‘Irritated’ Iga Swiatek Stands by Coach and Psychologist Amidst Struggles on the Court

World No. 2 Iga Swiatek has come to the defence of her coach and psychologist after being questioned about her disappointing performance in recent tournaments, during which she has failed to claim any titles and lost her position at the pinnacle of the world rankings.

Swiatek has faced significant challenges both on and off the court over the past year, including her decision to part ways with Tomasz Wiktorowski, her coach for the past three years, in October.

In November, she accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.

During this period, the Polish star has yet to secure any silverware and has welcomed Belgian Wim Fissette to her coaching team in a bid to turn her fortunes around.

Since her victory at last year’s French Open, Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion, has struggled to rediscover the form that propelled her to the top of the rankings following Ash Barty’s retirement.

Her latest attempt to secure a title ended in disappointment when she suffered a heavy 6-1, 6-1 defeat to Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.

The last time Swiatek only secured two games or fewer in a match on any surface was during a 6-0, 6-2 loss to Jelena Ostapenko in Birmingham back in 2019.

When questioned by reporters about whether her new coach Fissette was to blame for her recent struggles, Swiatek firmly responded: “No, that’s a very harsh and unfair assessment.”

“I can only evaluate my coach from my own perspective, which I believe is the only valid one, based on our daily work together.”

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“The decline in my results has coincided with various other challenges in recent months, including issues in my personal life. I’ve reached a point in my career where I need to rethink my self-perception.”

She further commented: “The standard of tennis globally keeps rising. Players have analysed my game and improved their own.”

“Coco Gauff, who has always been a remarkable talent, is older now and has gained more experience. Aryna (Sabalenka) has also managed to reach the finals and started winning titles.”

When asked about her long-standing collaboration with sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz and whether it has yielded positive outcomes, Swiatek replied:

“Not entirely. People might not realise, but every year brings different challenges.”

“Following my suspension, I really struggled to even step onto the court for a few weeks. It was the most difficult chapter of my career. Daria is a steadfast support for me and someone I trust. This is my team, and I have the final say over who is included.”

“It frustrates me to see headlines suggesting I’m falling apart or going through a mental crisis. Sure, I sometimes feel frustrated on the court and may not be as focused as I’d like to be, but I consistently work hard, week in and week out, to improve. There’s no reason for unusual judgements or speculation about fatigue or burnout.”