World No.1 and Australian Open scorching favorite Iga Swiatek has shrugged off harm issues as she makes an attempt to assert the primary Melbourne Park title since Ash Barty’s retirement.
Swiatek pulled out of the Adelaide International 2 with a proper shoulder harm however was adamant it would not have an effect on her tilt at a fourth grand slam.
“It’s good. It’s good,” she informed reporters on Saturday.
“So don’t worry about it. There’s nothing bad going on.
“I had fairly stable practices, so I’m completely happy to be right here and I’m completely happy that I’ve a very long time to get the circumstances and get the sensation of those courts.
“But I also enjoyed my time off. So, yeah, it’s a good combination.”
Open organisers will breathe a sigh of reduction after world No.2 Ons Jabeur additionally shrugged off a pre-tournament harm, after eleventh seed Paula Badosa (thigh) and Australian No.1 Ajla Tomljanovic (knee) each pulled out on Saturday.
Jabeur required a medical timeout for therapy on her again throughout her Adelaide International loss to Linda Noskova final week.
“It’s actually much, much better. I just needed a couple days to just be ready,” Jabeur informed reporters.
Swiatek is coming off a golden 2022, when she received the US Open and added a second Roland Garros crown to her 2020 title.
Last 12 months’s Melbourne Park semi-finalist was adamant she did not have to dramatically evolve her recreation.
“I don’t think Novak (Djokovic) changed a lot in his game since few years ago,” she mentioned.
“For me, it’s all about staying kind of solid and actually, like, not changing a lot.
“It labored, so why would I modify loads?”
Swiatek, 21, enjoyed a casual hit with Barty at Saturday’s kids’ day and admitted she would love to still be able to go toe-to-toe with the Australian.
“When she retired I felt like she nonetheless had the most effective tennis on the market, so, yeah, I used to be fairly unhappy that I’m not going to have the ability to compete in opposition to her and possibly win,” she mentioned.
“But alternatively she gave me loads by way of my motivation and my type of willingness to observe much more and … to have extra selection on court docket.
“When I played against her, I felt like she just has all these different game styles and slice.
“Even in her ebook, she says she has, like, 5 kinds of slice. I do not know the way that is doable. I nonetheless have not found out just one sort.
“But, yeah, I have like huge respect for Ash. She really gave me huge motivation at the beginning of last season to get even better. I’m kind of grateful for that.”
Swiatek kicks off her marketing campaign in opposition to Germany’s Jule Niemeier at Rod Laver Arena on Monday.
