“She is very complete as a player,” former tennis player Mats Wilander thinks Iga Swiatek is the best fit to fill Ashleigh Barty’s shoes as the World No.1
Iga Swiatek and Mats Wilander
Mats Wilander, a Swedish tennis legend, has complimented Iga Swiatek as a “Complete” player and stated that he is not astonished that the Pole will replace Ash Barty in the WTA rankings.
Ashleigh Barty, the world’s number one tennis player, shocked the tennis world when she announced her retirement at the age of 25 on 23rd March, Wednesday. In an Instagram video, Barty expressed her gratitude for “everything this sport has given me” before announcing that it was the “right” time for her to put her “racquets down.”
Nevertheless, the Australian tennis star, who has previously demonstrated her remarkable skills in the Women’s Big Bash League, quits as the world’s top-ranked tennis player after more than two years at the top.
“She definitely was a future world No.1”- Mats Wilander
Iga Swiatek, the current world No. 2, is the favourite to succeed Barty at the top of the WTA rankings. To accomplish so, the 2020 French Open champion will just need a single victory at the Miami Open this week. In light of this, former World No. 1 Mat Wilander praised the Pole as a “Complete” player in an interview with Eurosport, revealing that she “definitely was a future world No. 1.”
“She [Swiatek] is ready for that [being world No. 1] because she won Roland-Garros and she won it easily without dropping a single set. She has done well in the other Grand Slams. She has been preparing herself to be in the spotlight of professional tennis for a long time, and the reason I would say that is that she has been travelling with a psychologist sometimes. She is very close to that part of her tennis, which is part of life, and that is to mentally be ready,” the 7-time grand slam champion expressed.
Wilander, who himself acquired the top position back in the days, appreciated the Pole’s maturity Whilst declaring that Swiatek’s willingness to learn and explore more are the important aspects that will propel her to new heights. “I think for Iga Swiatek, she definitely was a future world No. 1, and now it comes, most probably earlier than we had all expected, but she is very complete as a player. She was very mature as a player, and she is very willing to explore all the different options to become a better tennis player and to enjoy the sport more. So it is no surprise.”
Iga Swiatek is just one win away from achieving the World No.1 ranking
After announcing her retirement on Thursday, Ashleigh Barty stated she would drop out of the WTA rankings, allowing Poland’s Iga Swiatek to take over as world number one. Swiatek, 20, is 2,204 points behind Barty in the rankings, but when the new list is released on Monday, there will be a new number one, and the Pole who is in second place is in a great position to be that.
Nevertheless, Swiatek takes on world No. 42 Viktorija Golubic in her first test on Friday evening in Miami, trying to get one step closer to the title and earn the honourable rating.
Pritha Ghosh
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