Iga Swiatek, From Shy Rafael Nadal And Guns N Roses Fan To World Number One

Iga Swiatek was once a bashful, teenage hard-rock fan who watched Rafael Nadal in awe before storming to a memorable Grand Slam triumph at a bleak, Covid-hit autumn edition of the French Open in 2020. On Monday, she will be the new world number one. With Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in her headphones, the Pole took to the clay courts of Roland Garros in October 2020. There was hardly anyone to applaud the teenager in that first year of the Covid pandemic as she swept to her first Grand Slam trophy without dropping a set to become the youngest winner since Monica Seles lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 1992. On Saturday, under the Florida sun, there were crowds to cheer the 20-year-old as she swept past four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final, two days before officially taking her place at the top of the world hierarchy, on the throne abandoned by Ashleigh Barty. It was on the hard courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne that Swiatek played her first Grand Slam tournament three years ago, reaching the second round. A few months later, she only lasted 45 minutes in a fourth round defeat to Simona Halep at her first French Open. Everything started to come together for the youngster from Warsaw in 2020. A fourth round finish in Melbourne, third round at the US Open and then the delayed French Open - her very first title on the main circuit with victory over Sofia Kenin in the final. Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion was propelled into the top 20 in the world. Another turning point followed as Swiatek, who was still a diligent high school student in 2019, graduated in 2020. A relief for her, but also for her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.

Iga Swiatek was once a bashful, teenage hard-rock fan who watched Rafael Nadal in awe before storming to a memorable Grand Slam triumph at a bleak, Covid-hit autumn edition of the French Open in 2020. On Monday, she will be the new world number one. With Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in her headphones, the Pole took to the clay courts of Roland Garros in October 2020. There was hardly anyone to applaud the teenager in that first year of the Covid pandemic as she swept to her first Grand Slam trophy without dropping a set to become the youngest winner since Monica Seles lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 1992. On Saturday, under the Florida sun, there were crowds to cheer the 20-year-old as she swept past four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final, two days before officially taking her place at the top of the world hierarchy, on the throne abandoned by Ashleigh Barty. It was on the hard courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne that Swiatek played her first Grand Slam tournament three years ago, reaching the second round. A few months later, she only lasted 45 minutes in a fourth round defeat to Simona Halep at her first French Open. Everything started to come together for the youngster from Warsaw in 2020. A fourth round finish in Melbourne, third round at the US Open and then the delayed French Open - her very first title on the main circuit with victory over Sofia Kenin in the final. Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion was propelled into the top 20 in the world. Another turning point followed as Swiatek, who was still a diligent high school student in 2019, graduated in 2020. A relief for her, but also for her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.Iga Swiatek was once a bashful, teenage hard-rock fan who watched Rafael Nadal in awe before storming to a memorable Grand Slam triumph at a bleak, Covid-hit autumn edition of the French Open in 2020. On Monday, she will be the new world number one. With Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in her headphones, the Pole took to the clay courts of Roland Garros in October 2020. There was hardly anyone to applaud the teenager in that first year of the Covid pandemic as she swept to her first Grand Slam trophy without dropping a set to become the youngest winner since Monica Seles lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 1992. On Saturday, under the Florida sun, there were crowds to cheer the 20-year-old as she swept past four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final, two days before officially taking her place at the top of the world hierarchy, on the throne abandoned by Ashleigh Barty. It was on the hard courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne that Swiatek played her first Grand Slam tournament three years ago, reaching the second round. A few months later, she only lasted 45 minutes in a fourth round defeat to Simona Halep at her first French Open. Everything started to come together for the youngster from Warsaw in 2020. A fourth round finish in Melbourne, third round at the US Open and then the delayed French Open - her very first title on the main circuit with victory over Sofia Kenin in the final. Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion was propelled into the top 20 in the world. Another turning point followed as Swiatek, who was still a diligent high school student in 2019, graduated in 2020. A relief for her, but also for her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.Iga Swiatek was once a bashful, teenage hard-rock fan who watched Rafael Nadal in awe before storming to a memorable Grand Slam triumph at a bleak, Covid-hit autumn edition of the French Open in 2020. On Monday, she will be the new world number one. With Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in her headphones, the Pole took to the clay courts of Roland Garros in October 2020. There was hardly anyone to applaud the teenager in that first year of the Covid pandemic as she swept to her first Grand Slam trophy without dropping a set to become the youngest winner since Monica Seles lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 1992. On Saturday, under the Florida sun, there were crowds to cheer the 20-year-old as she swept past four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final, two days before officially taking her place at the top of the world hierarchy, on the throne abandoned by Ashleigh Barty. It was on the hard courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne that Swiatek played her first Grand Slam tournament three years ago, reaching the second round. A few months later, she only lasted 45 minutes in a fourth round defeat to Simona Halep at her first French Open. Everything started to come together for the youngster from Warsaw in 2020. A fourth round finish in Melbourne, third round at the US Open and then the delayed French Open - her very first title on the main circuit with victory over Sofia Kenin in the final. Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion was propelled into the top 20 in the world. Another turning point followed as Swiatek, who was still a diligent high school student in 2019, graduated in 2020. A relief for her, but also for her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.Iga Swiatek was once a bashful, teenage hard-rock fan who watched Rafael Nadal in awe before storming to a memorable Grand Slam triumph at a bleak, Covid-hit autumn edition of the French Open in 2020. On Monday, she will be the new world number one. With Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in her headphones, the Pole took to the clay courts of Roland Garros in October 2020. There was hardly anyone to applaud the teenager in that first year of the Covid pandemic as she swept to her first Grand Slam trophy without dropping a set to become the youngest winner since Monica Seles lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 1992. On Saturday, under the Florida sun, there were crowds to cheer the 20-year-old as she swept past four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final, two days before officially taking her place at the top of the world hierarchy, on the throne abandoned by Ashleigh Barty. It was on the hard courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne that Swiatek played her first Grand Slam tournament three years ago, reaching the second round. A few months later, she only lasted 45 minutes in a fourth round defeat to Simona Halep at her first French Open. Everything started to come together for the youngster from Warsaw in 2020. A fourth round finish in Melbourne, third round at the US Open and then the delayed French Open - her very first title on the main circuit with victory over Sofia Kenin in the final. Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion was propelled into the top 20 in the world. Another turning point followed as Swiatek, who was still a diligent high school student in 2019, graduated in 2020. A relief for her, but also for her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.Iga Swiatek was once a bashful, teenage hard-rock fan who watched Rafael Nadal in awe before storming to a memorable Grand Slam triumph at a bleak, Covid-hit autumn edition of the French Open in 2020. On Monday, she will be the new world number one. With Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in her headphones, the Pole took to the clay courts of Roland Garros in October 2020. There was hardly anyone to applaud the teenager in that first year of the Covid pandemic as she swept to her first Grand Slam trophy without dropping a set to become the youngest winner since Monica Seles lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 1992. On Saturday, under the Florida sun, there were crowds to cheer the 20-year-old as she swept past four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final, two days before officially taking her place at the top of the world hierarchy, on the throne abandoned by Ashleigh Barty. It was on the hard courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne that Swiatek played her first Grand Slam tournament three years ago, reaching the second round. A few months later, she only lasted 45 minutes in a fourth round defeat to Simona Halep at her first French Open. Everything started to come together for the youngster from Warsaw in 2020. A fourth round finish in Melbourne, third round at the US Open and then the delayed French Open - her very first title on the main circuit with victory over Sofia Kenin in the final. Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion was propelled into the top 20 in the world. Another turning point followed as Swiatek, who was still a diligent high school student in 2019, graduated in 2020. A relief for her, but also for her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.Iga Swiatek was once a bashful, teenage hard-rock fan who watched Rafael Nadal in awe before storming to a memorable Grand Slam triumph at a bleak, Covid-hit autumn edition of the French Open in 2020. On Monday, she will be the new world number one. With Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" in her headphones, the Pole took to the clay courts of Roland Garros in October 2020. There was hardly anyone to applaud the teenager in that first year of the Covid pandemic as she swept to her first Grand Slam trophy without dropping a set to become the youngest winner since Monica Seles lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup in 1992. On Saturday, under the Florida sun, there were crowds to cheer the 20-year-old as she swept past four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open final, two days before officially taking her place at the top of the world hierarchy, on the throne abandoned by Ashleigh Barty. It was on the hard courts of the Australian Open in Melbourne that Swiatek played her first Grand Slam tournament three years ago, reaching the second round. A few months later, she only lasted 45 minutes in a fourth round defeat to Simona Halep at her first French Open. Everything started to come together for the youngster from Warsaw in 2020. A fourth round finish in Melbourne, third round at the US Open and then the delayed French Open - her very first title on the main circuit with victory over Sofia Kenin in the final. Poland's first Grand Slam singles champion was propelled into the top 20 in the world. Another turning point followed as Swiatek, who was still a diligent high school student in 2019, graduated in 2020. A relief for her, but also for her coach Piotr Sierzputowski.Iga Swiate