We would like to be a fly on the wall during that supper.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek is well-known for being an avid reader and tennis student, but despite having already rewritten WTA records and won five Grand Slam titles by the age of 23, the Polish star has made no secret of her desire to learn more about her sport and the world. And, if you ask her, she believes three retired tennis greats can help her accomplish that.
Swiatek, the highest-paid female athlete in the world in 2023, expressed her desire to invite three of the WTA’s most successful champions, Steffi Graf, Maria Sharapova, and Serena Williams, to a dinner party following her first-round win over Sofia Kenin.
Sharapova… we never really communicated since she retired when I was still climbing,” she explained. “I believe she made some sound business decisions off the court and handled things professionally. You can take [an] example from her. (With Sharapova meandering about at SW19 on multiple occasions this year, there’s no better time than now for Swiatek to start up a long chat.)
Swiatek also expressed a wish to meet Graf, who retired from tennis two years before she was born. Despite coming from different playing eras, the current world No. 1 said she’d like to pick Graf’s brain on a critical on-court intangible.
Sharapova… we never really communicated since she retired when I was still climbing,” she explained. “I believe she made some sound business decisions off the court and handled things professionally. You can take [an] example from her. (With Sharapova meandering about at SW19 on multiple occasions this year, there’s no better time than now for Swiatek to start up a long chat.)
Swiatek also expressed a wish to meet Graf, who retired from tennis two years before she was born. Despite coming from different playing eras, the current world No. 1 said she’d like to pick Graf’s brain on a critical on-court intangible.
It’s difficult for me to compare our styles,” she admitted. “Obviously, we are competing in different eras of tennis. It’s difficult to find the same things, especially with her backhand, slice, and volley, and my inability to play these kind of shots. So it’s more about mentality. Swiatek may get her wish, either immediately or in the long run, if she can join the legendary trio in lifting the Venus Rosewater Dish for the first time and gain life membership in the All England Club.
The top seed’s quest to become the first player since Williams in 2015 to win Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year continues on Thursday with a second-round Centre Court match against Croatia’s Petra Martic.
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