WARSAW, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Tennis world No. 1 Iga Swiatek was named Poland's Sportsperson of the Year for 2022 on Saturday evening.
The Sportsperson of the Year is considered to be one of the most prestigious sport prizes in Poland. Swiatek was seen as a strong favorite of the award after she claimed French Open and US Open titles in 2022, when she won 37 consecutive games and became the world No. 1 in the WTA rankings.
"I'd like to thank everyone for their votes. Sport should connect us and provide positive emotions. I'm glad that I delivered a lot of these feelings in 2022. I hope next year will be very good for me as well. Keep your fingers crossed for me," Swiatek said in a video message.
Swiatek was unable to attend the awards ceremony as she was participating in the United Cup in Australia. It was her father Tomasz Swiatek that appeared on the stage on Saturday.
"I am very proud of my daughter's achievements. I used to hope she'd make it to the top, but I didn't think she'd win that much in one year. She achieved great results, and she was also an excellent ambassador of Poland on the international scene," Tomasz Swiatek said.
Motorcycle speedway rider Bartosz Zmarzlik took second place, and FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski finished third in the vote.
Swiatek's coach Tomasz Wiktorowski received the Coach of the Year award, while Poland men's volleyball team was chosen as the Team of the Year. ■
