Swiatek, excited about grass court tour: "This surface can help me learn new things"

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After a clay court tour that did not meet her expectations at all, it is time for Iga Swiatek to start her particular comeback after a full year without reaching a single final in the women's circuit. Grass may not be the surface where the Polish player feels happiest, but at the same time, this period of the calendar has lower expectations, which could allow her to compete much more freely than in other moments of higher pressure. For now, this week she faces her first test at the WTA 500 in Bad Hamburg, where she defeated Victoria Azarenka yesterday in her debut with a double 6-4.

“It took me some time to adapt, I think in the early games I showed a high level of play, even had some opportunities to break her service right from the start, but I couldn't. Perhaps at that moment, I lowered the intensity a bit until I reacted and started to do the things I know I can do on the court. In the end, I don't think it was a great match either; it was just my first match on this grass tour. Often, having a Bye in the first round in these types of tournaments is not always good news; what one wants is to play as many matches as possible on this surface. Still, I am satisfied with the win and being in the next round,” acknowledged the five-time Grand Slam champion on the WTA microphones.

She had to wait until the third day of the tournament to debut, as she is the fourth seed, but Iga doesn't mind the days without matches. “Honestly, I love training on my days off; I have a lot of fun in every practice session, especially here on grass, even though it may pose a slightly more complex challenge for my tennis. On the other hand, I believe this surface can allow me to learn new things; my coach is constantly introducing new aspects to my game in each training, new ways to approach moments during a match, which is very important when facing different opponents, having different ideas to implement. What I want is to play the way I want, so it's crucial to have fun every time we train; for me, it will never be a problem, this is what will make me a better player,” stated the 24-year-old.

BAD HOMBURG, THE PRELUDE TO WIMBLEDON

Swiatek has a small pending task with Wimbledon, where she only reached the quarterfinals in one of her five participations, a stage she has reached in all Grand Slams. Historically, her outstanding role on the clay court tour always led her to arrive at the grass in low spirits, so some think that 2025 could bring us a different story. Nevertheless, before stepping onto the Tennis Cathedral, she must set high standards in Bad Hamburg, where she aims to conquer her first grass court title. Tomorrow we will see her face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the quarterfinals, followed by a potential semifinal against Jasmine Paolini and a possible final against Pegula or Andreeva. The big prize is still far away, but Iga is pleased with the conditions and the venue.

“The first time I came to play this tournament, I quickly felt as if I were at home; the atmosphere here is very familiar; it's the advantage of being in a small place where all spaces are connected, very close to each other, the atmosphere is really pleasant. I love this event; I hope to play it every season, making sure it's always part of my grass tour. I truly appreciate the affection I always receive from the crowd, the ease of being so close to all the fans. Some days I even see some Polish flags, so I can only thank them for making the effort to come and watch me here,” concluded the Polish player.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Swiatek, ilusionada con la gira de hierba: “Esta superficie puede hacerme aprender cosas nuevas”