Iga Świątek, currently ranked 8th in the WTA, had her best performance at Wimbledon two years ago, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to Elina Svitolina. The challenges of repeating such an achievement loom large as Świątek has historically struggled on grass courts.
This Friday, Świątek learned her draw for Wimbledon. The 24-year-old will face Russian player Polina Kudermetova, ranked 63rd, in the first round. Kudermetova has limited experience on grass, having played only 13 matches on this surface, winning 7, and she has never qualified for the main tournament at Wimbledon. Should Świątek advance, her potential second-round opponent could be either Caty McNally or Jodie Burrage, both ranked lower than her.
Świątek’s path may get tougher in the later rounds. In her quarter, she might meet American Coco Gauff, who is currently ranked 2nd, in a highly anticipated quarter-final matchup. Prior to that, in the fourth round, she may encounter another top contender, Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan, ranked 11th.
Other Polish players also face challenging draws; Magdalena Fręch will take on Anastasia Potapova, while Magda Linette is set to compete against French player Elsa Jacquemot.
Wimbledon is set to start on June 30, with the previous champion, Barbora Krejcikova, now uncertain to play due to an injury that forced her withdrawal from her last match against Varvara Gracheva in Eastbourne.
Overall, while the road ahead is challenging for Świątek and her fellow competitors, their participation in such a prestigious tournament offers them an opportunity to demonstrate their skills on a global stage and potentially make a remarkable impact.