Iga Swiatek has made several changes to her team in recent weeks and is ready to start the second part of her career. The Polish player expressed her desire to have new stimuli and took several weeks off from tennis to recharge her energy and reflect well on the next steps.
After winning the French Open, Iga’s level has fallen and her disappointment at the Paris Olympics – where she was the main favorite to win the gold medal – made her realize that she is fragile in some way. The champion from Warsaw did not shine in Cincinnati or especially at the US Open, testifying to a poor ability to modify his tennis in difficult situations especially when he plays on hard courts.
Iga Swiatek© @Vinzaglio X account
The rise of Aryna Sabalenka – who won the WTA in Cincinnati and the US Open this summer – has accelerated Swiatek’s decision to make changes to his team. The 23-year-old Polish champion has many years of career ahead and she has already won a lot, but she must be able to renew her style of play if she wants to stay at the top for many more years. Iga will be the most anticipated player in the WTA Finals.
The French Open champion does not like to be in the spotlight, but her recent forfeits have generated several discussions and speculations about her current status. After three years of wins, Swiatek has announced a surprise break with his coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. The partnership has ended and the Polish tennis player won four Grand Slam titles and conquered the top of the WTA ranking, dominating the tour.
Too many speculations
The 23-year-old’s former coach broke her silence, explaining to the Polish newspaper Przegladsportowy the reasons for the closure of the relationship with the world number one. The coach clarified that the decision to terminate the partnership came in mutual agreement. ” There have been many speculations and insinuations…. Certainly too many, since the communiqué issued defines in a very precise way our decision. Just read it with understanding and not with the intention of making sensationalism. Our collaboration ended in respect of both parties and no fake news will change it”, said Wiktorowski.
Iga Swiatek and Tomasz Wiktorowski© Iga Swiatek/Instagram – Fair Use
The Polish coach admitted that everyone on the team has always looked after the good of the player: “I think we had a very good overall relationship in the team. In three years of intense collaboration, it is impossible to avoid difficult situations, but we have always found a way to reach an agreement and clarify things. Our priority has always been Iga and everything related to the preparation of a player at the highest level”. Wiktorowski concluded his interview by confirming that this separation was not decided overnight: “It was simply a necessity. We never made sudden and, above all, unconsidered decisions”.
Swiatek wants to grow up
In the last few hours, the World No.1 announced Wim Fissette as her new coach, while she continues to practice for the WTA Finals in Riyadh. In a recent interview, Sabalenka opened up on her rivalry with Swiatek: “Having this rivalry with Iga is something big for tennis and something much-needed, I would say, in women’s tennis. To keep this competition going would be really good for tennis.
I love having this competition and I love seeing her in the draw. I love to get to the finals and face her. It’s always great battles. I always enjoy fights against her. I hope she’ll figure out the coach situation and she’ll be back in the WTA Finals in her best shape. Hopefully, we can play against each other there.” The rivalry between Iga and Aryna is very good for women’s tennis, in the hope that Elena Rybakina will soon solve her problems and come back into action in the best form. The WTA tour absolutely needs recognizable faces to help spread the tour around the world.
Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek© YouTube screenshot
Recently, top analyst Barbara Schett discussed Swiatek’s current status: “Iga Swiatek is the number one in the world, but she still wants to develop her game outside of clay, for example on grass and hard grass. It must be recognized that this has not really happened in the last two years. She is looking for something different, an outside look, because at this level, every detail counts. I’m not surprised she’s looking for someone from abroad and not Poland. She needs another pair of eyes and different stimulation. I was very disappointed by the way she played at Wimbledon and the US Open, where she was so one-dimensional and couldn’t adapt tactically. She was rushing but not really looking for solutions. She can certainly develop her game even more and learn when to defend and when to move forward.”