'I Wanted it Too Hard, I Need to Chill' Says Stunned Swiatek

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2023 Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her fourth round match against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina REUTERS/Sandra Sanders
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2023 Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her fourth round match against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina REUTERS/Sandra Sanders
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'I Wanted it Too Hard, I Need to Chill' Says Stunned Swiatek

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2023 Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her fourth round match against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina REUTERS/Sandra Sanders
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 22, 2023 Poland's Iga Swiatek in action during her fourth round match against Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina REUTERS/Sandra Sanders

World number one Iga Swiatek said she had felt the pressure and needed to "chill", after suffering a stunning exit in the Australian Open last 16 on Sunday.

The Pole came into Melbourne Park as a red-hot favorite for the first Grand Slam of the year, but was overpowered in straight sets by Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina at Rod Laver Arena.

The 21-year-old Swiatek admitted she buckled under the weight of expectation as her dream of a fourth major crown -- but first in Australia -- was shattered.

"Well, for sure, past two weeks have been pretty hard for me," a downcast Swiatek told reporters.

"I felt today that I don't have that much left to fight even more," AFP quoted her as saying.

"I felt like I took a step back in terms of how I approach these tournaments, and I maybe wanted it a little bit too hard.

"So I'm going to try to chill out a little bit more."

Moscow-born Kazakh Rybakina, whose power game proved too much for the normally rock-solid Swiatek, now faces a quarter-final against Jelena Ostapenko.

The Latvian 17th seed provided the second upset of a crazy few minutes at Melbourne Park by knocking out Coco Gauff 7-5, 6-3 on the neighboring Margaret Court Arena.

Swiatek dominated women's tennis in 2022 after the retirement of last year's Australian Open champion Ashleigh Barty, at one point going on a 37-match unbeaten streak to become the woman everyone wants to beat.

"I felt the pressure," Swiatek admitted. "I felt that I didn't want to lose instead of wanting to win."

The 6ft tall (1.82m) Rybakina always seemed to be in control of the match, particularly once her first serve, one of the fastest in the women's game, got into gear.

"Elena was the one that was more solid today and I felt like it was more about who is going to put more pressure on, and she did that pretty well," said Swiatek.

Rybakina, the 22nd seed, slapped down six aces to Swiatek's two and fired home 24 winners to the Pole's 15.

"She served, you know, as she does usually," said Swiatek.

"I wanted to put it back on her, but on my service games I felt like I need to just work really, really hard to get any point because my first serve wasn't working."

Swiatek said she would strive to recapture her stunning form of 2022.



Verbeek and Siniakova Win Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Title

10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
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Verbeek and Siniakova Win Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Title

10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
10 July 2025, United Kingdom, London: Dutch tennis player Sem Verbeek (L) and Czech Katerina Siniakova celebrate with their trophies after defeating British Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani during their Mixed Doubles Final match on day eleven of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Photo: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa

Czech Katerina Siniakova and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands claimed the Wimbledon mixed doubles title on Thursday, defeating Britain's Joe Salisbury and Brazilian Luisa Stefani 7-6(3) 7-6(3).

Facing home favorite Salisbury and Stefani on Centre Court, the Czech-Dutch duo held their nerve, while Stefani appeared to be hampered by a leg issue in the second set.

As Siniakova sealed victory with an overhead smash, the duo celebrated their first title together, Siniakova’s maiden mixed doubles Grand Slam and Verbeek’s first Grand Slam triumph of any kind.

"It’s very special, I mean it means a lot -- we had a lot of fun on the court and I really enjoyed it, it was a really amazing time here," Siniakova said after lifting the trophy.

For the 29-year-old Siniakova, the win added to her 10 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, including the Australian Open crown with American Taylor Townsend in January.

"Katerina, thank you so much, it’s been an honor to compete next to such a great doubles legend, one of the best to ever do it and thank you for making this a Thursday I will remember for the rest of my life," Reuters quoted the 31-year-old Verbeek as saying.

Salisbury, who faced the disappointment of home fans hoping to see a British champion, said margins did not fall in his and Stefani’s favor.

"It's always tough to lose a final but they played amazing so congratulations. They were too good in the tie-breaks today," Salisbury said.