It would be a gross understatement to contend that Iga Swiatek brought more questions than answers to Wimbledon this year. For all her dominance on clay and growing comfort on hard courts, grass hitherto remained her personal Everest. She had never gone beyond the quarterfinals at the All England Club, often looking unsure of her rhythm and, by extension, footing. Over the weekend, however, she erased any and all doubts with a 48-minute demolition of gritty but decidedly overmatched Amanda Anisimova. The set-to marked the first double-bagel ladies’ singles final at the tournament since 1911, if nothing else a clinical statement of control from the World Number Four.
Certainly, Swiatek’s evolution over the fortnight was stark. Whereas she previously seemed to survive the surface, she thrived on it — and with aplomb. She dropped only 35 games across seven matches, the most dominant Wimbledon campaign since all-time-great Martina Navratilova ran roughshod over the competition in 1990. Her movements were precise and her serves, critical to success on grass, held up under pressure. And, just as importantly, she went against her predilections to flatten her forehand and thereby provide less time for opponents to counter with purpose.
For Anisimova, the title clash left much to be desired. That said, the occasion proved no less meaningful; her remarkable Wimbledon run capped a return to tennis shaped by resilience. After stepping away from the tour in 2023 to focus on her mental health, she clawed her way back into form. And, in the sport’s premier event, she showed her character by upsetting No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the Round of Four. The final may have gotten away from her quickly, but her resurgence is real and just beginning.
Swiatek was a picture of calm as she stood on Centre Court in the aftermath. She needed no theatrics, no outburst of emotion, to underscore the gravity of her triumph. Her performance had said it all, and Wimbledon, with its long memory and reverence for tradition, welcomed another great.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
Swiatek’s evolution
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