IGA SWIATEK admitted she never imagined reaching the Wimbledon final after a commanding 6-2, 6-0 semi-final victory over Belinda Bencic. The Polish star needed just 71 minutes to secure her place in Saturday’s championship match, where she will face Amanda Anisimova.
Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, has traditionally excelled on clay, winning four French Open titles. Grass has been her least successful surface, making this run to the final an unexpected achievement. “Honestly, I never even dreamed that it’s going to be possible for me to play in the final,“ said the 24-year-old.
Her previous best performance at Wimbledon was a quarter-final appearance in 2023. Despite her dominance in Paris and a 2022 US Open triumph, Swiatek has struggled to replicate that form on grass. However, a recent final at Bad Homburg signaled her growing comfort on the surface.
Swiatek has dropped only one set at this year’s tournament, yet her progress has gone somewhat unnoticed. “I’m just super-excited and proud of myself,“ she said. “Tennis keeps surprising.”
Her opponent, Anisimova, defeated top seed Aryna Sabalenka in a grueling three-set semi-final. The American, ranked 13th, has never faced Swiatek professionally. “For sure, she must be playing great,“ Swiatek acknowledged. “She knows how to play on grass.”
The Polish star emphasized the need to trust her instincts on grass, where rallies are shorter and tactics differ from clay or hard courts. “You kind of have to follow your instincts,“ she said. “This is kind of fun in some way.”
With a chance to claim her first Wimbledon title, Swiatek remains cautiously optimistic. “I haven’t watched a lot, so I’m going to just prepare tactically tomorrow,“ she said. - AFP
