Remember the last time an American tennis titan, man or woman, waltzed across Centre Court and lifted the Wimbledon trophy with sheer dominance? In 2016, Serena Williams, already a global icon, delivered a chilling message after equaling Steffi Graf’s modern-era record at Wimbledon: “For anyone else in this whole planet, it would be a wonderful accomplishment. For me, it’s not enough.” That fire, that unrelenting hunger — has anyone captured that spirit since? According to legendary coach and Serena’s own childhood mentor Rick Macci, someone just might have. After Iga Swiatek’s breathtaking Wimbledon triumph, Macci drew a stunning Serena parallel that has sent shockwaves through tennis. You’ll want to read this.

On a sunlit Saturday afternoon, former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek summoned her absolute best when it mattered most. After steamrolling past Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-0 in the semifinals, the Polish powerhouse made tennis history by ‘double-bageling’ Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the Wimbledon final. This dominant display marked the first time since Steffi Graf’s 1988 French Open that a Slam final ended with such ruthless precision.

Already in the conversation with legends like Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, Swiatek’s grass-court conquest has elevated her into rarefied air. Now, a legendary coach has turned up the volume, comparing Swiatek’s ferocity and dominance to none other than Serena Williams. The echoes of greatness are getting louder.

Rick Macci, the mastermind behind the early rise of Serena and Venus Williams, recently took to his X handle and drew a blistering comparison between Iga Swiatek and one of his most iconic former protégés. With praise as sharp as Swiatek’s forehand, Macci wrote, “Iga had the mindset to be more aggressive and dictate on grass. Easier said than done, but the Polisher Punisher stepped up, stepped in, and the competition was done.” His words weren’t just a compliment; they were a battle cry, recognizing the mental transformation that fueled Swiatek’s Wimbledon domination.

But Macci didn’t stop there. He went a step further, calling out Swiatek’s relentless mindset in a way that evoked memories of Serena’s prime. “Iga is one of the best we have seen mentally since Serena. At Wimbledon once she got a hold of you she was like a Polish Pitbull and would not let go,” he declared. That kind of hunger, grit, and refusal to back down under pressure is rare, and Macci sees the same fire in Swiatek that once burned through Serena’s legendary career.

Still, the path ahead for Iga Swiatek remains steep. Serena Williams is widely regarded as the greatest of all time, having amassed 23 Grand Slam singles titles, four Olympic golds, and the unique feat of a Career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. At Wimbledon alone, Serena reigned seven times in singles, clashing with and conquering some of the game’s best, including her own sister Venus. Add to that six doubles crowns at SW19 and a Mixed Doubles Grand Slam title at just 16, and her resume becomes almost mythical.

Yet Swiatek, with six Grand Slam by age 24, is positioning herself to write a new chapter. The comparisons are growing louder, and the momentum is undeniable. 

With her psychologist recently unveiling the internal shift behind her Wimbledon breakthrough, it’s clear that Swiatek’s story isn’t just about results; it’s about evolution. And if she keeps growing at this pace, the echoes of Serena may soon become footsteps she walks beside, not behind.

Daria Abramowicz unveils crucial change in Swiatek’s mindset

Once ranked as low as No. 8 after a string of underwhelming performances, Iga Swiatek’s drop in form earlier this season came with a surprising silver lining. Expectations, for once, weren’t crushing her. “I could really focus on getting better as a player rather than everybody just asking me to win, win, and nothing is good besides winning,” she admitted. That shift in external pressure may have sparked something, but it was her inner fire that truly flipped the switch.

Her psychologist, Daria Abramowicz, recently peeled back the curtain on what truly fueled Swiatek’s meteoric resurgence. In a revealing chat with TVN24’s ‘Fakty po Faktach’, Abramowicz said that belief only started to bloom during Swiatek’s semi-final showdown with Belinda Bencic. But it was Rome, not London, where the roots of change took hold. “A very important time was definitely after the tournament in Rome,” Abramowicz shared. “The whole team had several very important, not necessarily pleasant, conversations, where Iga’s attitude changed somewhat.”

That transformation wasn’t about tactics; it was mental muscle. “She really stepped up her game on the court. She changed her approach to certain issues. She then consistently implemented this at Roland Garros. This work was largely based on changing her beliefs, on building a sense of effectiveness and confidence in her ability to utilize her strengths,” Abramowicz explained. 

Nobody could’ve predicted the demolition job Swiatek delivered in the Wimbledon final. A 6-0, 6-0 scoreline in a Grand Slam final? Unthinkable until she did it. Just 57 minutes was all it took for Swiatek to etch her name in the Open Era record books. Abramowicz emphasized how her awareness bloomed in the process, how Swiatek finally believed she had the tools to thrive, even in environments once thought to be her kryptonite.

Now riding the wave of her 6th career slam, Swiatek’s gaze turns to New York. The hard courts await, but so do Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff, two fearless rivals breathing down her neck. 

Can the “Polish Pitbull” sink her teeth into another slam? The US Open is calling.