After several players announced their decision to skip the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, Iga Swiatek has spoken out on why she remains committed to competing at the international event.
Top WTA stars including Emma Raducanu, Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur have stated they won’t be participating at the quadrennial event, due to the demanding physical toll when switching from clay to grass back to clay. The Olympics will be held in Paris following Wimbledon, on the clay courts of Roland Garros. However, Swiatek believes the transition between surfaces should not be an issue.
Swiatek ready to compete despite quick turnaround
“I want to be successful wherever I play, you know? We do not underestimate any tournament, especially a Grand Slam,” said the World No 1. “But I realise that I haven’t fully discovered my potential on grass yet. So I’ll concentrate on work. Generally, the preparations will not be any different due to the Olympics.
“We will start thinking about [the Olympics] only after Wimbledon, because in tennis it’s not like you have to be in shape for literally two weeks. We rather have to be in top form four or five times a year. Physically it is not always possible, but we will prepare as best we can and we will see.”
Furthermore, the defending Roland Garros champion believes the transition would have been more difficult had the surfaces been reversed.
“I think it would be a bigger challenge if there was grass first, clay in the middle, and grass again,” added the 23-year old. “Going back to the clay won’t be a problem for me. When I come back to it after a whole year, two days are enough and I feel great on clay. This year I already played the Billie Jean King Cup on hard, I went straight to clay in Stuttgart and I was able to play a very good tournament, so going to clay a second time will not be a problem.”