“She has something in her personality, ” Tennis ace Justine Hennin thinks Iga Swiatek will make a great World No.1
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Justine Hennin and Iga Swiatek
Considering Ash Barty’s decision to step down from tennis, Justine Henin feels Iga Swiatek has everything it takes to showcase that she is the best player in the world. After defeating Jessica Pegula 6-2 7-5 in one hour and 50 minutes on Thursday, the Pole, who will become world No. 1 after the Miami Open, will face Naomi Osaka in Saturday’s final.
Former world No. 1 Henin, who took the same step as Ash Barty, reckons Barty’s retirement is “not good news” for the game, but believes Swiatek will take up the mantle of being the WTA tour’s top player.
“We hope she’ll be a great world No. 1”- Justine Hennin
Iga Swiatek has come a long way since she made a name for herself at the tender age of 19 by winning the French Open 2020. With the poise of a veteran and the shots of a champion, 19-year-old Swiatek inscribed her name in tennis fans’ hearts.
In view of that, seven-time Grand Slam winner Justine Hennin stated that Iga Swiatek ‘has the charisma’ and that ‘she will be a great world No. 1.’ “Iga Swiatek, she has charisma, she can get the public, she likes to play in front of people. I think that she will now have to go for the big titles,” Hennin said in an interview with Eurosport.
Further, the Belgian tennis sensation advised the Pole to avoid the trap of ‘absolute pressure‘ and take it as a ‘positive privilege’. “Iga will have to avoid the trap of that absolute pressure, when you go out on the court as world No. 1 of having to impose yourself, of having to win every game.”But rather taking it as a positive privilege and saying to herself today that she is not stealing this place from anyone. And to continue to work and try to establish a bit more authority.”
“She has so much desire to do well that sometimes she loses herself a little in this energy. There is experience, maturity that will come into play little by little. She has something in her personality, so we hope she’ll be a great world No. 1,” Justine Hennin sounded optimistic about Swiatek’s future as she concluded.
Iga Swiatek will lock horns with Naomi Osaka in the final of the Miami Open 2022
In the battle of Grand-Slam winners, Second seed Iga Swiatek will face Naomi Osaka for the Miami Open title after the Pole defeated American Jessica Pegula in Thursday’s semifinals. After Japan’s Osaka battled past Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-,3 6-4 earlier in the day, Swiatek, who will become world number one on Monday, claimed her 16th straight win with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Pegula to reach a third straight WTA 1000 final.
Both players have only met once, with the Japanese player prevailing in Toronto in straight sets in 2019. Nonetheless, given their current form, it will undoubtedly be a thrilling contest that might last for three sets.
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Pritha Ghosh
(414 Articles Published)