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By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday June 25, 2024
As Wimbledon approaches Iga Swiatek will look to broaden her Grand Slam empire to the hallowed lawns of the All England Membership. The World No.1, now a five-time main champion, may have her arms full, nonetheless.
With a sport seemingly constructed for the purple clay, Swiatek should now begin a Grand Slam journey with no aggressive matches on grass underneath her belt, whereas being simply three weeks faraway from a taxing romp by way of the clay that noticed her play occasions in Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome and Roland-Garros.
Add to that the truth that the Pole has by no means been past the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, and you’ll see why the duty forward is so daunting.
“She performed lots of tournaments. I do know she talked about how exhausted she was,” 18-time main champion Chris Evert mentioned in a convention name to advertise ESPN’s protection of the Championships on Tuesday.
Seven-time Roland-Garros champion Evert, who received Wimbledon thrice throughout her storied profession, is aware of higher than any girl the perils of enjoying Wimbledon after a taxing grind in Paris.
“There’s a letdown once you win the French Open, once you win a significant,” she mentioned. “There’s an actual letdown. There’s put on and tear on the physique. You’re exhausted.”
🇫🇷 Merci Paris. You’re my favourite place to play, smile and put on some good outfits now and again. 🫶🏼 @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/uVWxdAbdb4
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) June 9, 2024
Including complexity to this 12 months’s equation is the truth that Swiatek and plenty of others will head again to the clay this summer time to organize for the Paris Olympic Video games. Perhaps there’s a hazard that some gamers – Swiatek included – may not absolutely immerse themselves within the quest for grass success as they might have in different, much less busy seasons.
“At the back of her thoughts, she’s in all probability fascinated by the Olympics,” Evert mentioned. “I ponder the place her head is correct now so far as Wimbledon.”
Even with out the Olympics looming, Wimbledon can be a problem for Swiatek as a result of on grass she offers up a few of the aggressive benefit that she enjoys on her beloved clay.
Evert believes that grass is difficult in some ways for Swiatek.
“It actually is probably the most difficult of all of the majors [for her] due to a number of issues,” she mentioned. “Her candy spot once more is shoulder excessive the place she hits her winners. Proper now the grass courts bounce slightly bit decrease. She has to hit the ball between the ankle and the waist. With that western grip, it’s actually exhausting to get beneath the ball and to get some form on it.
“She doesn’t win lots of free factors along with her serve, and that’s going to harm her as effectively. The fantastic thing about her sport was the best way she was sliding on the clay, then the best way she bought again into level, again into the courtroom so effectively. That’s going to be exhausting to do additionally on grass.”
Evert believes that the sphere may have extra confidence that they’ll defeat Swiatek, who owns a 9-4 lifetime report at Wimbledon, in comparison with 35-2 lifetime on the Parisian clay, on the grass.
“I simply suppose grass is an equalizer for her,” she says. “The opposite gamers, like Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, they’re going to really feel like she doesn’t have lots of confidence, she’s by no means finished higher than the quarterfinals.”
Then once more, there’s a sure confidence that comes with being a five-time main champion, and Swiatek made vital enhancements to her grass-court sport in 2023, a season that noticed right here reel off a career-best successful streak of seven on the floor earlier than she fell to Elina Svitolina within the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
Simply because Evert is aware of of the challenges that Swiatek will face this 12 months on the grass, it does not imply the American legend cannot image Swiatek elevating the Venus Rosewater dish on Saturday July 12.
“There’s no person stronger than her mentally,” Evert mentioned of Swiatek. “She has an awesome return of serve. I feel she will win Wimbledon. I feel she will. Those who rely her out this 12 months are foolish.”
A pair of @rolandgarros champions follow at SW19 🤩#Wimbledon | @iga_swiatek | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/8P1TQ3Ozck
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 24, 2024
A tactical shift?
Talking on the identical ESPN convention name, Patrick McEnroe said his perception that Swiatek’s unwillingness to regulate ways in opposition to massive hitters has led to her downfall. He thinks she ought to take a web page from Novak Djokovic’s playbook and use her world-class motion and racquet abilities to debunk her attackers.
“When she is aggressive and she or he’s on, she’s just about unbeatable,” McEnroe mentioned. “If somebody can out-hit her, it’s virtually like she desires to out-hit them much more. That’s the place she will get into issues.
“I feel she ought to watch Novak Djokovic, for instance, on grass. Djokovic can play offensive if he must and if he desires to. He may also sit again and play slightly bit extra of a defensive sport, utilizing his pace.
“If she truly took a step again and performed slightly extra share tennis, used her pace and her guile, she may win matches and win majors like Wimbledon or the Australian Open by doing that.”
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