Iga Swiatek lost in the third round of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships and shared her insights into the reasons for her defeat.
Yulia Putintseva outplayed Swiatek in the second and third sets of their match at SW19, leaving the Polish No. 1 struggling to respond to her opponent’s exceptional performance.
Swiatek, while undoubtedly a top player, has yet to progress past the quarter-final stage at Wimbledon, a trend that continued this year following her third-round exit.
During a media addressing post-match, Swiatek discussed the challenges she faces at SW19 and her commitment to each tournament she competes in.
The World No. 1 expressed her determination to excel in every event, emphasizing that while she would have greater motivation if Wimbledon was held sooner, the annual nature of tournaments makes it challenging to predict future outcomes.
“If I had another Wimbledon in two months, I would be really really determined and for sure I’d focus really hard to work for it. But it’s gonna be in a year. I’m not sure what’s gonna happen in a year. Obviously I’m determined in every tournament.”
Swiatek acknowledged the circumstances surrounding her early Wimbledon departure, noting the proximity of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the recent conclusion of Roland Garros, placing Wimbledon between two significant events in her calendar.
Her achievements at Roland Garros, coupled with the upcoming Olympics on familiar clay courts, directed much of Swiatek’s focus towards these clay-court competitions, impacting her Wimbledon performance.
“This part of the season isn’t easy. It’s the middle of the season, and we’re switching surfaces. Going from this kind of tennis where I feel like I’m playing the best tennis of my life to going to another surface where I kind of struggle a bit more, it’s not easy.”
Beyond the focus shift, Swiatek highlighted the challenge of adequate preparation for the third Grand Slam of the season due to her extensive match schedule leading up to Wimbledon, attributing fatigue as a factor in her early exit.
“All that stuff kind of combines to me not having a really good time at Wimbledon (laughs) but again, I feel like I’m gonna do a better job at recovering. If I would have more energy going into the tournament I can work through that and focus on the right stuff.”
