Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys — joined by their podcast co-hosts — had one name come instantly to mind when asked about a “creature of habit”: Iga Swiatek. In the latest episode of The Player’s Box Podcast, Pegula, Keys, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Krawczyk played a fun round of rapid-fire questions, and Swiatek’s name popped up right away.

When Keys asked her co-hosts who they thought was the most superstitious player on tour, Pegula didn’t hesitate—she immediately named Iga Swiatek. The rest of the group agreed without hesitation, nodding along to show they felt the same.

Swiatek’s pre-match routine includes her usual mobility work paired with hand-eye coordination drills. She’s also often seen practicing shadow swings—not just before stepping onto the court or ahead of a match, but even between points. She famously stuck to this routine during her clash with Keys earlier this year.

The two were locked in an engrossing battle in the Australian Open semifinals. As the match entered a deciding set and Keys prepared to serve, Swiatek caused a brief delay by doing short sprints and shadow swings at the back of the court. The routine didn’t pay off, though—Keys responded with an ace.

Keys went on to save a match point to defeat Swiatek, and then stunned two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the final to capture her maiden Major title. However, she hasn’t managed to beat either player since that breakthrough triumph in Australia. Her season also ended on a disappointing note, cut short by ongoing injury struggles.

Madison Keys’ career-best season got derailed due to an injury

Madison Keys opened the year on a high note, capturing the title in Adelaide and carrying that momentum all the way to her triumphant run at the Australian Open. Her winning streak finally came to an end at the Indian Wells Open, where she fell to Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals.

Keys also reached the quarterfinals at both the Madrid Open and the French Open. However, the second half of her season proved far less fruitful. She suffered a first-round upset at the US Open and was forced to skip the entire Asian swing due to injury.

Although Keys returned in time for the WTA Finals, she was clearly not at her best. After dropping her first two group-stage matches, she withdrew from the tournament. Even so, she ended the season ranked No. 7 — the highest year-end ranking of her career.