'Iga is the favourite' - Mats Wilander explains key change Swiatek has made to her game for Wimbledon

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 28/06/2022 at 16:22 GMT

"She is playing faster these days, taking more risks on the forehand points," Eurosport's Mats Wilander observed about Iga Swiatek's strategy at Wimbledon after her first-round victory over Jana Fett on Tuesday. "Therefore, it’s going to be difficult for her opponents to do anything about getting the ball hard into her forehand. But she is only 21 years old, she is growing."

Mats Wilander has declared that he still views Iga Swiatek as "the favourite" to triumph at Wimbledon, and he has pointed out a key change that she has made.

The top seed overcame a slight wobble against qualifier Jana Fett to book her place in round two at SW19. After a comfortable first set, the world No. 1 was able to fend off a spirited fightback to come through 6-0 6-3 to extend her current unbeaten run.

The victory was the Polish star's 36th victory in succession as she aims for back-to-back Grand Slam crowns following her French Open triumph earlier in the month.

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Eurosport expert Wilander still very much regards Swiatek as the favourite to prevail at Wimbledon this fortnight and has highlighted a few key changes she has made for the grass courts.

“I would think that if you deal with it [the pressure] in the proper way - which she is - because it’s very difficult to play on a grass court with no prior warm-up, but it'll give her another motivation to not lose," Wilander said.

"She struggled a little today, which I think is good for her to make it a closer match. But in the end, she’s very calm, she’s No. 1 in the world. You can tell that she has this harmony when she is playing tennis these days.

"There is nothing in Iga’s game that I thought was bad, she is winning and she is winning comfortably, even though she was 3-1 down in the second, which is important for her to come back and win in two sets.

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"She is playing faster, taking more risks on the forehand points. Therefore, it’s going to be difficult for her opponents to do anything about getting the ball hard into her forehand. But she is only 21 years old, she is growing.

"Grass courts are very difficult. You need experience to understand what you need to do on a grass court that’s going to suit your game, playing your best.

"is it going for the first serve? Or is it setting it up after slicing it out wide to your opponent’s forehand? That’s most probably where she will make the biggest improvement on the grass court.

"I still think Iga is the favourite. That’s not because she is a better grass-court player these days, but she is more certain about how she wants to play her tennis.

"I don’t think she is going to involve herself in too many long rallies, which I think is going to be good for her.”

Swiatek said in her on-court interview: "I am very pleased. It’s my first match on grass this season so I knew it’d be tricky.

"In the second set, at the beginning, I lost my focus a little bit and she used that well. I’m happy that I came back and finished in two sets. It’s exciting, a new experience for me.

“We’ll see, honestly if I am fully comfortable on grass. I think so. It’s tricky because I still feel like I’ve only played 12 weeks in my life on grass.

"The atmosphere and tradition here pumps me up and motivates me. I want to use the experience that my coach has. I’m looking forward to the next matches and seeing how I play here.

“All the work that we’ve been doing has clicked this season. I think it’s great… I’m sad that Ash [Barty] isn’t here because I would have loved to have played against her on grass.

"I feel like with her retirement, this is the right place to be! I’m still trying to maintain my world No.1 spot.”

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Watch daily highlights from Wimbledon at 10pm on Eurosport 2 and discovery+ from June 27, as well as the two singles finals live on July 9 and 10.

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