"Told my coaches Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka will win Grand Slams"- Andrea Petkovic discloses she ‘felt’ something within the young Pole & Belarusian

Former German tennis player Andrea Petkovic said that she 'felt' something within Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka during their initial years on the tour, which made her think that the two women would go on to win Grand Slams. The German also talked about her experience playing on tour during her initial years.

Swiatek and Sabalenka are currently dominating women's tennis and share eight Grand Slam titles between them, including three in 2024. While the Belarusian defended her title at the Australian Open and clinched the US Open, the Pole completed a historic three-peat at the French Open.

In the latest episode of the AO Show, Andrea Petkovic talked about her experience of getting to play Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, who were in their final years, just as she entered the tour. She explained that the experience has continued to help her in her new job as an analyst.

"The first year I came on tour, I still played against the likes of Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, so I was 18 or 19. The first year on tour for me was the last tour for those type of players but I still kinda caught the last cusp of Clijsters and Henin as well. So that was really incredible to look back on," Andrea Petkovic said (at 11:05)

Petkovic then cited that she played Aryna Sabalenka when she was just 17 and told her coaches that the Belarusian and Iga Swiatek would go on to win Majors as she could 'feel' something within them.

"And it helps me in my new job as an analyst and an expert because I have to see so many generations and I can see patterns now, when I played Sabalenka when she was 17 I already knew, and same with Iga Swiatek."

"I already told my coaches that these two will win Slams, win Major titles for sure. You can just feel that there is something else within them."

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are currently engaged in a battle for the year-end World No. 1

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek (Source: Getty)

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek are currently engaged in a thrilling battle for the year-end World No. 1 position. The Pole is currently in her 123rd week at the top of the rankings, which places her seventh in the list of women with the most weeks as World No.1.

However, her position is in jeopardy as she has decided to withdraw from the China Open for personal reasons. The Pole is set to drop 1100 points which means she will be left with 9785 points after the WTA 1000 ends. This has given Aryna Sabalenka a chance to overtake Swiatek before the year ends.

The Belarusian, who is already in the fourth round of the China Open, can reach 9501 points if she manages to clinch the title following which she may have a chance to attain the World No. 1 ranking at the WTA finals.

Sabalenka will face Madison Keys next and the winner will play either Caroline Busca or Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals