CINCINNATI: Iga Swiatek confessed on Monday that whilst the present WTA world primary she stays socially intimidated by Serena Williams.
The highest-ranked Pole heads the sphere this week on the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Masters the place the 40-year-Wiliams will proceed the countdown to the tip of her profession with an opener in opposition to US Open winner Emma Raducanu on Tuesday.
Swiatek advised reporters on Monday that she had by no means labored up the nerve to talk with Williams in depth.
“It’s hard for me to make eye contact with Serena, there are always so many people surrounding her,” Swiatek mentioned.
“I’m quite shy so around her I’m like a kid in kindergarten.”
The double Roland Garros champion who rode a 37-match win streak to 6 titles this season has performed 4 profession matches in Cincinnati – incomes her solely win as a qualifier within the 2019 first spherical.
Together with her profile now significantly larger, the 21-year-old cannot clarify why she views talking with Williams with such trepidation.
The American is because of retire someday after the US Open, with Cincinnati set now as her penultimate event.
Swiatek did appear cautiously interested by a theoretical likelihood to play the legend with 23 Grand Slam titles ought to they someway be drawn into the Open first spherical.
“It would be the last chance to play her,” Swiatek mentioned.
“I’d love to, if only to see how it is to face her on the other side of the net.”
The highest-ranked Pole heads the sphere this week on the ATP/WTA Cincinnati Masters the place the 40-year-Wiliams will proceed the countdown to the tip of her profession with an opener in opposition to US Open winner Emma Raducanu on Tuesday.
Swiatek advised reporters on Monday that she had by no means labored up the nerve to talk with Williams in depth.
“It’s hard for me to make eye contact with Serena, there are always so many people surrounding her,” Swiatek mentioned.
“I’m quite shy so around her I’m like a kid in kindergarten.”
The double Roland Garros champion who rode a 37-match win streak to 6 titles this season has performed 4 profession matches in Cincinnati – incomes her solely win as a qualifier within the 2019 first spherical.
Together with her profile now significantly larger, the 21-year-old cannot clarify why she views talking with Williams with such trepidation.
The American is because of retire someday after the US Open, with Cincinnati set now as her penultimate event.
Swiatek did appear cautiously interested by a theoretical likelihood to play the legend with 23 Grand Slam titles ought to they someway be drawn into the Open first spherical.
“It would be the last chance to play her,” Swiatek mentioned.
“I’d love to, if only to see how it is to face her on the other side of the net.”
