Becoming a big tennis player wasn't part of my dreams - Iga Swiatek reveals childhood challenges

World No.1 professional female tennis player Iga Swiatek has revealed her main dream growing up wasn't to be a professional tennis player.

The Polish star with four Grand Slam titles, has been one of the most dominant forces in women's sports for the past two years, breaking several records and attaining several historical feats in women's tennis.

Swiatek has now revealed that growing up, she never dreamed of being a big tennis player but about feeling more natural in social situations.  

“You might imagine that I stayed up all night as a kid dreaming about being a big tennis player, but no. To tell you the truth, at night, I dreamed about feeling a bit more natural in social situations," said Swiatek in an exclusive interview with Players Tribune.

"There was a time in my life when I was so introverted that speaking to people was a real challenge. Until I was 17 or 18, it was hard sometimes to look people in the eyes," she added. 

"I hated how hard it was for me. It felt really bad not being able to make connections. But with some people, my mind was just blank, and I didn't know what to say. Small talk wasn't natural to me. My story isn't like a lot of other athletes, and that’s okay.”

The 22-year-old's meteoric rise in women's tennis has been almost unbelievable. Having won the French Open in 2020, 2022, and 2023 and the US Open in 2022, she is the first player from her country to win a Major singles title and has won 17 singles titles in total, including the 2023 WTA Finals.

According to Forbes, Swiatek is the highest-paid female athlete in 2023, amassing $23.9 million in total earnings.