At just 22 years of age, Iga is a four-time Grand Slam champion. She is one of the fiercest competitors on the tour at the moment, and her rise has been nothing short of incredible. Despite having an average year by her standards, Swiatek won six titles, including the French Open and the WTA Finals.
Swiatek had lost the top rank to Aryna Sabalenka for a while, but she fought back hard to reclaim it. By winning the WTA Finals, she capped off her year as the world no. 1 for the second consecutive year. Iga’s father was present to witness her moment of glory in Cancun, and in a recent interview, she opened up about the role Tomasz played in her life.
Iga Swiatek says her dad always believed in her & supported her dreams, even when money was tight:
“Poland doesn’t have that ‘system’ yet, per se. The conditions aren’t as great for the athletes, the money’s not there, truthfully. Sometimes growing up I had nowhere to play, so… pic.twitter.com/6N1Tubn47c
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) December 23, 2023
Swiatek candidly spoke about growing up playing sports in Poland when money was tight. However, Tomasz tried his best to provide Iga with everything she needed to play tennis. Iga further added that when her father noticed her and her sister’s knack for sports, he wanted them to be better athletes than he ever was.
The world no. 1 confessed that it was not always a smooth ride financially. However, Tomasz did not let it affect his daughter’s budding career.
Tomasz Swaitek is an Olympian himself, and he thus knows the difficulties that come with playing a sport. His efforts paid off, and now Iga is the undisputed champion of the WTA.
Who is Tomasz Swiatek, the father of Iga Swiatek?
Born on July 26, 1964, Tomasz is an Olympic rower who represented Poland at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Tomasz and his team finished seventh in the Men’s Quadruple Sculls event that year.
Swiatek also went on to win a gold medal at the 1987 Universiade event. Moreover, when Iga won her first Grand Slam in 2020, the father-daughter duo were felicitated. Tomasz was awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Resituta for his achievements
Iga Swiatek is one of the most dominant players in the world of tennis at present. While her achievements speak for themselves, one must not forget the contributions of Tomasz Swiatek.
