Iga Świątek has develop into the primary tennis participant to win the Polish Sports activities Persona of the Yr accolade in 86 years.
Jadwiga Jędrzejowska, thought-about Poland’s greatest tennis participant previous to the Open Period, obtained the award in 1936 and 1937.
Świątek is at present getting ready for the Australian Open and was subsequently unable to attend the ceremony, however she acknowledged the honour on Twitter.
The 21-year-old beat three-time winner Robert Lewandowski to the accolade, though the soccer star will possible be delighted by the outcome after placing Świątek ahead himself.
Tennis participant Hubert Hurkacz, who was competing with Świątek on the United Cup earlier this month, was additionally a contender for Polish Sports activities Persona of the Yr.
Why was Iga Świątek named Polish Sports activities Persona of the Yr?
Świątek loved an outstanding 2022. She launched into a 37-match successful streak, the longest recorded in tennis within the twenty first century.
In whole, Świątek earned eight WTA titles final 12 months, together with the French Open and US Open. Her place on the prime of the world rankings was effectively and really solidified.
She is subsequently very deserving of the Polish Sports activities Persona of the Yr award, regardless of Lewandowski’s profitable 12 months in soccer.
The 34-year-old completed the 2021-2022 Bundesliga season as the highest scorer for the fifth consecutive season, hitting 35 objectives.
He additionally gained his second European Golden Shoe award for the second successive season.
Lewandowski then grew to become the costliest Polish participant in historical past after signing for Barcelona in July, and has been in good goalscoring type since.
He additionally managed to attain his first World Cup objective, hitting the again of the online in opposition to Saudi Arabia, earlier than getting on the scoresheet once more in a 3-1 loss to France within the spherical of 16.
Are Iga Świątek and Robert Lewandowski pals?
The mutual respect between Świątek and Lewandowski, two of essentially the most profitable Polish athletes of all time, is obvious.
Świątek stated she was “overawed” when Lewandowski got here to observe her on the 2022 French Open, producing a healthful second when she noticed the striker within the crowd.
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