Iga Swiatek is set to play her first match back on the WTA Tour after winning a maiden Wimbledon title earlier this month.
Swiatek emerged victorious in London after dominating Amanda Anisimova in the final, 6-0, 6-0, becoming the first Pole in history to hoist a singles title at the All England Club.
The 24-year-old has now completed the ‘Surface Slam’, having won a major crown on hard-court, clay, and grass, with just the Australian Open eluding her.
Ahead of her appearance at the Canadian Open in Montreal, Swiatek faced the media and claimed there was still a ‘big misconception’ about her, despite being on tour for several years.
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty ImagesIga Swiatek highlights the ‘biggest misconception’ about her
The six-time Grand Slam champion said: “I kind of try to be honest with everyone, and I’m trying to be myself, so I feel like what people think about me is usually right.
“But I would say for the past months, the biggest misconception in some media back home was that I am depressed or sad.
“That was not true, and people just came to some conclusions out of nowhere or out of 15 minutes that I was frustrated or sad on the court.
“Or I heard a lot that I am burned out, which also wasn’t and isn’t true,” concluded the world number three.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesIga Swiatek says winning the Wimbledon title has not ‘changed’ her
On her Wimbledon triumph, Swiatek explained: “I wouldn’t say it’s changed me because I already won a lot, and I feel like maybe winning the first Grand Slam changed me, but then I kind of knew the drill.
“But winning Wimbledon is something special. I think it was much different because I hadn’t expected it.
“I didn’t feel like relief as I sometimes did at Roland Garros because everybody was expecting me to win, I felt just super proud of myself, and the tennis still surprised me. It was all pretty refreshing.
“That is why I am super happy because it was not even on my list to win Wimbledon, and it happened, so I can enjoy this feeling and try to keep it for as long as possible.”
Entering the Canadian Open as the second seed, Swiatek will face either Yulia Putintseva or a qualifier in the second round.