On Tuesday, on Sport.pl, we published a large conversation between Łukasz Jachimiak and Piotr Sierzputowski. Iga Świątek unexpectedly won the singles tournament, while in doubles she was eliminated in the semi-finals, but her coach had a grudge against her during Roland Garros, which Sierzputowski told frankly.
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Iga Świątek is always perfect? “She’s a human too”
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Below is an excerpt from the interview. “When Iga Świątek breaks me down, I sit completely silent and you can see that I am angry”
Piotr Sierzputowski: Her dad [Świątek – dop. red.] Our work was also enjoyed, although Tomek had his comments.
What?
– He expected a little heavier hand from me.
Still waiting?
– He respects my style. I give Iga a lot of space. I can guide her so that she really wants to get better. We worked it out. Because Iga did not always want to. There were times when she ran away from training.
Was your hand too heavy then?
– No, I have never been the type of coach giving specific bura. When Iga breaks me down, I sit completely silent and you can see that I am angry. I’m willing to bet she can see it from the court even when I’m sitting in the stands wearing a mask. We’ve known each other for so many years that she can see it in my eyes.
In Paris, she saw?
– Yes, in the doubles semi-final lost.
Were you pissed off that she was throwing a rocket?
– Behavior, behavior, emotions are difficult to control, although of course we are working on it. I was angry because she was headed for a single. It was 5: 2 in the first set and they suddenly started losing, which was not the fault of Nicole Melichar. In the second set, Iga played great, and in the third set, she started to think again not about what she should have.
Let’s go back to those escapes from training.
Iga just felt tired and then she didn’t feel like working. You have to say one thing directly: Iga doesn’t really like working. She loves to compete. And great! An athlete who prefers competition is a model. Today, Iga is always prepared, and she can find herself in any situation. And you always want to face something. Caty McNally, Iga’s friend, also competes with her coach in everything. They take care of it. However, Iga has it in nature.
Is he like Cristiano Ronaldo, who can learn even unfamiliar table tennis, just to get back at someone with whom he lost?
Or like Michael Jordan, who has to win even in the coin toss. Not everyone is really born with it. As I say – it can be trained, but to a certain extent. And Iga will never break, it will never be soft. Dad has always been doing a great job for her. But instilling something like that in her is his great merit. And at the same time, conveying a very sober look. Tomek has always kept Iga in check. “Have you lost? Too bad, it’s training tomorrow.” “You won? Great, but training is tomorrow.”
The entire conversation in which Sierzputowski tells, among others about the madness surrounding the winner of the Grand Slam Roland Garros, about money, about relations with Agnieszka Radwańska and about the fact that “the Polish Tennis Association has nothing to say”, you can read at this link >>
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