FILE PHOTO: Tennis - United Cup - Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney, Australia - January 6, 2023 Poland's Iga Swiatek reacts during her semi final match against Jessica Pegula of the U.S. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
(Reuters) -The Australian Open women's tournament has thrown up plenty of surprises over the years but it is hard to see anyone other than Poland's imperious Iga Swiatek lifting the trophy after an outstanding 2022 season.
Still only 21, Swiatek has quickly established herself as the player no one else wants to face. She led the WTA Tour with 67 match wins and eight titles, including two Grand Slams, and strung together a 37-match winning run from February to July.
Swiatek ascended to the top of the rankings in April and has remained at the summit ever since, and showed in September that she can also succeed on hard courts when she added a first U.S. Open title to her two French Open crowns.
The Pole has not looked quite as dominant so far this year, however, and left the court in tears last week after a shock defeat by Jessica Pegula in the United Cup semi-finals.
Her preparations for the season's opening major were further disrupted by a shoulder injury that forced her out of this week's Adelaide International 2 event.
Swiatek later described her first loss of the year as just a hiccup.
"I felt kind of helpless, because physically and mentally I wasn't able to show up even, and problem solve," she said.
"I feel like I'm going to be more fresh before the Australian Open."
Swiatek's hopes of winning her first title at Melbourne Park will be boosted by the absence of holder Ash Barty, who has retired. But with the top seed finally looking human, the likes of Pegula, Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff will also fancy their chances.
American great John McEnroe believes Swiatek, who lost to Barty in last year's semi-finals, is the player to beat in Melbourne and tipped her for more success at majors this year.
"I think right now she's by far and away the best player, she's a fantastic athlete," McEnroe, a former world number one and seven-times Grand Slam champion, told Eurosport.
"I would be surprised if she didn't win a couple more French Opens at least, and she's learned to play on hard courts so there's no question that she's the favourite in every tournament she plays."
(Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
