By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, Might 2, 2024
Iga Swiatek owns sufficient weapons to fill her Tecnifibre racquet bag.
World No. 1 Swiatek is without doubt one of the sport’s speediest gamers, possesses a hellacious topspin forehand, flat backhand and diverse serve.
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The highest-seeded Swiatek’s most underrated weapon?
Swiatek is a champion compressor, says Madison Keys.
Within the aftermath of Swiatek’s 6-1, 6-3 sweep of Keys in at this time’s Mutua Madrid Open semifinals, the 2017 US Open finalist detailed the problem of dealing with Swiatek.
The four-time Grand Slam champion’s constant depth, mixed with the actual fact she’s so expert hitting the ball on the rise, squeezes each house and response time for opponents.
“I feel she does not appear to be she’s ever actually going for that a lot, however I used to be additionally actually impressed at this time along with her depth and her shot placement,” Keys stated of Swiatek. “I imply, each single ball was mainly an inch from the road, and you’ll’t actually ever acquire any court docket when that is the ball that is coming at you.”
Pinned behind the baseline by Swiatek’s topspin can pressure opponents to tug the set off too shortly and play low-percentage drives down the road, Keys stated.
Consequently, as Swiatek grows sharper, opponents error counts can pile up as they go greater.
“So I really feel like she makes her opponents begin going for a bit bit an excessive amount of in attempting to do issues that they do not actually have the ball for,” Keys stated. “I feel, you understand, you win some extent or two, and it’s a must to work so laborious to try this or it’s a must to play such a fantastic level to win the purpose that it is laborious to persistently try this when each ball that is coming again at you is, you understand, it is coming fast, it is coming deep, it is coming with good margin.”
Picture credit score: Porsche Grand Prix Tennis Fb