achieved her first WTA 1000 title at the Miami Open in 2018, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 3.
In recent seasons, however, Stephens’ results have declined. She is currently on a six-match losing streak, with her ranking dropping to No. 75. Though she won a title in Rouen in May, her overall record this year is a disappointing 19-22.
Meanwhile, Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner, recently lost her No. 1 ranking but remains highly consistent and successful. Last week, Stephens competed at the WTA 500 event in Seoul, where she was defeated by Hailey Baptiste in the first round. Her most recent victory was back on July 1st against Elsa Jacquemot in Wimbledon’s first round.
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Fahad Hamid
(624 Articles Published)