Roger Federer ushered in a golden era of men’s tennis during his glittering career. Armed with a one-handed backhand, the Swiss star became the first to break Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slam titles, and the first man to reach 20. He formed incredible rivalries with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who went on to surpass his Major count, winning 22 and 24, respectively.
It’s been three-and-a-half years since Federer hung up his racket and entered retirement, but he remains a constant force in tennis. The former world No. 1 is still involved in the sport through the Laver Cup, while he continues to inspire a whole generation of tennis players.
And the WTA Tour seems to have found an answer to Federer, as six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek believes one of her rivals is the “women’s Roger”. The world No. 2 is currently in action in Indian Wells, where she’s through to the last 16 to face Karolina Muchova.
The Czech star has been a tricky opponent for many. Muchova plays with variety and has an all-court style that can trouble even the best players in the world, including Swiatek. She has a 1-4 record against the Pole, but three of those matches have gone the distance, and Swiatek has often been made to battle back from a break down.
In the 2024 French Open final, Muchova twice led by a break in the decider before losing 6-2 5-7 6-4. And Swiatek is glad to have a positive record against the world No. 13, given how tough their matches have been.
After being told she’d had “success” against Muchova, the two-time former Indian Wells champion said: “Well, the way you started that question, I don’t want to expect that, because yes, like the head-to-head might be to my side, but I can remember all these matches I played against her, sometimes I was down, like, break in third, you know. She’s an amazing player, and most of the times, we played really tight matches.
“It’s going to be tough, and I’m ready for the battle. Honestly, I love playing against her. I also love watching Karolina. Yeah, it’s just nice to see someone who plays so smart and so smooth. She’s like [a] woman’s Roger.”
It’s no surprise that Swiatek sees Muchova as the WTA’s answer to the Swiss maestro. She moves her opponents around with dropshots and lobs, putting them in awkward angles. The world No. 13 is a great mover and plays attacking tennis. And she discussed her unusual game style during the 2024 US Open.
“I can’t tell if it’s unique, but yeah, I just like to change it up. I like to do what I do basically going to the net and actually play a game, you know. Have more fun, not just grind back forehands, backhands. It’s how I see the game. It’s how I like to play it,” Muchova explained.