Swiatek hoping for 'career highlight' at Tokyo 2020
The Olympic Tennis Event only comes round once every four years – and in exceptional circumstances once every five years – but what’s even more rare is for an Olympic Games to coincide with your tennis career taking flight.
Had Tokyo 2020 taken place on its original dates, Poland’s Iga Swiatek would have been ranked 49 in the world and it’s unlikely anyone would have had her down as a medal contender. But after an astonishing run to her maiden Grand Slam title at the delayed Roland Garros last October, the 20-year-old now enters the Olympic Tennis Event as a genuine podium favourite.
Perhaps that’s why she is trying to keep her feet on the ground.
“I’m very excited,” explained Swiatek. “But, at the same time, I’m trying to keep my expectations low and think of it as just the next tournament. It doesn’t happen often, playing an Olympics, so it may stress me out.
“It’s going to be nice playing with Poland on my T-shirt, but if I could win a medal, it would probably be the highlight of my career.”
Swiatek, whose father Tomasz competed for Poland in rowing at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, recalls hearing stories when she was younger of her father’s sporting exploits.
She said: “I always remember my Dad saying stories. One of his experiences was when he was standing in line to get food and he was standing next to Steffi Graf and [Gabriela] Sabatini! So that was pretty cool.”
And the former Youth Olympic gold medallist is not just excited about competing in her first Olympics. The trip to Tokyo will also be her first to Asia.
“I know we are going to have a bubble,” added Swiatek. “but I’m looking forward to see the city – even if it’s from a car!”