By Scoop Malinowski
Iga Swiatek is only sixteen but she’s already making noise on the ITF pro circuit. Last week at the $25,000 Pelham, Alabama tournament, Swiatek won the title as a qualifier.
So far this year, Swiatek, of Poland, has beaten name players like Allie Kiick, Tamaryn Hendler, Louisa Chirico twice and Alexandra Stevenson. 21-year-old Chirico is struggling now and ranked over 200 but she was once ranked 58 in the world and has beaten some marquee players like Sam Crawford, Francesca Schiavone, Christina McHale, Monica Niculescu, Timea Bacsinzky, Lauren Davis, Sorana Cirstea, Ana Ivanovic, Daniela Hantuchova, Camila Giorgi, Naomi Osaka, Lucie Safarova, Heather Watson and Alize Cornet.
Chirico played Swiatek twice in the last month and lost 61 62 in Jackson, MS and 62 64 in Pelham, both on clay.
So Swiatek is proving her credentials as a major professional prospect already at just sixteen (she turns seventeen on May 31).
As a junior, Swiatek also has some notable wins. At Roland Garros 2017 she reached the quarterfinals. At Traralgon in Jan. 2017 she beat Marta Kostyuk. At US Open in 2016 she beat 2017 girls winner Whitney Osuigwe. At Roland Garros 2016 she beat Sofia Kenin.
So with her junior pedigree and stunning professional results already, Iga Swiatek is a young player to keep an eye on.
