London, June 25, 2022 (AFP) - World number one Iga Swiatek said on Saturday she is "overwhelmed" to see Serena Williams back at Wimbledon, one year after the US legend limped away from the All England Club.
Williams, a seven-time champion at the tournament, and still chasing an elusive 24th Grand Slam title, will be playing her first singles match since her tearful, injury-enforced withdrawal in the first round in 2021.
"I saw her yesterday, I was pretty overwhelmed," said Swiatek, the recently-crowned French Open champion.
"I didn't know how to react. I wanted to meet her. I saw that she had so many people around her. I don't know her team. It was pretty weird.
"But just seeing her around is great because she's such a legend, there's nobody that has done so much in tennis."
Swiatek wasn't even born when Williams made her Wimbledon debut in 1998.
But the Pole appreciates the ground-breaking achievements of the American and sees the 40-year-old still as a genuine threat despite her ring-rustiness.
"I'm pretty sure that she's going to be in good shape because she has so much experience coming back from breaks or just playing in Grand Slams. I think she can use it," said the 21-year-old.
Swiatek is on a Serena-esque run of dominance herself this season.
Having taken over from the now retired Ashleigh Barty as world number one, she has put together a 35-match win streak.
That run surpassed Serena's best of 34 successive wins and equalled Venus Williams' record of 35 straight victories in 2000 for the longest winning stretch by a woman in the 21st century.
A second French Open triumph earlier this month also gave Swiatek a sixth title in 2022.
With defending Wimbledon champion Barty retired, Swiatek has been given the honour of opening Tuesday proceedings on Centre Court.
"I feel really privileged that I've been chosen," she said.
Swiatek, a former Wimbledon junior champion, has yet to get past the fourth round of the women's singles.
She has also not appeared on a grass court at all this summer, opting to rest after her final win over Coco Gauff in Paris.
"Honestly I still feel like I need to figure out grass," she added.
"Last year for sure, it was that kind of tournament where I didn't know what to expect. Then match by match I realised maybe I can do more and more.
"I didn't have a lot of time to prepare. But I'm just trying to stay open-minded and kind of take positives from the situation and realise that I can play without any expectations."
Swiatek begins her Wimbledon bid against Croatian qualifier Jana Fett. -- AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
