“Nobody is going to repeat that,” Iga Swiatek displays her admiration and respect for Serena Williams, expresses sadness about not being able to play the American


“Nobody is going to repeat that,” Iga Swiatek displays her admiration and respect for Serena Williams, expresses sadness about not being able to play the American

Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek returned to action for the first time on hardcourts since March at the 2022 Canadian Open. Swiatek did not compete in any hardcourt event since the 2022 Wimbledon Championships and instead played the 2022 Poland Open on clay before making her trip to the USA for the US Open Leg Series.

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While Swiatek started her campaign in Canada with a straight-set win over Ajla Tomljanovic, the day was dedicated to former World No. 1 and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams who will be retiring at the end of the 2022 US Open and suffered her first defeat since announcing her retirement as Belinda Bencic got the better of Williams in straight-sets in the second round in Toronto.

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“Maybe I’m going to have a chance”: Iga Swiatek hopeful of playing Serena Williams before Serena’s retirement

Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams
Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams

With the entire sporting world paying their tributes to Serena’s glorious career which will finally end after 28 highly successful and glorious years, Swiatek did not back down from showing her admiration towards Serena who had a tearful send-off from the crowd in Toronto after her defeat to Bencic.

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“She’s such a legend. I’m pretty sad that I wasn’t able to kind of play against her. Maybe I’m going to have a chance. But I would probably be the player that loses in the quarterfinals against her, so I’m okay with that. I mean, her legacy and looking just at numbers, everything that she has done off the court and being such a superstar.

“Being able to do business and tennis at the same time, but also be a mother and play well and make four Grand Slam finals; it’s amazing. I think nobody is going to repeat that. So I would be happy to have that belief that maybe I can do that. But it’s Serena and she won so much that it’s amazing,” said Swiatek after her win over Ajla.

With Serena having just the 2022 Cincinnati Open and the 2022 US Open as the two final tournaments of her career, the chances of Swiatek meeting one of the greatest tennis players ever are quite slim and unless the two players are put in the same half of the draw, Swiatek might have to see her dream of taking on Serena remain unfulfilled.

Also Read: Daniil Medvedev’s early loss in Montreal proves costly, gives Rafael Nadal the chance to become World No. 1 for the 2022 US Open

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