Todd Woodbridge says he’s hoping Iga Swiatek labored on her slice backhand within the offseason as the previous doubles world No. 1 believes it’s the key to the world No. 2 attaining success on the Australian Open.
Though the Pole has already gained 5 Grand Slams by the age of 23, she hasn’t had that a lot success at Melbourne Park to this point in her profession.
Other than a semifinal outing in 2022, it has largely been early exits for Swiatek on the Australian Open – thrice misplaced within the round-of-16 and likewise had second and third-round defeats.
However not too long ago, the 23-year-old made a giant change and changed Tomasz Wiktorowski with Naomi Osaka’s former long-time coach Wim Fissette.
Shortly after their partnership was revealed, the Belgian coach – beneath whose steering Osaka gained the Australian Open and US Open – underlined one in every of his major objectives could be making the Pole a greater participant on sooner surfaces.
Woodbridge: Hopefully Swiatek and Fissette have been engaged on her backhand slice
“There is a new teaching staff [now including Wim Fissette], and hopefully within the low season they have been working over to the backhand nook and hitting some slice backhands – a defensive shot to get again into play,” the Australian tennis legend mentioned The AO Present Weekly.
“[It’s] one shot required for her to go one other degree right here, and that is to get a defensive ball, to get it again into play, and get again impartial into the courtroom.
“If she will have been engaged on that, I promise you you may see a distinct look from Iga. It’ll enable her to make use of her forehand higher, and set issues up.
“And he or she does not have that shot. Would not use it. That is all.”
Additionally, Woodbridge – who gained 16 Grand Slams in males’s doubles and 6 extra in combined doubles – additionally added {that a} stronger backhand would additionally enable Swiatek to “use her forehand approach higher.”
As soon as the previous world No. 1 kicks off her 2025 season, solely then we can see if she made any modifications to her sport.
