Back in business
Iga Swiatek took a close look at the engraving on the Wimbledon girls’ singles trophy as she walked a victory lap on No.1 Court on Saturday, and was clearly satisfied with what she saw. A fourth Polish name has been added to those of past champions Alexandra Olsza and the Radwanska sisters, Agnieszka and Urszula.
Swiatek’s score was the most emphatic, the 17-year-old from Warsaw having beaten Swiss qualifier Leonie Kung 6-4, 6-2 in 73 minutes. After a Kung forehand flew long on the first match point, Swiatek raised her hand to her face in what was initially a subdued celebration, before dashing into the crowd to embrace her emotional family and team, some of them in T-shirts bearing her name.
Remember it. Having missed seven months after right ankle surgery last year, Swiatek has made a strong return, reaching the last four at Roland-Garros and sharing the doubles title with American Caty McNally. The hard-hitting baseliner has now won the most prestigious junior tournament of all.
Clay remains her preferred surface, though, and Swiatek has a stronger serve and greater weight of shot at this stage than the rangier Kung. She hit eight aces among 33 winners to just 13 unforced errors, while making good use of the drop shot.
The only set Swiatek lost in six rounds was her first, against world No.1 Whitney Osuigwe; her next toughest test coming in the semi-final against No.4 Xinyu Wang. Kung had beaten four players in the top 15, while also conceding just a single set, having warmed up at Roehampton to earn her debut place in a junior Grand Slam main draw.
The Pole has already achieved some promising results at senior level, having made her Fed Cup debut after graduating from the successful 2016 Junior Fed Cup team, won five ITF titles and attained a WTA ranking of No.341.
While yet to meet long-time Polish standard-bearer Agnisezka Radwanska, the 2005 Wimbledon junior champion and 2012 ladies' finalist, Swiatek appears well-equipped to join the former world No.2 at tour level reasonably soon.
Kung, too, has played fewer under-age events than many of her junior contemporaries, and her parents and sister had made their way across from the family’s horse farm in the German-speaking part of Switzerland to support the first qualifier to reach a Wimbledon girls’ final since Russian Anna Chakvetadze in 2003.
In the event, she met the same - losing - fate. Kung dropped her opening service game and another when attempting to stay in the first set, and was then nobbled by a pair of double faults from game point up to fall behind 3-1 in the second.
A brilliant week had ended disappointingly, but there were enough encouraging signs to suggest there will be more to come. Swiatek said it was too early to ask how it felt to be a Wimbledon champion.
"I'm too overwhelmed. I don't feel it. I have to rest and then I will enjoy everything,’’ she smiled.
“I was scared that I will not do well because of the stress and the pressure. But I felt great on court. My serve was really good. I played very fast balls, so I'm happy with that.’’
I was scared that I will not do well because of the stress and the pressure. But I felt great on court. My serve was really good. I played very fast balls, so I'm happy with that
Both players have ruled a line under their junior tournament careers, believing themselves ready to move on. Both will savour the experience, Swiatek relishing her taste of tennis on a big stage and eager for more.
“I was thinking that this is why I play tennis, to make the show, to make people clap, to make them enjoy the game. I don't know, I feel like that's my goal, to entertain. I think I learn it today. I didn't know about it. That's new for me.’’
She will play the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics, but otherwise feels it’s time to move on. “I play junior Grand Slam since 2016. I had a long time to play juniors. Now we had to take another step,'' Swiatek said.
“I want to build a better WTA ranking and to play senior tournaments. I hope I will do well next year in Wimbledon if I get a wild card to ladies' singles. I can't wait.’’