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‘Hingis on Steroids’- Despite Coco Gauff’s Steep Rise, Former Serena Williams’ Coach Reaffirms Iga Swiatek’s Dominance With a Resounding Message

Published 10/18/2023, 11:26 AM EDT

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Iga Swiatek is breaking boundaries on the tennis court! After being number one for a good amount of time, she now stands at the second rank. Apparently, after showing great success at such an early age, she has proven herself to be one of the toughest competitors currently present in the tennis arena. Last year, she broke an unbelievable record that was there for around 25 years.

Even after a season of ups and downs, she recently received a message from Serena Williams‘ childhood coach, Rick Macci, that will most likely make her year even better. The American tennis coach not only made a powerful assertion, but he also provided a suitable example of Martina Hingis to provide support for his statement.

Serena Williams’ childhood coach addresses Iga Swiatek as a ‘leader’

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After being a part of the tennis circuit for more than 50 years, Macci can read tennis players and their strengths just by looking at their performances. And recently, he took to his YouTube channel to share a video regarding an assessment he made of the four-time Grand Slam champion. Along with that, he also brought in the former Swiss tennis legend’s example to support his argument.

Although the 2023 US Open champion Gauff is on the rise, according to the American Tennis Coach, the world number 2 ranked tennis player is someone who can give tough competition. He said, “She’s brutal off the ground. She kind of reminds me of Hingis on steroids the way she’s like whipping those angles she’s not going anywhere. She’s a proven champion; anybody that wins 37 in a row they’ve been there done.” 

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The 22-year-old tennis star created the longest WTA winning streak by winning 37 matches in a row. Not only was this something that was seen after 25 years but it was previously broken by the five-time Grand Slam champion, Hingis.

Apart from that, he also talked about her performance on the clay court. He said, “It’s all said and done, especially on a clay court where she has a little more time, she’s definitely the leader in the clubhouse.” 

Nevertheless, last year, he also praised her by calling her ‘Polish Rifle,’ at the time when she won the French Open title by defeating her 19-year-old opponent, Coco Gauff. In addition, he also brought in a Serena Williams reference to address the Pole’s competitive side.

When Macci called Iga Swiatek a ‘Polish Rifle’

Last year, the four-time Grand Slam champion created history by winning the French Open title. After the amazing victory, she received praise not only from the tennis world but also from the 42-year-old tennis legend’s childhood coach. Macci wrote an encouraging message on Twitter for the Polish tennis player. He wrote, “If Serena gets in unreal shape, then we will have the COMPTON COMET versus the POLISH RIFLE coming to a court near you.” 

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Along with that, he also stated how it would be a great thing to watch the 23-time Grand Slam champion compete against the rising tennis star, Swiatek. While the 69-year-old American coach has shown stern belief in the second-ranked tennis player’s competitive spirit, it will be interesting to watch his words come true.

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What do you think about Macci’s assessment? Post your comments in the space provided below.

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Written by:

Pratishtha Prakash

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Pratishtha Prakash is a Senior Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. With over 1600 articles under her name, she has an unbridled passion for covering the intriguing developments in the off-court lives of the biggest tennis stars. Pratishtha entered the dynamic world of sports journalism after completing her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media and Journalism.
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Edited by:

Aishwary Gaonkar