WARSAW, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has expressed that winning the China Open tournament held a special meaning for her as she faced "one of the most difficult moments of the whole season at that time."
The 22-year-old returned to the top of the WTA Rankings after a massive triumph in the WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico. Earlier, she proved to be the best in Warsaw (WTA 250), Stuttgart and Doha (WTA 500), Beijing (WTA 1000), and at Roland Garros (Grand Slam).
On Friday, Swiatek reflected on her year in an interview for Polish media, noting that the competition in China was special for her.
"This season, the most demanding moments were the competition in Rome and the time before the competition in Tokyo and Beijing. I'm a quite emotional person, sometimes I feel fear. I thought I had to prove to everyone that I was on the right track," Swiatek was quoted as saying.
"I felt like everyone was watching me. It overwhelmed me. I gathered the whole team. I said I needed full support, including emotional support. They gave me that support. In consequence, in every next match in Beijing I felt better," she added.
The Pole remarked that her triumph at the China Open was quite surprising even for herself.
"By the end of the season, you are so tired and drained from the constant commitment to tennis that it is difficult to control your feelings. I thought that by the end of the year, I would be fighting mainly with myself, but instead, I won the tournament in Beijing," the tennis player added.
The 22-year-old recalled a moment that influenced her form.
"I was rarely at home, and in the middle of the season, I felt the need to do so. After the US Open, I returned to Poland and it helped me win in Beijing and Cancun," she concluded. ■