“She Proved You Can Do It Alone”: Iga Swiatek Speaks Highly of Compatriot Agnieszka Radwanska

Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek took the world by storm when she lifted the French Open trophy in 2020. She became the first person from her nation to win a Grand Slam title. After Rafael Nadal and Monica Seles, she became the first teenager to achieve such a milestone. 

In recent years, prior to Iga Swiatek, there was another Pole, Agnieszka Radwanska, who created quite a name for herself. The 31-year-old former player went through various difficulties while grooming herself to compete against the best players. Swiatek indicates that Radwanska created a path for youngsters to believe in their abilities and showed a way to fight against the odds.

Iga Swiatek: “Mainly watched Rafael Nadal’s matches”

The defending Roland Garros champion stated, “Aga wasn’t my idol because, as I said, I mainly watched men’s tennis and Nadal matches. But she was an incredible inspiration for young players from Poland. It showed that it is possible to play at the highest level even if we don’t have the best funding system in our country. With her great career, she has proven that you can do it alone and that it is worth fighting for.”  

Agnieszka never won a Grand Slam title but she reached the final of Wimbledon in 2012. Besides, she’s been a semifinalist at the Australian Open on two occasions, in 2014 and 2016. During her career, she won 20 titles on the women’s Tour. 

Coming back to Iga, she was seen at the Australian Open this season, and her exit came in the fourth round. In the previous week, she lifted her first WTA title at Adelaide International. She beat Belinda Bencic in the final and won the tournament without dropping a set, till its conclusion. 

Also Read: Iga Swiatek Reaches Career High Ranking After Win Over Belinda Bencic at WTA Adelaide International 2021