Iga Swiatek: A year since 37-match winning streak started, can world No. 1 go again as she bids to win WTA Dubai?

22.02.2023 - 13:53 eurosport.com

February 22, 2022 wasn’t the day where it all started for Iga Swiatek, but in many ways it was. This time last year, Swiatek was not the star name on the WTA Tour.

Ad Sure, she had won the French Open in super impressive fashion in October 2020, won in Adelaide at the start of 2021, and dismantled former world No.

1 Karolina Pliskova 6-0 6-0 in the final of the Italian Open that year, but as she prepared to play the first WTA 1000 of the season in Doha, she was at No.

8 in the rankings and the week before had lost to Jelena Ostapenko in the last 16 in Dubai. WTA DubaiSwiatek storms into Dubai last-16, Garcia and Sakkari beaten18 HOURS AGO Perhaps she would have been picked out as a contender for the title, although most of her best performances up until then had been on clay rather than hard courts.

rowing win 1 as Petra Kvitova Iga Swiatek Ashleigh Barty Garbine Muguruza Karolina Pliskova Barbora Krejcikova Jelena Ostapenko Viktorija Golubic France Italy Doha Dubai

Iga Swiatek is «definitely not invincible» despite her dominance as world No. 1, reckons Jessica Pegula ahead of what could become the signature women's tennis rivalry in 2023. Pegula stunned most observers with her rampant win over Swiatek at the season-opening United Cup back in January, but the Pole did get her own back to take the title in Doha in February.

Defending champion Iga Swiatek off to fast start at Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS: World number one Iga Swiatek launched her bid for a rare Indian Wells repeat with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 victory over 56th-ranked American Claire Liu on Saturday. Neither Liu nor the breezy conditions on Stadium Court troubled Swiatek, who is seeking to become just the second woman — after Martina Navratilova in 1990-91 — to sucessfully defend her title at the prestigious combined WTA and ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournament. Swiatek roared through the first set, winning 25 of 32 points.

Iga Swiatek may not dominate tennis like Serena Williams or Steffi Graf, reckons Mats Wilander

Iga Swiatek may not dominate tennis like legends of the game Serena Williams or Steffi Graf, believes Mats Wilander, as he highlighted a style of opponent that is causing the world No. 1 problems.

Iga Swiatek and Ons Jabeur aim to get back on track at Indian Wells

They were the two standout players on the WTA Tour last season, featuring in three of the four Grand Slam finals between them, leading the rankings, and amassing more match wins than anyone else.

Iga Swiatek says expectation on her has risen ahead of Indian Wells - 'A target on my back'

Iga Swiatek says there is a «target on her back» ahead of Indian Wells this year and admits she is feeling more pressure heading into the tournament than in previous editions. The Pole enjoyed a remarkable 2022 where she won a total of eight titles, including two of the four Grand Slams, and went on a 37-match winning streak. Last April she became world No.

Iga Swiatek: Will world No. 1 become first repeat WTA winner at Indian Wells since Martina Navratilova in 1991?

Indian Wells is often regarded as the biggest tournament of the tennis season outside the Grand Slams and season-ending finals – so why has it been so unpredictable in recent years? On the men’s side there have been five different champions in the last five editions, including Taylor Fritz in 2022 and Cameron Norrie in 2021, and on the women’s side there has not been a repeat winner since Martina Navratilova won back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991. Ad That’s the longest streak without a repeat champion at a WTA 1000.