Following a stellar 2022, Iga Swiatek has been recognized as the European Sportsperson of the Year. Her path to the top included victories at the French and U.S. Opens and a strong showing at the WTA Tour Finals, ensuring she ended the season as the world's top-ranked female player. The 21-year-old beat out world-record pole vaulter Armand Duplantis for the top spot, with F1 star Max Verstappen finishing third. She now shares this accolade with tennis icons like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, the latter of whom won it last year.
Tennis sensation Iga Swiatek has been named European Sportsperson of the year rewarding her remarkable season in 2022. Swiatek won both the French and U.S. Opens and also reached the semi-final of the WTA Tour Finals, helping her end the season as the women’s world no.1 player. The 21-year-old young tennis player pushed down pole vault World champion Armand Duplantis to second place While F1 star Max Verstappen claimed third place. Former tennis players who have been named the European Sportsperson of the Year include Swiss star Roger Federer, Spaniard Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, who won the award last year.
Since 1985, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) has presented the European Sportsperson of the Year award to the athlete who achieved the most impressive results over the last twelve months. The selection process involves voting by 20 international news agencies, who narrowed down a field of 58 candidates from 19 different sporting disciplines.
Swiatek claimed the title with 118 votes, leaving F1 champion Max Verstappen behind with 82. Her dominant season was highlighted by eight tournament wins, two of which were Grand Slams, and an amazing streak where she didn't lose a single match for 37 consecutive games. These achievements also earned her the title of WTA player of the season.
Reflecting on her success, Swiatek mentioned in an interview that everything seemed to fall into place this year, admitting she didn't expect to maintain such a high level of consistency. She noted that it's difficult to summarize the experience in just a few words, but expressed immense pride in how she managed the mental pressure of the season.
Swiatek also looked back at a pivotal moment from the Adelaide International semi-finals, where she lost 6-4, 6-2 to the then-world number one, Ash Barty. Although the defeat kept her out of the final, Swiatek explained that the loss served as a powerful motivator, noting that every athlete needs a rival who pushes them to their absolute limits.
As she prepares to start a new season for the first time as the World No. 1, Swiatek knows that maintaining her consistency will be the biggest challenge. She emphasized the importance of staying focused and keeping her composure to reach her future goals. To gear up for the 2023 Australian Open, she recently competed in the World Tennis League exhibition in Dubai.