Iga Świątek on Tennis, Staying Grounded & How to Focus

Iga-Swiatek-Roland-Garros-2024-fot-Daniel-Kopatsch-GettyImages-2157409820.jpg, large, Iga Świątek of Poland poses for a photo with the trophy after her victory in the Women's Singles Final match against Jasmine Paolini of Italy on Day F, Iga Świątek on Tennis, Staying Grounded & How to Focus

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At the height of a match, when the stadium is loud and the stakes even louder, Iga Świątek experiences something unexpected: the world grows quiet. The crowd fades, the noise recedes, and everything narrows to a single point – the next ball, the next decision. It’s a kind of stillness that sits at the centre of one of the most fast-paced and demanding sports in the world.

Świątek has come to define modern tennis with a rare combination of intensity and composure. A former world No. 1, she has spent over 120 weeks at the top of the WTA rankings and finished as year-end No. 1 twice. Her record speaks for itself: six Grand Slam singles titles, including four French Opens, a US Open, and her first Wimbledon title in 2025. She remains the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam singles title – a breakthrough that began with her remarkable 2020 French Open victory, achieved without dropping a set. In 2022, she dominated the tour with a 37-match winning streak – the longest in the 21st century – and claimed the rare ‘Sunshine Double’, winning both Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back.

Yet beyond the titles and records, Świątek has become something more than a champion. In Poland, she is a national icon, credited with sparking a new wave of interest in tennis and inspiring a younger generation to take up the sport. Internationally, she is admired not only for her game, but for the way she carries it – thoughtful, composed and quietly self-aware.

Off court, that inner world continues to unfold in unexpected ways. Away from the rhythm of tournaments, Świątek returns to music – a long-standing passion – often soundtracked by Taylor Swift. It is a reminder that behind the precision and discipline of elite tennis lies a life shaped not only by competition, but by curiosity, reflection and a search for balance.

Agnes Dudek: Whenever I watch your interviews, I’m always struck by how grounded you seem. What helps you stay centred in a life that’s so public, competitive and fast-moving?

Iga Świątek: I think there are really two main things. The first is my values – on one hand, the way I was raised, and on the other, what sport has taught me over many years. In other words, what matters most to me in life: the kind of person I want to be, my priorities, how I want to be towards myself, but also how I want to be in relationships with others and with the world. The second is the people around me. And I don’t just mean the support network they create, but also the people I can learn from… what I can learn, and in which situations I can do so.

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Catherine, Princess of Wales, presents Iga Świątek of Poland with the Ladies’ Singles Trophy following the Ladies' Singles Final against against Amanda Anisimova on day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2025 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 12, 2025 in London, England, photo: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

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AD: People often talk about mental strength as if it’s something you either have or don’t. For you, has focus been a natural trait, or something you’ve had to build step by step? If so, how?

IŚ: It is definitely something that can be developed. Simply knowing that it can be developed is already helpful for me. I wasn’t always like this. I have devoted a lot of time, and continue to do so, to improving skills such as concentration, focus, decision-making and analytical thinking. I do this through mental training, which I not only apply but also continuously refine with the support of my mental performance coach, with whom I have been working for many years.

AD: Also, people often see discipline as restriction, but many athletes describe it as a form of freedom. How do you experience it in your own life?

IŚ: For me, discipline actually creates freedom. When you have structure in your training and daily routines, many decisions become simpler. You don’t have to constantly negotiate with yourself. That allows you to focus on improving and enjoying the process.

AD: And when you enter that state of deep focus during a match, what does the world feel like from inside it? Do the crowd and surroundings still reach you, or does everything narrow to the next ball?

IŚ: It’s almost as if the world becomes quieter. You’re still aware of the crowd and the atmosphere, but they move into the background. The most important thing becomes the next ball and the decision you need to make in that moment.

AD: And after a big match, what stays in your body longer: emotions, adrenaline, thoughts or maybe silence?

IŚ: Usually adrenaline. Even when you’re physically tired, your body is still in competition mode, and it takes time to calm down. Emotions depend on the result, but after a while there’s also a moment of quiet reflection about the match.

