By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday June 25, 2024
As Wimbledon approaches Iga Swiatek will look to increase her Grand Slam empire to the hallowed lawns of the All England Membership. The World No.1, now a five-time main champion, can have her fingers full, nevertheless.
With a recreation seemingly constructed for the pink clay, Swiatek should now start a Grand Slam journey with no aggressive matches on grass below her belt, whereas being simply three weeks faraway from a taxing romp via the clay that noticed her play occasions in Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome and Roland-Garros.
Add to that the truth that the Pole has by no means been past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, and you may see why the duty forward is so daunting.
“She performed loads of tournaments. I do know she talked about how exhausted she was,” 18-time main champion Chris Evert stated in a convention name to advertise ESPN’s protection of the Championships on Tuesday.
Seven-time Roland-Garros champion Evert, who received Wimbledon 3 times throughout her storied profession, is aware of higher than any lady the perils of taking part in Wimbledon after a taxing grind in Paris.
“There’s a letdown if you win the French Open, if you win a serious,” she stated. “There’s an actual letdown. There’s put on and tear on the physique. You’re exhausted.”
🇫🇷 Merci Paris. You’re my favourite place to play, smile and put on some good outfits every now and then. 🫶🏼 @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/uVWxdAbdb4
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) June 9, 2024
Including complexity to this yr’s equation is the truth that Swiatek and lots of others will head again to the clay this summer season to organize for the Paris Olympic Video games. Perhaps there’s a hazard that some gamers – Swiatek included – may not absolutely immerse themselves within the quest for grass success as they’d have in different, much less busy seasons.
“At the back of her thoughts, she’s most likely fascinated by the Olympics,” Evert stated. “I’m wondering the place her head is true now so far as Wimbledon.”
Even with out the Olympics looming, Wimbledon could be a problem for Swiatek as a result of on grass she offers up a few of the aggressive benefit that she enjoys on her beloved clay.
Evert believes that grass is difficult in some ways for Swiatek.
“It actually is probably the most difficult of all of the majors [for her] due to a number of issues,” she stated. “Her candy spot once more is shoulder excessive the place she hits her winners. Proper now the grass courts bounce somewhat bit decrease. She has to hit the ball between the ankle and the waist. With that western grip, it’s actually arduous to get beneath the ball and to get some form on it.
“She doesn’t win loads of free factors together with her serve, and that’s going to harm her as properly. The great thing about her recreation was the way in which she was sliding on the clay, then the way in which she acquired again into level, again into the court docket so properly. That’s going to be arduous to do additionally on grass.”
Evert believes that the sector can have extra confidence that they’ll defeat Swiatek, who owns a 9-4 lifetime document at Wimbledon, in comparison with 35-2 lifetime on the Parisian clay, on the grass.
“I simply suppose grass is an equalizer for her,” she says. “The opposite gamers, like Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, they’re going to really feel like she doesn’t have loads of confidence, she’s by no means finished higher than the quarterfinals.”
Then once more, there’s a sure confidence that comes with being a five-time main champion, and Swiatek made important enhancements to her grass-court recreation in 2023, a season that noticed right here reel off a career-best successful streak of seven on the floor earlier than she fell to Elina Svitolina within the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
Simply because Evert is aware of of the challenges that Swiatek will face this yr on the grass, it doesn’t suggest the American legend cannot image Swiatek elevating the Venus Rosewater dish on Saturday July 12.
“There’s no one stronger than her mentally,” Evert stated of Swiatek. “She has a fantastic return of serve. I feel she will win Wimbledon. I feel she will. Folks that rely her out this yr are foolish.”
A pair of @rolandgarros champions observe at SW19 🤩#Wimbledon | @iga_swiatek | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/8P1TQ3Ozck
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 24, 2024
A tactical shift?
Talking on the identical ESPN convention name, Patrick McEnroe said his perception that Swiatek’s unwillingness to regulate techniques towards large hitters has led to her downfall. He thinks she ought to take a web page from Novak Djokovic’s playbook and use her world-class motion and racquet expertise to debunk her attackers.
“When she is aggressive and he or she’s on, she’s just about unbeatable,” McEnroe stated. “If somebody can out-hit her, it’s nearly like she desires to out-hit them much more. That’s the place she will get into issues.
“I feel she ought to watch Novak Djokovic, for instance, on grass. Djokovic can play offensive if he must and if he desires to. He can even sit again and play somewhat bit extra of a defensive recreation, utilizing his pace.
“If she really took a step again and performed somewhat extra proportion tennis, used her pace and her guile, she might win matches and win majors like Wimbledon or the Australian Open by doing that.”
