Iga Swiatek claims she’s the reason of Aryna Sabalenka’s motivation as their rivalry continues to grow
Both players have battled against each other eight times so far.
Follow Us
Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka (Image via The New York Times)
One of the bigger rivalries in modern-day tennis is the one between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka. The World No. 1 and 2 are constantly challenging each other for big tournament titles and make the crowd super interested in their display of high-quality tennis. So far, Swiatek has kept her lead and isn’t allowing Sabalenka to cross her. However, she very well knows that if she drops her guard even a slight bit, the Belarusian would pounce on that opportunity.
When asked about her rivalry with the Belarusian, Swiatek had this to say in her recent interview. “I know Aryna has a huge motivation. She’s motivated because I’m in front of her. & it motivates me that someone’s chasing me. We both have had great seasons.. so these are reasons for us to work even harder & be even more professional.” She clearly mentioned how both players are inspiring each other to do better. (H/T: przeglad sportowy)
Sabalenka started the year on a great note by winning her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open. She backed it up by winning a Masters series event in Madrid and defeating Swiatek in the final. On the other hand, the big trophy that Swiatek has got this year has been the French Open. Apart from that, the World No. 1 hasn’t done great damage. She also had a premature exit at the Wimbledon Championships. In all, this year has been similar for both players.
A look at the modern-age rivalry between Swiatek and Sabalenka
The big rivalry of this era between Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka is still very young. Both players have battled against each other 8 times. Swiatek leads the rivalry 5-3. It’s a slender lead and Sabalenka knows that she isn’t far away. The pair first met in 2021 at Guadalajara where Sabalenka won 2-6 6-2 7-5. After that, Swiatek won four straight matches which included wins in Doha, Roma, and the US Open semi-final last year as well.
Sabalenka then finally beat the World No. 1 at Fort Worth on hard courts last year. Their most recent match took place at the Madrid Open, where the Belarusian reigned supreme as she beat her opponent in the final in tough three sets 6-3 3-6 6-3. The pair has played each other in three finals and three semi-finals so far. Swiatek leads 2-1 in both categories. It’s an intense rivalry and fans would love to see a lot more of this in the coming years.
In case you missed it:
- Coco Gauff hires a new coach as a potential replacement of her father ahead of the US Open series
- Andrey Rublev expresses frustration on still being confused for Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev despite consistent success
Stay Updated!
Manan Mehta
(215 Articles Published)