Issue link: http://itf.uberflip.com/i/1320673
IGA SWIATEK INTERVIEW ITF World Winter 2020 09 When hot-shot Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, critically acclaimed Polish author Olga Tokarczuk and tennis royalty such as Rod Laver and Chris Evert are passing on their congratulations, something seismic has been achieved. That is an accurate description of Iga Swiatek's accomplishments in October when she rocked the world and made history by conquering all before her to be crowned women's singles champion at Roland Garros. In doing so, the prodigiously talented teenager became the first Polish player to be crowned a Grand Slam singles champion, and the youngest woman to top the podium in Paris since Monica Seles in 1992. Swiatek hit the headlines on an industrial scale and the frenzy surrounding her has continued, so much so that in the weeks following her victory, the 19-year-old joked that she would have to "learn how to be a celebrity". But fame and the glare of the spotlight has the potential to be dangerous, especially when the recipient of that attention is so young – something recognised by three-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, who has dealt with similar since her US Open success in 2018. Osaka reached out to Swiatek in the aftermath of her heroics in Paris, offering advice and support if needed. For the time being, however, Swiatek, while fully appreciating the pitfalls, is content with her ability to cope with and thrive under the scrutiny. "My life has changed completely," Swiatek told ITFWorld. "But I haven't asked for any advice because I think I am dealing with everything pretty well. It is nice to know that you have someone who you can ask but, even though it is a new situation which doesn't occur very often for Polish people, right now I don't have any problems. "For sure, it is hard and stressful at times but fun also. There has been a lot of hype and many people think that when you win a Grand Slam your work is done and you can rest and be happy. "But when you win a Grand Slam and are not prepared for a big success it can be hard to handle and I am having to put much more work mentally into this whole process now compared to before. Main Swiatek conquered all before her at Roland Garros in October Left The teenager is the first Polish player to win a Grand Slam singles tle Iga Swiatek's life changed forever when she won her maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. She talks to Ross McLean about coping with fame, being Nadal on her PlayStation and wanting to unite people during the Covid-19 pandemic POLE