By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday June 25, 2024
As Wimbledon approaches Iga Swiatek will look to expand her Grand Slam empire to the hallowed lawns of the All England Club. The World No.1, now a five-time major champion, will have her hands full, however.
With a game seemingly built for the red clay, Swiatek must now commence a Grand Slam journey with no competitive matches on grass under her belt, while being just three weeks removed from a taxing romp through the clay that saw her play events in Stuttgart, Madrid, Rome and Roland-Garros.
Add to that the fact that the Pole has never been beyond the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, and you can see why the task ahead is so daunting.
“She played a lot of tournaments. I know she talked about how exhausted she was,” 18-time major champion Chris Evert said in a conference call to promote ESPN’s coverage of the Championships on Tuesday.
Seven-time Roland-Garros champion Evert, who won Wimbledon three times during her storied career, knows better than any woman the perils of playing Wimbledon after a taxing grind in Paris.
“There’s a letdown when you win the French Open, when you win a major,” she said. “There’s a real letdown. There’s wear and tear on the body. You’re exhausted.”
🇫🇷 Merci Paris. You’re my favorite place to play, smile and wear some nice outfits once in a while. 🫶🏼 @rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/uVWxdAbdb4
— Iga Świątek (@iga_swiatek) June 9, 2024
Adding complexity to this year’s equation is the fact that Swiatek and many others will head back to the clay this summer to prepare for the Paris Olympic Games. Maybe there is a danger that some players – Swiatek included – might not fully immerse themselves in the quest for grass success as they would have in other, less busy seasons.
“In the back of her mind, she’s probably thinking about the Olympics,” Evert said. “I wonder where her head is right now as far as Wimbledon.”
Even without the Olympics looming, Wimbledon would be a challenge for Swiatek because on grass she gives up some of the competitive advantage that she enjoys on her beloved clay.
Evert believes that grass is challenging in many ways for Swiatek.
“It certainly is the most challenging of all the majors [for her] because of several things,” she said. “Her sweet spot again is shoulder high where she hits her winners. Right now the grass courts bounce a little bit lower. She has to hit the ball between the ankle and the…
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