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Tennis fans were delighted by Iga Swiatek’s heartfelt note where she reflected on her rollercoaster 2023 season. Swiatek ended her season in fine style, with a title at the WTA Finals.
The Pole defeated Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-0 in the summit clash at Cancun on Monday, November 6 for her maiden WTA Finals trophy. That also helped her reclaim the WTA top spot from Aryna Sabalenka, thus ensuring a second consecutive year-end World No. 1 finish.
Swiatek also broke a few records during her run in Cancun, including the fewest number of games dropped en route to the title.
The 22-year-old penned a heartfelt message on social media at the conclusion of the tournament. She acknowledged her struggles and also appreciated her colleagues, who she said pushed her to be a better player.
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“What a season that was… I saw, did and learned so much,” the Pole wrote on Instagram.
“I want to thank everyone who supports me every day through the ups and downs of every season. I want to thank the amazing women I compete with on tour. Thanks to you, I constantly want to be a better player. Every one of us has our own story and we can tell those stories together through our sport. I’m grateful for you and for this opportunity. The best things happen to us when… we stop chasing them,” she added.
Tennis fans were impressed by Iga Swiatek’s wholesome words towards her supporters as well as her peers.
“Iga, this brought me to tears: at the height of such an accomplishment, your call is to celebrate all women on tour and the support around you. The person and player you are! when you think you can’t get any prouder of you… you do this,” one fan wrote on X.
Another fan called out the criticism that the four-time Grand Slam champion is subjected to from some fans, while also praising her kindness.
“I kinda feel bad for people who for some reason have made up their mind to hate her, and now find its too late to change up. Imagine not liking such a kind soul, could never be me!” the fan wrote.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
Iga Swiatek won six titles in 2023
While 2022 remains Iga Swiatek’s best season yet, she enjoyed several highlights during the 2023 season as well. The Pole concluded her campaign with 68 wins, one better than last year, albeit with two extra losses (11 against 9 last year).
Iga Swiatek also emerged as the tour leader in the number of titles won this season. She added six trophies to her growing cabinet.
The World No. 1’s first two titles came at the WTA 500s in Doha and Stuttgart. She then seized her third French Open title, to take her Grand Slam tally to four. The Pole came out on top in front of her home crowd at the WTA 250 Poland Open as well.
Following her win in Warsaw, Swiatek witnessed a title drought for a short while. She, however, bounced back during the China leg. Swiatek won her first and only WTA 1000 title of the season at the Beijing Open, before clinching her final title at the WTA Finals in Cancun.
Iga Swiatek’s other notable achievements were reaching the finals of the WTA 1000s in Dubai and Madrid. She also made a breakthrough at Wimbledon, reaching her maiden quarterfinal at the event.