Portraits of Iga Świątek – Image Gallery

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AD: How much of winning comes from skills you train every day, and how much from those rare days when everything just seems to work?

IŚ: Most of it comes from everyday work. Those days when everything flows usually happen because of the preparation behind them. Training builds confidence and automatic reactions that appear during matches.

AD: You’ve become a highly visible figure in Poland, but also internationally. What has been the most surprising part of being ‘seen’ so much – by fans, media?

IŚ: Probably how emotionally connected people become to athletes, and how important an athlete or the performance becomes to them.

AD: People often talk about how intense football fans can be. What are tennis fans like from a player’s perspective?

IŚ: Tennis fans can be very passionate, but also quite respectful of the game. Because it’s an individual sport, many people follow players for years and really connect with their journeys. You can feel that support during matches.

AD: When people say you ‘represent Poland’, what does that phrase mean to you personally?

IŚ: It means a lot – knowing that people at home are watching and supporting me. I grew up and learned tennis in Poland, so whenever I step on court, I feel proud that my journey started there.

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Iga Świątek of Poland celebrates winning Championship point against Amanda Anisimova of United States in the Ladies' Singles Final on day thirteen of The Championships Wimbledon 2025, photo: Hannah Peters /Getty Images

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AD: Having trained and competed all over the world, have you noticed anything distinctive about the way sport and training are approached in Poland?

IŚ: I think many Polish athletes grow up learning to be resourceful. Sometimes the conditions aren’t perfect, so you learn to adapt and work hard with what you have. That builds resilience.

AD: Has your relationship to Poland changed because of your career – not in a patriotic sense, but in the sense of belonging, distance and coming back? Maybe it feeling more like ‘home’?

IŚ: Travelling so much definitely changes how you see home. When you spend most of the year moving between countries, coming back to Poland brings a sense of familiarity and calm.

AD: If you hadn’t become a professional tennis player, what do you think you would be doing now – or what would you have liked to try?

IŚ: A long time ago, I wanted to pursue a career in music, but I know I don’t have much talent in that area. I feel very comfortable in business-related fields, and I’ve also always liked maths and logic – so maybe that’s the direction I should take.

AD: Staying with music – you’ve often spoken about how much Taylor Swift meant to you growing up. What does your playlist look like these days? Has your taste changed over time, and do you find yourself listening to any Polish artists?

IŚ: My playlist is quite mixed now. I still love listening to Taylor Swift, especially when travelling, but it really depends on my mood – sometimes something calm, sometimes more energetic. I don’t listen to Polish music that much, but maybe that should change.

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Iga Swiatek presiding over the graduation of the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar, on June 15, 2023, in Palma de Mallorca, photo: Lucca Rocchi / The Mega Agency / Forum

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AD: Your footwork on court is often praised. Does that also mean you’re a good dancer?

IŚ: I’m not sure about that! No comment on my dancing skills… [smiles]

AD: I read somewhere that you might be afraid of water – is that actually true?

IŚ: Oh no, I’m not afraid of the water at all. I love water and I love water sports.

AD: Are there sports or physical activities that still intimidate you and remind you how different each discipline really is?

IŚ: Definitely. Even just watching other sports, I realise how specific they are. Speed climbing or other highly technical disciplines, for example – it’s a completely different world from tennis.

AD: Do you have any special plans or goals for 2026? And if you could escape anywhere for a holiday, where would you go?

IŚ: The main goal is always to keep improving and stay healthy throughout the season. As for holidays, after so much travelling for tournaments, the dream is usually to stay somewhere quiet, in nature, where I can really rest.

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Strawberry pasta, photo: Jakub Porzycki / Forum

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AD: You’ve said your dad likes to cook for you. Apart from the famous strawberry pasta, is there a dish of his you especially miss when you’re away on tour?

IŚ: Home cooking in general is something I miss when travelling. I often ask my family to prepare something before I come home – like a special soup or naleśniki.

AD: And last but not least, is there something about your life or career that rarely comes up in interviews, but feels important to you and that you’d like to share?

IŚ: I feel like I’m asked about books all the time, but it would be fun to talk about other things as well – films, TV shows, pop culture in general, as well as business or other interests I pursue.

Interview conducted in English in April 2026

Language English