WATCH: Coach Wim Fissette reveals Iga Swiatek’s ‘toughest opponent’ and she’s not Aryna Sabalenka
Belgian coach Wim Fissette revealed who is Iga Swiatek's toughest opponent as against her the Pole doesn't lead in head-to-head meetings.
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Wim Fissette said Elena Rybakina is Iga Swiatek's toughest opponent (Images via X)
Iga Swiatek has been a dominating force in women’s tennis in recent years, especially when she plays on clay. She leads in the head-to-head records over the other top players, including Aryna Sabalenka, except one player.
Swiatek leads 8-4 over Sabalenka, while against reigning WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff, Swiatek is 11-2. The 23-year-old’s coach Wim Fissette when in an interview with Przeglad Sportowy, asked about her ‘toughest opponent’, said it’s Elena Rybakina.
Here’s the video:
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Although Sabalenka edges the World No. 6 6-4 in their head-to-head contest, the latter has better records over Swiatek. The Pole has won just two matches in their six encounters.
They first met in 2021 in Ostrava which Swiatek won. In their last meeting in the semifinal of the 2024 Stuttgart Open, the World No. 2 was downed in three sets by Rybakina who later beat Marta Kostyuk in the final to win the tournament.
Fissette, who previously coached Grand Slam champions Angelique Kerber and Kim Clijsters also said Swiatek’s biggest strength is her ‘mentality’ which is ‘tough’. When asked if Swiatek needs to play aggressively, Fissette said, ‘no’.
Wim Fissette said he did not doubt Iga Swiatek after hearing about failed dope test
Iga Swiatek failed a drug test in August before the Cincinnati Open because of which the prize money she won was forfeited. She was then suspended for three weeks and missed three Asian tournaments.
Although Swiatek had initially said she took a break due to personal reasons, she parted ways with Polish coach Tomasz Wiktorowski and started her search for a new coach. Around that time, Naomi Osaka split with Wim Fissette who then joined Swiatek’s team.
Fissette, upon hearing that Swiatek had failed a drug test, did not have a shadow of doubt about her innocence and expected the matter to soon wrap up in her favor. He had also a ‘lot of respect for the way she handled that situation’.
No, because the way she and her agent explained everything to me made me feel like it wasn’t going to be a big deal in the future. It’s a microcontamination. She proved that she bought the medication and that the entire batch was contaminated.
Wim Fissette told Onet
The International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) verdict did not cause any harm to Swiatek’s career as a one-month ban was only handed to her which she has already served, causing no hindrance to her schedule further.
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Gouri Das
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