Nobody is sure when Iga Swiatek will return to action. The WTA star, besides keeping herself away from competition after her defeat at the US Open, also marked an end to a flourishing partnership with her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. This has not only raised questions about who her next coach would be but fans and experts are also wondering what caused a major halt to her dominant form. As an attempt to dissect the whole mystery, a renowned journalist has stepped forward to offer an intriguing verdict.
The British journalist Candy Reid believes Iga Swiatek’s struggles began after her bronze medal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Polish WTA pro had set her sights on winning gold but eventually lost momentum following her third-place result. “I think she was highly disappointed by taking just bronze in the Olympics,” Reid said at the Tennis Channel Inside In Podcast (3rd October release), clearly stating that Swiatek hasn’t been able to fully regain her form since the Games. She also highlighted that while Swiatek won another French Open title and remained the top player on the tour, she has been far from her best in recent months.
Swiatek’s withdrawal from the 2024 China Open added more to the story of her setback. Fans last saw her on the court during the US Open quarterfinals, where Jessica Pegula defeated her. While a massive 52-7 record and five singles titles this year were remarkable, the Pole had to go through an exhausting schedule, which included the heated competitive levels at the Paris Olympics. Swiatek herself raised concerns about the packed tennis calendar as she warned that the demanding number of tournaments could lead to injuries for players. She even suggested the need for fewer events to maintain a healthier schedule.
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While all of these issues were still not over, Swiatek recently announced a major change in her team. After three years of working together, she parted ways with her coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski. Swiatek won four of her five Grand Slam titles and achieved the World No. 1 ranking during this productive partnership. “After 3 years of the greatest achievements in my career, together with my coach Tomasz Wiktorowski we decided to part way,” Swiatek wrote on Instagram. She expressed gratitude for Wiktorowski’s contributions and pointed to his strategic approach that helped her achieve a major milestone of holding the world no. 1 spot in her career.
Iga #Swiatek & her coach Tomasz Wiktorowski split, breaking up the most successful team in women’s #tennis over the last 3 seasons
Both very intentional & thoughtful people, so a lot must have gone into this big decision pic.twitter.com/PisesrDktP
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) October 4, 2024
After this shocking announcement, it now remains to be seen who will be the new addition to Swiatek’s team. That we will get to know in due course of time, but amid her struggles, Swiatek’s childhood coach recently dropped a concerning statement regarding the the World No.1.
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Iga Swiatek’s childhood coach digs into the reason behind her concerning state
Amid the anticipation of fans over Iga Swiatek’s return to the court, her recent withdrawal from the last two WTA 1000 events has ignited conversations about her current mental and physical state. Swiatek was last seen in action during her quarterfinal match at the 2024 US Open which was about a month ago. Despite enjoying a commendable season with five titles, her absence has raised questions about whether she is still ready to compete.
Former coach Szostaczko, during an interview with SPORT.PL provided insight into the Pole’s possible struggles. He explained the challenges of maintaining peak performance when mental fatigue sets in. “If the head doesn’t work, the body doesn’t work either, because it doesn’t feel confident. In such situations, everything irritates a person, they feel tired and unfortunately, then we head towards depression. When we are broken and dissatisfied, this is already a depressive reaction,” Szostaczko said, pointing to the fact that Swiatek may be dealing with mental strain.
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Szostaczko also suggested that her decision to skip major tournaments like the China Open could have originated from mental fatigue. “I guess no one consciously wants to give up being number one. Not going to a big tournament and automatically giving up a thousand points? Iga didn’t report an injury, for me, it’s a classic mental breakdown,” he stated.
Swiatek herself hasn’t cited mental fatigue as the reason for her withdrawal from the recent tournaments, but she has often talked about grueling schedule in the past. While we are not sure what’s the actual reason for her keeping herself away from the competition after the US Open, her fans would hope she makes a comeback soon and dominates the tour once again.
