Former world No. 1 Kim Clijsters described Iga Swiatek as “an incredible champion” following the Pole’s third Grand Slam triumph. In the US Open final, Swiatek saw off Ons Jabeur 6-2 7-6 (5) to lift her first US Open title and overall third Grand Slam title.
Swiatek, 21, is now 3/3 in Grand Slam finals. “An incredible achievement,” Clijsters told Eurosport. “She is so young, I think we forget that sometimes. We see her being so focused and so dedicated but she is an incredible champion and she gave a great speech as well.
It was very impressive. It is just an amazing, amazing moment for her. She has everything it takes to win many more times as a champion at Grand Slams. To me, her biggest strength is her movement. She can get so many balls back and she did that today.”
Clijsters, Mats Wilander praise Swiatek
Swiatek, who turned 21 in May, is already a three-time Grand Slam champion and has been the most dominant player in the game this year. Reflecting on the future, Wilander says it will be tough for the rest of the competition to slow down Swiatek.
“The way she is going and the pace she is playing at – she is playing a different game. It is a different level. She looks so hungry as well, all the time. So it is going to be tough to slow her down. The defence is absolutely unbelievable.
She is so energetic in everything she does and it shows once she’s playing. So few players are able to do what she is doing. She just looks comfortable as the world No. 1 and I don’t think that makes any difference to her.
She is chasing something else all the time, and that is improvement,” Wilander said. Swiatek didn’t play well leading up to the US Open, but found her game when it mattered the most. After winning the US Open, Swiatek admitted that she faced “challenges” but that remaining focused on her goals was the key.
