Number One Iga Swiatek Learning to Live with Target on Her Back

Iga Swiatek mentioned she is rising accustomed to the excessive expectations and harsh criticism that come with being the world’s high participant and is feeling “good vibes” ahead of her title defence at Indian Wells.

It was a year ago at the tournament in the Southern California desert that the Pole began really to hit her stride amid a scorching 37-match winning streak.

Since then, the three-time Grand Slam champion has been the player to beat on tour.

“I feel like there is a little bit of a target on my back, which I didn’t feel last year. So it’s a different situation and I have to adjust to that,” she instructed reporters at Indian Wells on Wednesday.

“On the opposite hand I’ve been primary for nearly a 12 months so I have already got sufficient expertise to deal with it.”

Learning to tune out the critics is one other adjustment she has had to make.

The 21-year-old said she was taken aback by the negativity that came with her loss in the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships last month after she successfully defended her title in Doha.

“I lost in the final and people were surprised – not happy with the performance – and just critical,” she mentioned.

“It made me assume that final 12 months, earlier than this enormous streak and earlier than successful all these tournaments, I might have been so comfortable with the outcome.

“But due to these feedback proper now, I felt like ooh, that’s not sufficient. I’m making an attempt not to learn these sorts of issues as a result of I’m comfortable with the work I’ve put in and the way I performed in Doha and Dubai.”

She said it’s an example of how the world around her has shifted.

“There is more pressure and expectation but I’m trying to deal with that the best way possible,” she mentioned.

“And I believe I’m doing good.”

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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed)