Iga Swiatek Maintains Focus Ahead of 2026 Season
Iga Swiatek has stated that she will not place additional pressure on herself as she approaches the 2026 season.
The Polish player currently ranks No. 2 in the PIF WTA Rankings, following World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. With four Roland Garros titles and one each at Wimbledon and the US Open, Swiatek only requires a victory at the Australian Open to achieve a career Grand Slam.
However, the 24-year-old isn’t prioritizing the quest for the No. 1 ranking or the career Slam. “I’m just concentrating on my own process,” Swiatek remarked. “Both are significant achievements that require a lot of consistency and excellence for two weeks.”
“Reaching No. 1 is also challenging, especially with Aryna performing remarkably in recent years. I’ll honestly just focus on myself because that’s the best path forward. I don’t feel the need to choose which goal is more important. I’m still young and have ample time to accomplish various objectives in my career.”
Having secured six Grand Slam titles and 25 WTA trophies, Swiatek has recognized the importance of concentrating on the present tournament. “My mindset at the start of the year is usually similar,” she explained. “In 2023, I made the mistake of thinking about the entire season too early, which wasn’t sensible.”
Swiatek is currently preparing for the United Cup, where she led Poland to the finals last season, only to be defeated by the United States. She finds this tournament to be a favorable lead-up to the Australian Open due to its unique format compared to other events like Brisbane and Adelaide.
Auger-Aliassime Lauds Mboko’s Achievements
Victoria Mboko from Canada is set to debut in the United Cup, assuming women’s singles responsibilities in Group B against Belgium’s Elise Mertens and China’s Zhu Lin. After an impressive 2025 season, where she rose from outside the top 300 to No. 18, Mboko’s highlight was defeating Naomi Osaka to claim her first WTA 1000 title.
Felix Auger-Aliassime, the fifth-ranked player in the ATP PIF Rankings, praised Mboko’s breakthrough year. “It was amazing to witness her success. Canada is proud of her, and I look forward to teaming up for the mixed doubles,” he said.
