Iga Swiatek, the WTA number 1, experienced a roller coaster of emotions at Roland Garros in 2021. Her journey took an unexpected turn in the quarterfinals against Maria Sakkari, leaving her to deal with a defeat that was quite hard for her to accept. Looking back on those memories, Swiatek shared her insights on the emotional challenges that she went through after the loss, admitting that it was not ‘easy’ for her.
The 22-year-old (then 20) had to take an off-court medical time-out in the second set of the match in 2021, after which Sakkari knocked her out. The defeat was hard for her, especially after her outstanding start to the tournament. However, in a recent interview, she revealed how she can now ‘overcome’ those issues swiftly.
Iga Swiatek’s reflections on her defeat at the French Open quarterfinals in 2021
Iga Swiatek, during the French Open of 2021, failed to maintain her composure against Maria Sakkari. Three years after experiencing the loss, Swiatek reflected on the match, expressing the distress and pressure that she went through at that time. “I remember I couldn’t sleep and everything.” She had bagged a grand slam before that match. This further increased the pressure on her shoulders. As a result, when she lost the quarterfinals of the French Open, it became a more emotionally demanding situation for her.
“Yeah, I think Roland Garros 2021 was a great example, ’cause — for sure being the defending champion, especially after a Grand Slam where you weren’t really expected to do anything, it wasn’t really easy.” she said, further describing the emotional turmoil that she felt following the game.
However, Iga Swiatek learned her lessons the hard way. Delving deeper into the subject, she opened up about the valuable lessons that she acquired after the defeat.
Swaitek now knows how to ‘overcome’ her problems off-court
Iga Swiatek acknowledged the important lessons she gained after losing the game in 2021. She understood how critical it was to accept weakness and use it as a source of strength for development, both on and off the court.
Talking about the solutions to the challenges that she faced, Swiatek said, “Now I have some solutions to overcome these kind of issues”. This signified the emotional growth that she experienced after the defeat.
“Back then, like, the whole tournament was really tough emotionally. I wouldn’t have made the same mistakes on the next ones ”, Swiatek further highlighted the mental fortitude she developed over the years.
Through all the highs and lows of her Roland Garros journey, Iga Swiatek came out on top as a champion-maybe, not on the court, but definitely on her personal journey of self-discovery.
