Growing up with different kinds of sports, it is not entirely wrong to think that Jannik Sinner would excel even in baseball. And Iga Swiatek is also of the same opinion.

When the Pole was asked to build a Baseball World Series roster, the Italian was one of the people in the list alongside Ashleigh Barty, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams. However, the specific reasoning she gave for Sinner had people chuckling.

“Jannik, because he has long arms,” said Swiatek in a fun clip posted by the WTA Tour.

The Pole’s reasoning is not that far off, as hypothetically having long arms would make the Italian a strong hitter in baseball. Her squad also consisted of some of her favorite stars, Taylor Swift and Tom Holland and also included her coach Francisco Roig on the roster.

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Let alone baseball, Sinner’s long arms are a massive weapon for the Italian on the tennis court as well, as the longer limbs give the World No.1 extra court coverage while getting to balls from the corners, as well as being a formidable threat at the net.

It’s not a surprise that Sinner was on Swiatek’s team as the Pole has always held the Italian in high regard and endorses his mentality of having a strong work ethic. The two had swept the Wimbledon titles last year, after which they danced together at the Champions’ dinner, a memory that is very special to the Pole.

Swiatek is not the only top-ranked WTA player to have shown their appreciation for Sinner’s on-court exploits. World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka also made her pick among Sinner and Alcaraz, with the Belarusian picking the Italian, while also admitting she felt bad for Sinner when he lost the classic five-set final against Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open last year.

Swiatek will need to be as clutch as Sinner as the Pole faces a familiar opponent in her next match in Toronto, someone who beat her the last time they played.

Iga Swiatek Set to Face a Familiar Opponent in Toronto

Swiatek has started strong at the Canadian Open, blowing away the likes of Sara Bejlek and Viktorija Golubic in the first couple of rounds. However, the real test for the Pole awaits in the next round as she prepares to face Marta Kostyuk in the next round.

One would argue that Swiatek has had the upper hand over Kostyuk in their rivalry, as the Pole has a 3-1 lead in the head-to-head, but it is the last match that the duo played that might have a stronger bearing in the upcoming match. The Ukrainian beat Swiatek at the French Open this year, which is no mean feat given the former World No.1’s record on the Parisian clay.

Moreover, the loss was the manner in which Swiatek lost to Kostyuk and the Pole’s subsequent reaction at the press conference. Swiatek led Kostyuk twice in the first set but could not hold on to her advantage, losing the first set, following which the second set was a trainwreck for the six-time Major champion, as she lost it 6-1. After the match, Swiatek candidly confessed to “feeling tense”, something that hindered her while she was ahead on the scoreboards.

Given Kostyuk’s form on the natural surfaces, with the Ukrainian making consecutive semifinals at the French Open and at Wimbledon, one can expect her to give Swiatek a proper fight in the upcoming match in Toronto. The Ukrainian has been in great form in Canada, winning against Katherine Sebov and then securing a dominant victory over the high-quality Madison Keys.