Iga Swiatek reveals how her first Grand Slam triumph made her hungrier for more

Iga Swiatek used her first Grand Slam triumph as a source of motivation to further improve her game instead of getting complacent after achieving success at an early age. The Pole, who is about to turn 22 in a few days, won her first-ever WTA singles title at the 2020 French Open when she was just 19.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Grand Slam tournament was held in October and the unseeded youngster beat the likes of Eugenie Bouchard, Simona Halep, and Sofia Kenin, before winning the Major without dropping a single set.

In a recent Q&A session with Rolex Testimonee, the World No. 1 was asked about her first big title at a young age and how it affected her. She claimed that the triumph instantly made her mature but that it also brought in a lot of added pressure due to a high amount of expectations.

"It was like a quick course of maturity for me," Iga Swiatek said.

"Everything changed that day. In some ways, winning such a big tournament at such a young age makes it more difficult to win again due to the added pressure and expectation from others, from society, and also from myself," she added.

Swiatek, now a three-time Grand Slam champion, remarked that while it's a dream for most players to win a Major once, her 2020 Roland Garros victory made her even more focused to achieve new heights.

"Most players have the sole goal of winning a big tournament like a Grand Slam. I achieved this early in my career which only made me even hungrier to win more. This feeling is something I try to deal with and use as motivation," she added.

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Iga Swiatek's biggest inspirations are her sister Agata and Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal (L) and Iga Swiatek

In another question from the Rolex Testimonee, Iga Swiatek was asked about the people who inspired her the most throughout her life. She named her older sister Agata and her tennis idol Rafael Nadal.

"My first inspiration was my sister Agata who started playing tennis before me and I wanted to follow her as a typical younger sister," Swiatek said.

"There is no secret that my biggest inspiration is Rafael Nadal, both on and off the court. His game is so inspirational to me as you can see in my forehand. I appreciate him for his attitude in everyday life, as well. He is just a normal guy who likes people, he’s very kind and this great success hasn’t changed him."

A right thigh injury forced Swiatek to retire mid-match during her Italian Open quarterfinal clash against Elena Rybakina last week. If the Pole fails to reach the semifinals at the 2023 French Open, she will lose her No. 1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka.