World number one Iga Świątek is preparing for her first tournament since winning the US Open last month, but she will be doing it without coach Tomasz Wiktorowski on the sidelines.
The 21-year-old will compete at the Ostrava Open in the Czech Republic this week as she approaches the end of her 2022 season.
Off the back of her triumph at Flushing Meadows, it seems Świątek is looking for a more lowkey run in this tournament.
Why has Świątek travelled without her coach?
Świątek has made the trip to Ostrava without Wiktorowski but fans don’t need to be worried about the absence of the successful player-coach combination.
The three-time Grand Slam winner has admitted she wanted to give her team a slightly longer break ahead of her season finale at the San Diego Open and the WTA Finals in Texas later this month.
“We did something like that in Dubai and Stuttgart,” Świątek said during an Ostrava Open media day. “We already have our routines. He [Wiktorowski] is always available. We’re going to still do some work in terms of preparation for the match and tactic-wise.
“I feel it’s good for them to stay at home a little bit longer and be more fresh for our trip to the US.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 10: Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Ons Jabeur of Tunisia during their Women’s Singles Final match on Day Thirteen of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 10, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Świątek appointed Wiktorowski ahead of the 2022 WTA Tour and he has been by her side through two Grand Slam wins this year.
The world number one went on an astonishing run of form which saw her win six consecutive titles, including the Sunshine Double and the French Open. She then bagged her seventh title of the year and tenth of her career with an historic US Open victory.
Wiktorowski will hit the road with Świątek again after the Ostrava Open to give her one last push before the end of her season.
Świątek at home in Ostrava
The tournament will be held at the Ostravar Arena, which is just 10 miles from the Polish border.
Being so close to home has made Świątek feel comfortable already and she admitted it is a great feeling to go from competing in a huge city like New York to being near her home fans again.
1 of 15 How many Grand Slam titles did Iga Świątek win in 2022? 1 2 3
“It was pretty fun because basically most of the people in the stands were Polish so I feel like I’m at home,” she said. “I really like that it’s so calm here because after cities like New York it’s good to come to a place you can really rest here.”
“Maybe my friends [are] going to come, but only if I make it to the semifinals. So I’m under pressure.”
Świątek’s first match in the Czech Republic will take place on Wednesday. After receiving a first-round bye, she will face either Zhang Shuai or Ajla Tomljanovic in the second round.
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