Barbora Krejcikova showed respect for Iga Swiatek but also warned the Pole that she feels “has a good chance” of upsetting her at the WTA Finals.
On Sunday, fans in Riyadh will have a chance to see the reigning Wimbledon champion go up against the reigning French Open winner. And while the Pole is the favorite on paper, it is not a secret that the Czech has been a very tricky opponent for her in the past and has actually won their last two meetings.
In 2021 – a year before her dominant 2022 season – Swiatek beat Krejcikova in Miami and Rome. But after that, the 13th-ranked Czech upset the five-time Grand Slam champion 5-7 7-6 (4) 6-3 in the 2022 Ostrava final and claimed another surprise win in the 2023 Dubai final 6-4 6-2.
Barbora Krejcikova and Iga Swiatek© YouTube screenshot
“Iga is a great tennis player. She’s been one of the most consistent during the season. She was No. 1 for most of the season. Yeah, I mean, it couldn’t get any tougher for the first match,” the 2024 Wimbledon champion noted.
Krejcikova on why she likes playing against Swiatek
Not many players have enjoyed much success against the Pole over the last two years. But the 28-year-old seemingly has a winning formula.
“I mean, I like to play against her. I mean, I always enjoy ’cause she’s obviously one of the best. I mean, I like to challenge myself against the best ones. So I’m looking forward to this match… I hope we going to have a nice match. I hope she’s not going to kick my butt all the way (laughter). Also on the other side I feel like I can have a good chance and I can play good tennis right now. I believe in my skills,” Krejcikova explained.
Specifically on hard, the Czech tennis star won two out of three meetings against Swiatek. It will be interesting to see if Krejcikova can upset the Pole for a third consecutive time on Sunday.