When it comes to young players rising rapidly among the ranks of superstardom, the WTA used to be rich with such prospects for whom the future is now.
The Williams sisters - Venus and Serena - Jennifer Capriati, Martina Hingis, Chris Evert, Tracy Austin and Steffi Graf all won Grand Slam titles before they celebrated their 20th birthday.
In the 1990s, teenagers captured a total of 15 Grand Slam titles. That total shrunk to just three during the first decade of the 2000s.
It looks as though that situation is about to change. There’s been a sudden influx of talented teenagers into the women’s tennis circuit, all of whom figure to have bright futures betting on tennis superstardom coming their way.
With Canada’s Biancu Andreescu winning the 2019 U.S. Open title at 19 and American Coco Gauff, 16, already making runs to the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2019 and this year’s Australian Open, youth is being served in the serve and volley game.
What’s made these young up-and-coming stars an even more refreshing breath of fresh air as they rise up the tennis ladder is the exuberant manner in which they approach life, both on and off court, and their willingness to share the experiences they are living out with their fans in real time via social media.
Another of these young guns who is shooting rapidly to the top of women’s tennis is Iga Swiatek. A second successive strong performance on the clay courts of Roland Garros at the French Open has people talking about how bright the future is going to be for Polish phenom Swiatek.
Still a high-school student, away from the court you’re just as likely to find her binge-watching Netflix, or finishing her homework as you are to locate her honing her backhand stroke on the court.
“I love maths and maths,” Swiatek, 19, told WTA.com. “I only have five subjects right now because we are studying for the big test before graduation.
“So Maths, English, Polish language, essays, but I don't like Spanish. Sorry. It's not my thing.”
PHOTO CREDIT | Iga Swiatek by Carine06 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Fan Favorite
Her connection with the tennis faithful is apparent. Last year, Swiatuk finished second to Wimbledon champion Simona Halep in balloting for the WTA Fan Favorite Award.
"I always felt like most of this sport is about the fans, and we are playing to entertain," Swiatek said. "That was always really important to me, and I want to have a great relationship with fans. I’m always open to everything. I like giving autographs and taking photos.
"It’s not a problem for me - well, maybe because I’m not famous yet.”
Swiatek claims that, even in her homeland, she can go out with friends and do some shopping without being noticed.
“When I’m wearing a hat or I have my tennis bag, people recognize me, but without [those accessories], there’s no chance,” Swiatek said.
Retro Music Lover
Swiatek cites music as her next passion beyond tennis
“In my free time I read books and listen to music,” she explained. “I have a big obsession with music.”
Surprisingly, you won’t find any hip hop or rap topping her list of downloads.
“I have a type of music for every mood, but I love rock,” Swiatek said. “I love Pink Floyd. If I have a mood for pop, I like ABBA. I also like Coldplay, Florence and the Machine, Santana. And if I want something more aggressive, AC/DC gets me in the mood. I've been listening to "Thunderstruck" before the matches.”
When she opts to give her ears a rest, her eyes often fixate on Netflix.
“I'm watching The Office, the U.S. version,” Swiatek said. She also enjoyed the Netflix fantasy series The Witcher.
"It's based on Polish novels," she explained. "It’s been a big thing in Poland for a really long time."
Stay In School
Swiatek also offers a message of advice to young tennis prodigys looking to follow her path. Stay focused on your schooling.
"When I was younger, my parents always said that school is first, and then tennis," Swiatek said. "They raised me and my sister like that, and we always wanted to study."
She’s proving to be a quick study - in the classroom and on the tennis court.
