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.

Swiatek — so dominant in the women's game last year — has been on the wrong end of several matches in the early part of 2023, losing heavily to Jessica Pegula at the United Cup, going out of the Australian Open in the last 16 to Elena Rybakina, and then succumbing to Barbora Krejcikova in the Dubai final last month. Ad Though Wilander thinks there might be a theme to these surprising defeats, he also sees a silver lining to them.

WTA Indian WellsWill Swiatek end 32-year wait for a repeat WTA winner at Indian Wells?07/03/2023 AT 20:15 «I think kind of the other way of what people are saying,» seven-time Grand Slam champion Wilander, talking to Eurosport's Arnold Montgault, began. «I think it's great for Iga to not be carrying around this pressure of being this next Graf or Serena that's going to just dominate on all the different surfaces.

»Maybe she will struggle on the grass court, maybe struggle on a fast hard court, maybe against one style of player that can hit the ball hard. «Krejcikova is an inspiration in terms of the way that she is hitting a tennis ball because the way that she hits it is so clean and it's so natural and it's as good on both sides.

Raducanu pulls out of exhibition event ahead of Indian Wells Wilander names Nadal’s 'biggest enemy' – and it’s not a player IWD: 'They transcend their sports now' — Evert hails women's sport 'icons' »When you look at someone like Rybakina, you're looking at the same kind of consistency off both sides. «When you look at Pegula, who took out Swiatek before that in the United