Wim Fissette says Iga Swiatek was fairly honest and clear when she reached out to him because the Pole did not disguise that she was provisionally suspended and left the Belgian coach an opportunity to determine whether or not or not he needed to work together with her.
On October seventeenth, the world No. 2 introduced by Instagram that she was hiring Naomi Osaka’s former long-time coach. Simply earlier than that occurred, the Pole ended her partnership with Tomasz Wiktorowski whereas the Belgian and the Japanese additionally known as time on their collaboration.
On the time, Swiatek was out of motion because of “personal reasons.” On Thursday, the tennis group received to know what was precisely the explanation for the 23-year-old lacking the whole Asian swing as she was serving a provisional suspension after testing optimistic for a banned substance.
Nonetheless, she was capable of show that she did not intend to dope and finally acquired only a one-month ban. And coach Fissette believed the entire time she was harmless.
“Trust is a foundation of good relationships in our team from the very beginning. Iga told me about the case and left me the decision about our cooperation. I have been observing her for a long time, her values, her work ethic, her standards. I was confident that she is innocent from the start, so it did not influence my decision about joining the team,” the coach instructed The Nationwide.
Wim Fissette© Wim Fissette/Instagram – Honest Use
Fissette opens up on the stress the Swiatek crew endured
Of their announcement, the ITIA stated that the five-time Grand Slam champion examined optimistic for trimetazidine (TMZ). Upon the investigation, it was decided that it received into the Pole’s physique by her taking a melatonin medicine to deal with the jet lag and stress points she was dealing it.
After proving it was a contaminated medicine, Swiatek was cleared. Additionally, it was famous that the 23-year-old’s fault was rated on the lowest finish of the vary for no important fault or negligence.
When issuing an announcement, the previous world No. 1 stated it was “the toughest battle” she fought and that she cried loads and went by moments of intense stress and anxiousness. Now, Fissette confirms it’s true that it was all however a straightforward interval for everybody related to the four-time French Open champion.
“It was an extremely stressful and difficult situation for Iga and for the whole team. Nevertheless, Iga is a fighter on and off court, this was another tough battle she won. Now we will focus together on the next season supporting each other and working as a team,” the Belgian reflected.
Fissette on how he feels about Swiatek and how he plans to help
So far in her pro career, the 23-year-old has had two coaches – she worked with Piotr Sierzputowski for five years before having a three-year partnership with Wiktorowski. In the past, the world No. 2 didn’t want a coach outside Poland. Now, she has one.
For Fissette – who is considered one of the top coaches on the WTA Tour – it was “a dream opportunity” when Swiatek reached out offering him a job.
“As a coach, it’s a dream to work with someone like Iga. Everyone has watched matches of her, but also probably practices, and just the intensity and the focus she brings, she’s determined, she’s on a mission every moment that she’s on the court,” the Belgian insisted.
“It’s something that I always admired in her. The focus that she brings also in the matches, she starts the match and it’s like 100 percent energy, 100 per cent focus, and she keeps that literally every single point of the match. That’s what I always admired in her. She is already super successful, but I also think we can develop her, there’s more margin to grow, and I hope we will be able to do that.”
On clay, Swiatek’s dominance is well-documented. However profitable just one Slam title outdoors the French Open is one thing that the 23-year-old hopes to vary.
So for Fissette, one among his first jobs can be to assist the Pole elevate her sport on sooner surfaces. And the coach has an concept of make that occur.
“In general, say outside of the clay, I think she feels sometimes that she really has to change her game too much. So when she plays against big hitters, she feels maybe she has to hit bigger than them; where I feel like she has to stay a little bit more true to her game and use her weapons, like the heavy spin. There’s no need to go flat,” Fissette defined.
Within the good world, Swiatek and the Belgian coach would kick off their partnership with an Australian Open title in January.
