By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday Might 6, 2025
It’s nearly unusual to say it: Iga Swiatek has gone three clay-court tournaments with out successful a title. No, the sky isn’t falling – removed from it – however by the Polish juggernaut’s lofty normal, it’s shocking.
It is a participant that rode a 23-match successful streak on the floor into the Olympic semifinals in Paris final yr. We had been turning into so accustomed to her dominance on the floor that it was getting onerous to think about her ever shedding on it once more.
However issues change rapidly in tennis, and now – simply 10 months later – Swiatek is struggling to seek out her self-belief and luxury forward of her title protection in Rome.
Failed title defenses in Doha and Indian Wells raised just a few flags. Swiatek didn’t appear to be snug in her personal pores and skin and losses to her private kryptonite Jelena Ostapenko (in Doha) and rising teen Mirra Andreeva (at Indian Wells) appears to focus on her relative frailty.
Would clay be the elixir, the panacea for Swiatek’s struggles? Up to now it has not been.
Ostapenko bought her once more in Stuttgart, after which she suffered an unthinkably lopsided loss to Coco Gauff within the semis in Madrid, 6-1, 6-1. One other title protection down the drain, and extra motive to surprise what’s inflicting probably the most dependable clay-courter within the ladies’s recreation to drop her degree?
It appears like Swiatek has pinpointed one thing. She’s having hassle in her head, and it’s resulting in poor choices.
Come for the social content material, keep for the candy shock!Iga Swiatek receives Tiramisu throughout Media Day in Rome. pic.twitter.com/u5i1cmD8IP
— Jimmie48 Images (@JJlovesTennis) Might 6, 2025
“This yr I really feel like I’m struggling a bit extra with my perfectionism,” Swiatek stated on media day in Rome. “I wish to for certain deal with being disciplined on the courtroom and making proper selections, not the alternatives that generally come out in my head, however being actually strong. I believe I can try this. That is my principal focus now.”
Maybe it truly is that straightforward. Simply settle for the battle, play the straightforward, grinding recreation, and focus actually onerous on the patterns which have all the time labored.
Swiatek certainly has it in her to make a sudden turnaround in Rome, and Paris, the place the floor is slower and fits her recreation like a heat glove within the lifeless of winter. The slower situations will give her a fraction extra time to determine her patterns, and deal with “being actually strong.”
And, should you take away the loss to Gauff, and various shaky moments within the quarterfinal win over Madison Keys in Madrid, you possibly can say that Swiatek is just not removed from her greatest. There haven’t been any first-round losses, and in Stuttgart she was near lastly getting a win over Ostapenko.
The 23-year-old World No.2 takes solace in her consistency, whereas on the similar time sounding a bit impatient with herself.
Three time champ’s again in her front room!Iga Swiatek practices in Campo Centrale on Monday. pic.twitter.com/qe3uq7KIEr
— Jimmie48 Images (@JJlovesTennis) Might 5, 2025
“The match with Coco for certain wasn’t good,” she stated. “I had hassle focusing. I wasn’t transferring effectively. I believe the whole lot type of constructed up at one second. That is why the rating was like that.
“For certain I am pleased with the consistency. That is one thing that I all the time need. There isn’t any event the place I’m going in and I am not ready. However for certain I wish to additionally win some tournaments. That is additionally the objective.”
Although some would possibly surprise about Swiatek’s relationship with coach Wim Fissette, the Pole had nothing however good issues to say about him in her press convention in Rome. She appears like a participant who believes she’s on observe to finish her title drought, and shortly.
“It is similar to someday,” she stated of her loss to Gauff in Madrid. “You may’t decide the whole lot by it. I am persevering with the work that I have been doing. I belief the method. We’ll see on the subsequent one.”
