Iga Swiatek is the undisputed world No 1 in the women’s game, but tennis legend John McEnroe suggests she still has a big area in her game that needs to be improved.
Even though Aryna Sabalenka won two Grand Slam titles in 2024, Swiatek has a strong lead at the top of the WTA Rankings, but her defeat against Jessica Pegula in the US Open quarter-finals sparked a debate over her tactical approach.
Swiatek’s all-out attacking game tends to blow most of her rivals away, but she has shown some signs of frailty
Speaking at a Eurosport event, McEnroe suggested Swiatek needs to develop a defensive game to make her attacking firepower, which could make her an unstoppable force.
“One issue for me is she doesn’t want to play defence at all,” said McEnroe.
“At times, she should pull back when the offence isn’t going as well as it can do on clay. She keeps trying to hit out, which is somewhat surprising for someone who prefers a slower surface.
“I was a little surprised that she is either unwilling or unable to make adjustments on the faster surfaces.
“I don’t know if she had a dip in confidence, but if you saw someone like Iga digging in and defending as well as she attacks, that would be hard opponents to overcome.
“I’m a little surprised she has not made that adjustment, but she is young. Hopefully she can make that adjustment and improve a little at the net.”
