How Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin have helped Wimbledon champion Iga Świątek

By Ben Church, CNN

Wimbledon, London (CNN) — When Iga Świątek steps out on the pristine Wimbledon grass for the first time this year, she’ll be doing so as the reigning champion.

Rewind to the 2025 tournament and a laser-focused Świątek was cruising to her first title at the All England Club, a dream eventually achieved with a crushing 6-0, 6-0 win against American Amanda Anisimova in the final.

Despite now carrying the label of champion into the tournament, the six-time grand slam winner told CNN Sports that her approach hasn’t really changed at all.

“Sport is fair, so only the work that you do now and when you actually compete matters,” the 25-year-old said as she put the finishing touches to her preparation.

“I’ll try to be there and not really think about the past, but focus on doing the work step by step, match by match, because that’s what always works and that’s the right approach.

“It’s not always easy to do that, but that’s another topic.”

They’re wise words from an athlete who is mature beyond her years, a player who was thrust onto the global stage at such a young age.

Świątek was only 19 when she won her first grand slam title at the French Open in 2020, becoming the first player from Poland to ever win a major singles title.

A spell as the world No. 1 and five more grand slam titles have followed as she’s cemented herself as one of the faces of the sport. Her profile has also grown off the court. In 2023, she became the first female player to sign for On as the brand looked to expand into the tennis market.

It all created a buzz around an athlete who is more comfortable with a quiet life away from the cameras.

Famous friends

She says leaning on her friends and family has helped her maintain a healthy balance in her life as she attempts to navigate all the chaos, looking for opportunities to switch off from tennis and the intensity required for her game to thrive.

Some of those friends are more famous than others. In her conversation with CNN, Świątek was quick to credit both Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin for the support and advice they’ve given her over the years.

Both women have sat at the very top of alpine skiing, becoming the face of the sport and carrying the weight that comes with it.

Świątek has been able to use both as a sounding board, learning tips that have helped with her approach to tennis and wider life.

“Even though I’m totally different than [Vonn] in terms of personality, I feel like watching her, I learned how to be courageous and also how to handle pressure,” the world No. 3 said.

“For years, she has been the most famous person in her sport, and when people thought of alpine skiing, they thought of her. She had to carry this sport a little bit on her shoulders, even though there were many great athletes.

“So watching her and how strong she is, and how she presents herself, and how she carries herself, that also gave me a lot.”

Vonn is a well-known tennis fan and was in London to watch Serena Wiliams make her comeback at the Queen’s Championships earlier this month.

Świątek has met the skiing icon on several occasions and stays in regular contact with the 41-year-old, who is continuing to recover from her serious injury sustained during the Winter Olympics earlier this year.

“She understands a lot about tennis, you know, so it’s easy to talk to her about that,” Świątek added.

The Polish superstar is also grateful for the help of another skiing icon, Shiffrin. Although the pair have never met face-to-face, the American has been happy to lend some advice over the years via private messages.

Świątek remembers a particular time when she was struggling on tour in 2021 and reached out to Shiifrin for some help.

“She was really nice and she gave me a lot of perspective. So, from time to time, we text as well,” she said.

“She is more similar to me. A bit more like, I don’t know, I would say introverted and in our own bubble. It’s nice to compare experiences, and it’s also great that these athletes are sometimes available to talk because that’s what makes this whole thing so amazing.

“I can ask them questions, and that’s when I know that they’re also great people off the field because they’re open to give advice and share their experiences and maybe have an impact on a younger athlete and help them achieve things.”

Serena comeback

Świątek will also have the chance to watch another one of her role models up close at this year’s Wimbledon.

Like the rest of the world, the reigning champion is excited by Serena’s stunning return to tennis. The American won seven singles titles at Wimbledon during her unrivaled career and has accepted a wild card to play in the draw this year as she dips her toes back into competition after almost four years out of the sport.

Świątek never played against Williams on tour but would face the 44-year-old should they both make it to the third round.

“It’s great that she has made this decision because she’s such a role model. I mean, it’s great for us because we can be around Serena.

“I will be happy to observe and to learn, because she’s obviously the GOAT (greatest of all time), and she inspired so many of us, and she showed her power throughout so many years, even decades, you know.

“I’m not completely surprised that she’s back because I feel like she achieved everything, but on the other hand, she’s completely free to do whatever she wants. She obviously loves tennis so much and it’s great to see her back.”

Świątek will start her title defense on Tuesday when she plays American Taylor Townsend in the first round.

Williams will also begin her campaign on Tuesday against Australian Maya Joint, who is over half her age.

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