Iga Swiatek, the Polish tennis sensation, is poised for a triumphant return to the pinnacle of women’s tennis, according to Rick Macci, the legendary coach who shaped the early careers of Serena and Venus Williams. Following Swiatek’s stunning Wimbledon 2025 victory, where she obliterated Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to claim her sixth Grand Slam title, Macci boldly predicted that the 24-year-old would reclaim the World No. 1 ranking from Aryna Sabalenka before the year’s end. “It will happen sooner than later as Iga will again be number one on the planet because her mind is made of granite. Not a lot of points to defend and the Polish Punisher will be number one by years end,” Macci declared on social media, his confidence in Swiatek’s mental fortitude and strategic positioning igniting excitement for the hard-court season.
Swiatek’s 2025 campaign has been a tale of resilience and redemption. After a challenging start, marked by a semifinal loss to Madison Keys at the Australian Open, a quarterfinal exit to Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart, and a shocking third-round defeat to Danielle Collins at the Italian Open, her ranking slipped to a low of No. 8. Clay, her traditionally dominant surface, offered little solace, with a crushing 6-0 third-set loss to Sabalenka in the French Open semifinals. “Iga will be fine. She is a champion. But this might get more tricky before a treat,” Macci cautioned earlier in the season, noting her mental struggles after a 6-1, 6-1 Madrid Open semifinal loss to Coco Gauff. Yet, Swiatek’s grass-court transformation was nothing short of spectacular. A runner-up finish at Bad Homburg, followed by her Wimbledon masterclass, where she dropped just one set en route to a historic double-bagel final, propelled her to No. 3 with 6,813 points.
Macci, who coached Serena Williams to her first Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 1998, sees parallels between Swiatek’s mental toughness and the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s relentless drive. “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 said, praising her ability to adapt on grass, a surface once considered her weakest. Swiatek’s work with coach Wim Fissette, focusing on her serve and forehand, paid dividends. “Overall, we worked a lot on my forehand and the serve. I think the serve, from the beginning when we started working together, was the main key,” Swiatek noted post-Wimbledon, crediting her technical adjustments for her 8-1 grass-court record in 2025.
With Sabalenka holding a commanding lead at 12,420 points, Swiatek faces a 5,607-point gap, but Macci believes her lighter points-defending schedule gives her an edge. Sabalenka, the 2024 US Open champion, must defend titles in Cincinnati, Wuhan, and New York, while Swiatek has fewer points at stake, having not won a title since the 2024 French Open. “Not a lot of points to defend and the Polish Punisher will be number one by years end,” Macci reiterated, emphasizing her mental resilience and 42-11 win-loss record this season. Swiatek’s 37-match winning streak in 2022, which Macci called “breaking more records than the Beatles,” underscores her potential to dominate again.
The upcoming Canadian Open, starting July 27, and the Cincinnati Open offer Swiatek chances to close the gap, with her best prior results being semifinals at both. “Iga is breaking more records than the Beatles. If you back the truck up and take a look at her career, she is the best player this century,” Macci declared, placing her above contemporaries like Sabalenka and Gauff, who sits at No. 2 with 7,669 points. Critics who questioned Swiatek’s Wimbledon draw, noting she faced no top-10 players, were swiftly rebuffed by Macci: “She did not beat them, she punished them.” As Swiatek prepares for the US Open, her water-filled post-Wimbledon getaway—jet-skiing and diving with friends—signals a refreshed mindset. With Macci’s bold prediction and her granite-like resolve, Swiatek is poised to reclaim her throne, cementing her status as the era’s defining player.
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