Women’s world No.1 Iga Swaitek says it is ‘obvious’ that support should be given to those in Ukraine amid the ongoing war.
Swiatek, who has been one of the most vocal supporters of providing help to those in the war-affection region, was thanked for her efforts by Ukranian player Lesia Tsurenko following their clash at the Italian Open on Sunday. The Pole dropped only two games during her 6-2, 6-0, win over the world No.68. It is the third time in two matches played in Italy this year that she has won a set without dropping a game.
“She thanked me for supporting Ukraine, but she did it also before in Miami. It’s really nice and I really appreciate that,” Swiatek said of her interaction with Tsurenko at the net.
“I think there’s nothing to kind of thank for because for me it’s pretty obvious that we should support Ukraine. I will do that until the war is going to end.’
“But I know that they are in a tough situation, so I have a lot of empathy for all the Ukrainian players.”
Earlier this year, the three-time Grand Slam champion called on the WTA to provide more assistance to players from Ukraine on the Tour. She has also criticized Anastasia Potapova for wearing a Spartak Moscow football jersey in Indian Wells and questioned the International Olympic Committee over their stance regarding the participation of Russian athletes.
Swiatek has now won 49 out of 50 matches played on the clay where she has won the first set. Her only loss was to Karolina Muchova at the 2019 Prague Open. In Rome, she is aiming to go one step further than Madrid where she finished runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka who has already been knocked out of the tournament.
This year is the first time both Madrid and Rome are being played over multiple weeks. This itself can pose a stern challenge for some players but Swiatek believes she is mentally prepared thanks to the support of her team.
“I think I’m ready to handle that kind of pressure and that kind of intensity,” she commented.
“Of course, it isn’t easy. My team took care of my recovery in between the tournaments. I had three days off. It’s actually a lot. I was able to kind of reset and just kind of forget about Madrid, be fresh again. I think the proper recovery is the key.’
“But we’ll see in the second week of the tournament because it’s long and it’s tricky. The calendar seems more and more tight. I would really appreciate having like two more days to practice and get the rhythm a little bit. I’m trying to be pretty patient with that and just also kind of gaining during matches.”
Swiatek is bidding to become the first woman since Conchita Martinez in the mid-1990s to win a third consecutive Rome title. She will next play either Donna Vekic or Liudmila Samsonova.
