Iga Swiatek, undefeated since September, has begun 2024 as strongly as she finished 2023.
The world No.1 has led Team Poland into the United Cup semifinals with three commanding singles victories in Perth.
Those wins, plus two in mixed doubles with teammate Hubert Hurkacz, means she is a perfect 5-0 to open the new season.
United Cup commentators Mark Petchey and Sam Smith joined this week’s episode of The AO Show to discuss all the mixed-teams action, revealing their admiration for what they’ve seen from the 22-year-old so far.
"Iga looks more eager than ever,” Petchey said.
"New service motion; watching her play mixed is an absolute joy, taking it on with the men off the ground. Listen, she's one of my favourite players.
“I think the fact that they (she and her team) have gone away from the end of the season, remodelled the serve to try and make her a better player, just sums her up.”
Swiatek has not sacrificed any momentum despite the technical changes she has incorporated into her game.
The reigning Roland Garros champion has not lost a match since falling to Veronika Kudermetova in the Tokyo quarterfinals more than three months ago.
She subsequently won the 1000-level title in Beijing and season-ending WTA Finals in Cancun, building a 14-match winning streak with her three United Cup singles victories.
She has won 22 consecutive sets, and 28 of her past 29.
“Tomasz Wiktorowski, her coach now for a few seasons, said that one of the great things about coaching Iga is she's prepared to even lose a few matches, she's prepared to go backwards, to go forwards,” Smith observed.
“It's all about being the best player that she can be at the end of the day, amassing as many Slams as possible. And so she's absolutely willing to deconstruct a shot, and even if she hadn't come out that well at the United Cup, she's so much bigger-picture.
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“It's been a long time I think since we've had a champion of that kind of mentality.”
Team Poland will take on Team France in Saturday’s semifinals in Sydney.
Following the United Cup, Swiatek will head to Melbourne for Australian Open 2024, where she is targeting her fifth Grand Slam singles title.