Iga Swiatek is ready to take the reins of her tennis destiny with new coach Wim Fissette by her side. It’s an exciting new chapter, yet the road ahead is fraught with challenges. As the tennis landscape evolves, Fissette faces a mountain of expectations and early warning signs as Michal Lewandowski talks about handling Swiatek.
However, this year has not been that great for Swiatek; her competitive recovery has been gradual; she has only played in two tournaments since then and hasn’t hit the court since the US Open in September, skipping the Asian swing owing to fatigue. In the meantime, Aryna Sabalenka has made significant progress, taking back the top spot in the most recent WTA rankings and ending Swiatek’s remarkable 11-month run at the top.
Talking about Naomi Osaka‘s ex-coach’s effort, Lewandowski said, “The beginning of the season, maybe more, but I think it will be more broken down in the next stages of the season. It is not one-dimensional; there will definitely be more elements to put together in this whole puzzle.”
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Fissette also acknowledged that the transition to new training methods and elements might be particularly challenging for Iga Swiatek. He added, “I am very curious how the actual implementation of these changes will work for a trainer like Wim Fissette, a man with a lot of experience. An athlete shaped like that has her habits, and it seems to me that it will not be an entirely easy process, which does not mean it is impossible.”
Not just Lewandowski; even Andy Roddick, known for his candid and thought-provoking commentary, has raised significant questions about the road ahead for the coach. In one of his podcast conversations, ‘Served Up with Andy Roddick,’ he also raised concerns about the partnership deal between Swiatek and her new coach.
He said, “The top of the mountain wedging yourself in there. Do you want to make a bunch of changes? Are you trying things out for the rest of the year? Are you? These are all these big macro questions is the fit? Have they already signed a deal for two years? Is this a thing? They’re going to try through the rest. There’s a lot of this stuff that we don’t totally know yet.”
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Fissette has previously guided stars like Naomi Osaka and Kim Clijsters, earning a reputation for elevating top-tier talent. Looking into that, just a day ago, tennis journalist Chris Oddo believes this partnership could ignite Swiatek’s ascent to new heights.
Tennis journalist Chris Oddo made the following statement in response to Swiatek’s decision to enlist Wim Fissette. He stated, “Surely Wim will be able to look at her game with a fresh eye and give Iga a chance to constructively rethink her shortcomings. I’m sure they’ve already developed a plan, a few key things to work through. There is no guarantee of success because sport never gives it, but I think it will be another great adventure for Iga and her team.”
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Even though sports are inherently unpredictable, Oddo’s comments show that this new collaboration has room to expand. Fissette has wasted no time in setting ambitious goals for Iga Swiatek as she navigates the mounting pressure from Aryna Sabalenka, who is poised to dominate the WTA Tour. With Sabalenka overtaking Swiatek to claim the World No. 1 spot and riding high after retaining her Australian Open title, the stakes have never been higher.
Nevertheless, what are your thoughts on Swiatek taking on a new journey? Let us know in the comment section below.
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