Defending French Open champion Iga Swiatek plays for more than titles

WHEN IGA SWIATEK, THE WORLD'S TOPranked women's tennis player, travels to tournaments around the globe, her bag is filled with the usual accoutrements of superstars in her sport: racket, wardrobe, Legos. OK, Swiatek is likely the only three-time major winner toting around tiny plastic bricks. During the pandemic, Swiatek began toying with Legos; she finds the process of building the Disney World castle, or a Porsche, or the International Space Station relaxing.

- SEAN GREGORY

Her habit isn't kid's play. Swiatek, the Poland native who has held the No. 1 ranking for more than a year, has expertly approached tennis from all angles, combining psychological training-her shrink introduced her to Legosbiomechanical expertise, and a fierce forehand to ascend to the top of her game. Swiatek earned a pair of Grand Slam titles-the French Open and U.S. Open-in 2022, at one point winning an incredible 37 consecutive matches over a 135day stretch from mid-February through early July. At the same time, Swiatek has found her voice off the court, emerging as an advocate for mental health and a voice for Ukrainian players on tour, who are competing while their homeland remains under Russian siege.

"She's a leader that doesn't yell at the top of a mountain," says 18-time Grand Slam winner Chris Evert. "She's more soft-spoken. Yet when Iga speaks, people will listen."

With Serena Williams having retired from tennis, the sport is searching for its next generational star. Swiatek has won two of the past three French Opens, and she'll enter this year's Roland Garros, which begins in late May, as a strong favorite. Here's another chance for Swiatek to stake her claim as the player to reckon with this decade. "You can't find anyone who moves better, who has a better forehand, and who's been mentally tougher in the last 14 months than Iga," says tennis broadcaster Pam Shriver, a former tour player. "She's a little bit of a throwback, old-school No. 1 player."

SWIATEK STARTED PLAYING TENNIS at around 6 or 7. "I always had a lot of energy," she says. "So I needed something to kind of waste it on.