The 21 & Under Club in '21: Iga Swiatek

Will turn 22 on

• 5/31/2023

What she’s done since last summer

• Won her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros
• Won the Internazionli BNL d'Italia (d. Pliskova 6-0, 6-0 in the final)
• Made her Top 10 debut

Key Stat

• Swiatek is at a career-high ranking of No. 9

Iga Swiatek came of age as a teenager on the terre battue, blasting her way to a maiden major title at an already-historic Roland Garros last fall. Swiatek has since seamlessly integrated into the top tier of women’s tennis, winning her second career title in Adelaide after a second straight fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open.

Where her peers attempt to bludgeon opponents with a flatter ball, the 20-year-old employs wicked spin off both sides that can completely change the dimensions of the court.

“For sure there is something that clicks,” she said after a straight-sets win over Belinda Bencic in Adelaide, “not only in my head but also, physically, tennis-wise…Our goal right now, I guess, is to have that more often because I know I can play great tennis. It's just all about planning, aiming for the specific tournament to have the best shape possible.”

The modest Pole has managed to peak at nearly all the right times since winning the junior Wimbledon title in 2018, and is equally dangerous on the doubles court, having reached the French Open semifinals the same week she went on to win in singles. Looking to defend her title in Paris, she fell in the quarterfinals in singles, but went two better in doubles with Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

Next stop: Wimbledon.

“The most important thing for me is that I'm healthy and I still have power and motivation to play.”