Getting more crazy every year, which is scary” – Iga Swiatek voices concern as she opens up about playing through the “toughest” calendar in sports

Iga Swiatek recently expressed her concerns about navigating through the rigorous calendar in tennis. She said that the playing schedule is becoming increasingly demanding each year.

Swiatek has been enjoying a remarkable season so far. She claimed her first title of the season at the 2024 Qatar Open by defeating Elena Rybakina in the final. The Pole then went on to secure the BNP Paribas Open title at Indian Wells by defeating Maria Sakkari in the championship match.

The World No. 1 then clinched the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, both of which she won by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. She next triumphed at the French Open, securing her first Grand Slam title of the season by defeating Jasmine Paolini in the final. This was her third consecutive French Open title and her fifth Grand Slam title overall.

Most recently, Iga Swiatek competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics where she was the top seed. She defeated the likes of Irina-Camelia Begu, Diane Parry and Wang Xinyu in the first three rounds.

The Pole then overcame eighth seed Danielle Collins in the quarterfinals before falling to sixth seed and eventual gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. However, Swiatek redeemed herself by clinching the bronze medal after defeating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
“Gevery year, which i

Iga Swiatek recently expressed her concerns about navigating through the rigorous calendar in tennis. She said that the playing schedule is becoming increasingly demanding each year.

Swiatek has been enjoying a remarkable season so far. She claimed her first title of the season at the 2024 Qatar Open by defeating Elena Rybakina in the final. The Pole then went on to secure the BNP Paribas Open title at Indian Wells by defeating Maria Sakkari in the championship match.

The World No. 1 then clinched the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, both of which she won by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final. She next triumphed at the French Open, securing her first Grand Slam title of the season by defeating Jasmine Paolini in the final. This was her third consecutive French Open title and her fifth Grand Slam title overall.

 

Most recently, Iga Swiatek competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics where she was the top seed. She defeated the likes of Irina-Camelia Begu, Diane Parry and Wang Xinyu in the first three rounds.

The Pole then overcame eighth seed Danielle Collins in the quarterfinals before falling to sixth seed and eventual gold medalist Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. However, Swiatek redeemed herself by clinching the bronze medal after defeating Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.

Currently, Iga Swiatek is preparing to compete at the 2024 Cincinnati Open, where she is the top seed. She will start her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye and will face either Ajla Tomljanovic or qualifier Varvara Gracheva in the opening round.

While speaking to the press before commencing her campaign at the Cincinnati Open, Iga Swiatek stated that tennis has the most demanding and the “toughest” schedule in all of sports which invariably takes a huge toll on the players’ bodies.

The 23-year-old expressed that the intensity of schedules is increasing year after year, thus the players have to train “wisely.”

“Our calendar is crazy, probably the toughest one in sports. There are sports that are really tough because, physically, you might get beat up. But most sports have four months off, sometimes even six. Our schedule is crazy, and it’s getting more crazy every year, which is scary. You just have to train wisely,” Iga Swiatek said.

Last year, Iga Swiatek had a semifinal run at the Cincinnati Open, which was also her best performance at the WTA 1000 hard-court event to date.

Swiatek was the top seed and had begun her campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. She dominated wildcard Danielle Collins with a score of 6-1, 6-0 in the opening round and then overcame Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 in the third round.

In the quarterfinals, the World No. 1 defeated the-then reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-6(3), 6-1 before facing seventh seed and eventual champion Coco Gauff in the semifinals. Despite a valiant effort, Swiatek fell to Gauff 6-7(2), 6-3, 4-6, who then went on to defeat Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-4 in the final to claim her first WTA 1000 title.