Iga Swiatek: I don't know what I'm going to chase next after French Open win and 35-match run
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Updated 06/06/2022 at 14:06 GMT
Iga Swiatek cemented her position as the best in the world as she won the French Open for a second time, beating Coco Gauff in the final. Swiatek is on a record-equalling 35-match winning run and will next look ahead to Wimbledon. However, the world No. 1 says she plans to take some time now to rest and relax after almost "redlining" during the French Open.
Clay queen Swiatek’s best shots from the French Open
Iga Swiatek admits she doesn’t know what she is going to "chase” next after winning her second Grand Slam title in dominant fashion at the French Open.
World No. 1 Swiatek delivered on her pre-tournament status as the heavy favourite as she won in Paris for the loss of just one set.
She crushed Coco Gauff for the loss of just four games in the final to secure her 35th victory in a row, equalling Venus Williams for the longest winning streak this century.
She will now head to the grass and look for a record 36th consecutive win, as well as a third major title at Wimbledon.
“I think I was always chasing that second Grand Slam because I always thought, 'OK, the first one happened, but the second one is confirmation that you actually know what you're doing,’” Swiatek told WTA Insider.
“I always had huge respect for Garbine [Muguruza], Simona [Halep], there are a lot of players who won two. All these girls showed consistency throughout so many years and they were able to win two times or even more.
“I felt like two times winning a Grand Slam, you're really confirming you're able to do that. So I was chasing that a little bit. Now, I don't know what I'm going to chase.”
Swiatek has now won six titles in a row and is the clear dominant force on the WTA Tour, with almost double the amount of ranking points as new world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit (8,631 vs 4,325).
The Pole says she feels like the “chapter is closed” on her winning streak as she now looks ahead to the rest of the summer.
“I think when I'm going to start Wimbledon I'm just going to think about getting through the first matches," she said.
"I won't think about the streak because I know it's not helping me. I did the same here and I know how to separate my mind from that and focus on tennis.
“But right now for sure, I can think about that a little bit more and I would love to add some matches to that streak. But I feel that chapter is closed for sure for clay season, but also after the Sunshine Double [Indian Wells and Miami Open].
"I didn't really have a lot of time to rest and I really want to rest right now after Roland Garros. Because back then I was like I'll have three days off, but I couldn't really stop thinking about the season. Right now I think I will have more time and I really want to do my best at resting.”
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Victorious Swiatek poses for photos after winning second French Open title
Asked specifically what she wants to do now, Swiatek added: "Honestly, not forcing myself to get motivated again and not getting pumped up. Just chilling out and not thinking about competition.
“I think it's going be enough for my brain to rest because I've been in a competition for so many days that just this, I'm going to enjoy it. It doesn't have to be something special. I'm not a party person.”
Grass has so far been Swiatek’s weakest surface.
She is yet to make a final on grass and lost in the fourth round on her previous outing at Wimbledon in 2021.
Likely top of her priority list during SW19 will be finding a psychological equilibrium on her rest days, having struggled to do so during Roland-Garros.
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She said: “I would say in this tournament, mentally maybe I was redlining because I didn't recharge properly after Rome, I feel.
“I've been doing too many things off-court and I wasn't completely fresh mentally before the tournament started. I thought I would be able to get some rest between the matches, which I did at the beginning of the tournament, so that was cool. Then these days off became pretty horrible because I was thinking about the next matches and I couldn't really relax.
“But physically, I think it's helpful that I tried to be as efficient as possible and make the matches short. Here I only had one match over two hours. Maybe if I had more maybe I'd be redlining. But physically I feel good. That's also something weird. I'm working and we're doing our best to get good regeneration. But still, I don't know. I guess my physio is a magician.”
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