‘She’s a Fighter’ – Iga Swiatek on Sharing Intense Rivalry With Simona Halep on Tour

Iga Swiatek, the world’s no.1 polish star, is also the youngest in the top 10 WTA ranking. She is currently competing for the title in Miami. Even though she is facing some of the best players in women’s tennis, her matches look like one-way traffic. She appears to be in a completely different league, taking easy wins in most of the games. However, her humble nature remains constant and refreshing.

Adding to that, in Miami, she has booked her seat to the quarterfinals by snatching the fourth-round victory over Coco Gauff. The 18-year-old lost two consecutive sets by 3-6, 1-6 serving the match on a platter to Swiatek. Post her victory, Swiatek spoke about Halep in the press conference.

Iga Swiatek Thinks of Halep as a Role Model

Simona Halep has withdrawn from the ongoing tournament, the two times Grand Slam champion will step back owing to her leg injury. Upon being asked how it is playing against Halep, Iga said, “Oh, it’s always really hard mentally, for sure, but also physically. She’s that kind of player who is never giving up.”

“She’s a fighter, and I’m pretty happy that I had the opportunity to play against her. It’s not often to play so many times against players who have been on tour for more than 10 years. I learned a lot through, like, every match against her. I feel like she’s been that kind of person who, you know, makes tennis more popular in Romania and in Europe, so she’s a great like role model.” She added.

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The 30-year-old has had a decent run this year as she climbed up to the semifinals of Indian Wells and was one among the last 16 of the Australian Open. The injury will keep her out for weeks. However, she will hopefully make a comeback before the clay-court season.

What Lies Ahead for Swiatek?

Iga Swiatek is currently on a 14 match win streak. Adding to that, she has conquered two consecutive tournaments, one in Qatar and the other in Indian Wells. She is now on a quest for the third one. After defeating Coco Gauff in the round of 16, she has secured her position in the last 8 of Miami.

She will lock horns with Czech professional Petra Kvitova on 3oth March in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open. The latter has shown great endurance throughout this tournament, particularly in the fourth round in which she clawed back from a 4-0 down to 6-4 in the second set post her fierce first set.

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However, Swiatek is in her best form and has taken victory over the past two hard courts. It will be a tough bet for Petra as Swiatek is currently ruling the game.