Iga Swiatek currently has the Midas touch in tennis. She has been World No.1 for more than 100 weeks now and is amassing all kinds of records to her name. Most recently, she became the latest player to win 20 matches in a row multiple times in her career. She is the 2nd ‘active’ player to register this feat. But when the US Open shared this post on Instagram, many had a problem with it.
The US Open took to Instagram and shared a post about Iga Swiatek and Venus Williams being the only two active players to complete multiple 20-match winning streaks.
Venus Williams had a 35-match winning streak in 2000, which included wins in tournaments like the Wimbledon, US Open, and the Sydney Olympics. A year before that, she had a 22-match winning streak. When Venus Williams lost to Barbara Schwartz in the fourth round of the 1999 French Open, that streak ended.
Iga Swiatek even crossed Venus Williams in terms of the longest win streak. She had a 37-match win streak in 2022. But the US Open might’ve erred in calling Venus Williams ‘active’. Although Venus hasn’t officially retired, many don’t consider her as an active player, since she barely has been one.
US Open, really? Venus Williams, though a great, is not really active as fans have rightly pointed out on their post. pic.twitter.com/U00kAFRJAT
— Wide World of Tennis (@tennisfan_dkr) July 3, 2024
Regardless, for Swiatek to achieve this feat, that too at age 23, is an incredible milestone. Not many have been where she is right now. The 5-time Grand Slam champion will look to make it 21 wins in a row after defeating Petra Martic at Wimbledon 2024. It is a terrific streak and it would take a monumental performance from any of Swiatek’s rivals to break it.
Although one could argue that this could happen at Wimbledon 2024 itself, since the World No.1 has a tough draw ahead of her with opponents like Angelique Kerber and Jelena Ostapenko awaiting her if she wins her second round match on Wednesday.
