by Kelley Busby
Everywhere Polish tennis star Iga Swiatek goes, a sea of red and white follows. Here in Melbourne, IgaNation loudly and proudly wave their flags and scarves, chanting “Jazda Iga,” (“Let’s Go Iga!)
Mother-son duo Janina and Patrick Jonczyk traveled from their home in Adelaide – an eight-hour drive from Melbourne – to support their favorite champion, proudly wearing Polish red and white flag colors along with hundreds of others at Margaret Court Arena as the world No. 2 took on Anna Kalinskaya in the third round of the Australian Open.
Like so many others, they appreciate Iga’s strong work ethic and the fact that she’s forthright and “says it like it is.” Talking to Janina and Patrick, you can feel their Polish pride – after all, she is one of Poland’s greatest living athletes, a verifiable superstar who has legions of fans from around the world. Amongst her many accomplishments her countrymen/women take pride in include the fact that she’s the first Polish player to become World No.1, the first Polish player to win an Olympic medal in tennis, plus has longest winning streak of the 21st century (37 matches in 2022 that propelled her to #1).
Later at the press conference, I asked Iga if the fans helped her in any way. She replied that they definitely boost her energy but that any kind of coaching like “serve another ace!” is distracting- there she is again, saying it straight. Of course, she’s eager for their support in the next round against Australian qualifier Maddison Inglis, saying to the crowd after her match, “Guys, hopefully you’re not going to be so harsh on me if I play Australian but a lot of Polish flags here, so yeah, please make it even.”
Janina and Patrick are hoping for a daytime match so that they can cheer her on before they need to head back home. A night match may just mean they delay their trip until another day. Either way, with that sea of red and white behind her, Swiatek won’t lack for energy as she keeps pushing toward the one major still missing from her collection.
